Set into the Piney Woods of East Texas, Tyler State Park reflects two major park development efforts undertaken by the Civilian Conservation Corps. The first involved extensive forest reclamation and land rehabilitation that included tree planting, development of a road system, and construction of a dam and lake. The other effort focused on the development of essential park buildings. Today, visitors can enjoy picnicking, camping, boating (rentals available), fishing, birding, hiking, mountain biking, lake swimming (in unsupervised swimming area), and nature study.