The 160,656-acre Sabine National Forest is the easternmost of Texas’ national forests and is dominated by the massive Toledo Bend Reservoir along the Louisiana border. According to the Texas Almanac, Toledo Bend is the largest lake in the state (in volume of storage capacity), and its enormous size offers extensive recreational opportunities, from boating and fishing to swimming and lakeshore camping.

Sabine National Forest is best known for its outdoor recreation (fishing, hunting, camping, hiking, horseback riding and mountain biking) and one of its most popular destinations is the 12,369-acre Indian Mounds Wilderness Area. The name is misleading, however, since the mounds are actually just normal hills that were misidentified as sacred Native American sites. Regardless, these natural formations provide a scenic backdrop for visitors and host enticing flora including yellow lady’s slipper orchids, American beech and southern magnolia.

Hikers also enjoy the 28-mile Trail Between the Lakes, extending from Toledo Bend’s Lakeview Recreation Area to Highway 96 near Sam Rayburn Reservoir. Although historic structures and features are scarce in Sabine National Forest, U.S. Forest Service staff can provide maps showing the sites of old railroad trusses and bridges along with the hundreds of miles of scenic roads and trails.