Lake O' The Pines Loop

More Information:

Lake O' The Pines - Lakeside Park
PPWE 121

This site is open for day use only.
An entrance fee or donation may be required.

Located on the south shore by the dam. From Jefferson, take Texas 49 west to FM 729, turn left, then left again on FM 726. Continue across dam (about 4 miles) and turn right at park entrance.

Lakeside Park is a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers park and provides easy access to the shoreline of Lake O' The Pines at the southern end near the dam and spillway. This deep water is worth checking during winter for ducks, grebes and occasionally loons. The area is also frequently visited by Bald Eagles in search of prey. The offshore islets are attractive to wading birds such as herons and egrets. Check the trees along the shore for Eastern Kingbird and Scissor-tailed Flycatcher. In more open areas, look for the attractive and easily approachable Halloween Pennant dragonfly .

(903) 665-3911, (903) 665-2336

Latitude: 32.747
Longitude: -94.5214

Lake O' The Pines - Brushy Creek Park
PPWE 123

This site is open daily, and developed camping is available at the site.
An entrance fee or donation may be required.

From the intersection of TX Hwy. 49 and FM 729 west of Jefferson, follow FM 729 west 3.3 miles to FM 726. Turn left (south) and go 4.3 miles to stop sign, follow FM 726 to the right Brushy Creek Park entrance is immediately on the right after the stop sign.

The pines at this U.S. Army Corps of Engineers park reverberate with the cheery buzz of Pine Warblers during summer. This buzz is often accompanied by calls of Summer Tanager, Carolina Wren and Northern Cardinal. When walking through Brushy Creek Park, keep a careful eye out for less obvious creatures, such as the rough green snake or perhaps the shimmering blue of a juvenile five-lined skink rustling the leaf mulch. The lakefront is also a good spot to search for herons in summer and a variety of waterfowl in winter. In winter and migration, scan the skies for the occasional Bald Eagle or Osprey.

(903) 665-3911, (903) 665-2336
www.lakeothepines.org/brushy-creek-park

Latitude: 32.7355
Longitude: -94.5398

Lake O' The Pines - Alley Creek Park
PPWE 124

This site is open daily, and developed camping is available at the site.
An entrance fee or donation may be required.

From the intersection of Texas Hwy. 49 and FM 729 west of Jefferson, follow FM 729 west 10.5 miles to Alley Creek Park on the left. Turn left (south) and go 0.3 mile to the gate.

This U.S. Army Corps of Engineers park, located on the eastern edge of Lake O' The Pines, provides a variety of habitats for wildlife enthusiasts to explore. In winter, look for a myriad of waterfowl and the occasional grebe or loon on the lake. In summer, look for Great Blue Heron, Great Egret and Black Vulture. The towering cottonwoods near the lake attract Great Crested Flycatcher and Eastern Phoebe. Further from the lake, the pines are filled with Pine Warbler and a variety of woodpeckers. Check the cavities of dead trees for Red-headed Woodpecker, which are regularly recorded in the park. The open fields around the camping area are good for Eastern Bluebird and American Robin. You can also find White-eyed Vireo, Northern Parula and Tufted Titmouse. The park includes a day use area, pavilion and camp sites.

(903) 665-3911, (903) 665-2336
www.lakeothepines.org/alley-creek-park

Latitude: 32.7982
Longitude: -94.5908

Daingerfield State Park
PPWE 125

This site is open daily, and developed camping is available at the site.
An entrance fee or donation may be required.

From Daingerfield take SH 11/49 east for 3 miles to PR 17 and the park entrance. From Linden take SH 11 to Hughes Springs. In Hughes Springs, turn right and continue west on SH 11/49 for 6 miles to PR 17 and the park entrance.

This beautiful state park occupies 551 acres and includes the 80-acre Lake Daingerfield. A trail system provides hikers with access to the pine forest. Additional amenities include cabins, campgrounds, swimming and a boat ramp. In springtime redbuds and wisteria vines burst into bloom. Although northeast Texas is known for pines, each fall the park is a delight as sweetgum, oak and maple trees produce dazzling shades of red and gold, offering a stark contrast to the evergreens.

Over 172 species of birds have been observed at the park. The fall migration of Broad-winged Hawks is a spectacular annual event here. During the last 2 weeks in September, over 3,700 Broad-winged Hawks were counted here in a single day. Other species observed during this time include Sharp-shinned and Cooper's Hawks, Osprey, American Kestrel, Mississippi Kite, Fleet Merlin, Peregrine Falcon, Wood Stork, Anhinga, Double-crested Cormorant and American White Pelican.

The hiking trail at Dogwood Camp provides great viewing of resident and neotropical migratory birds. During the spring and summer expect to see woodpeckers, Great Crested and Acadian Flycatchers, Eastern Kingbird, Brown Thrasher, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Wood Thrush, Summer Tanager and several species of vireos and warblers. The open areas of the park support Killdeer, Indigo Bunting, Eastern Meadowlark, Field and Chipping Sparrows, Mourning Dove, Eastern Bluebird and Eastern Phoebe.

(903) 645-2921
www.tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/daingerfield

Latitude: 33.0098
Longitude: -94.6929

Lake O' The Pines - Lone Star Boat Ramp
PPWE 126

This site is open for day use only.

From the intersection of US 259 and FM 729 south (left) of Lone Star, follow US 259 south 0.8 mile to the boat ramp road on the left. Turn left (south) and go 0.5 mile to the boat ramp.

The view from the Lone Star Boat Ramp (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) is a picture postcard East Texas swamp, complete with bald cypress. This area is a particular favorite for herons and egrets. The woods resound with the prehistoric sounds of Yellow-billed Cuckoos and the sharp whistles of Prothonotary Warblers. Scan the emergent vegetation for Pied-billed Grebe, Wood Duck and the yellow-striped western chicken turtle. Even in the heat of summer, this area offers the intricate beauty of a Red-spotted Purple sipping from the water's edge or the buzzing of half a dozen dragonflies just above the surface. Dragonflies to look for include Eastern Pondhawk and Slaty Skimmer.

(903) 665-3911, (903) 665-2336
www.lakeothepines.org/lone-star-boat-ramp

Latitude: 32.9018
Longitude: -94.7153

Lake O' The Pines - Cedar Springs Park
PPWE 127

This site is open daily, and developed camping is available at the site.
An entrance fee or donation may be required.

Located on the northern end of the lake. Take US 259 north out of Ore City. Turn right on Texas 155 and go 1 mile to Cedar Springs. Look for sign on road, turn right and follow signs to ramp.

Cedar Springs Park is really pretty small and made up of a large parking area, a very nice boat ramp, and a few picnic tables. There are also restrooms located within the park. Numerous exposed snags and pilings in this area provide perches for Osprey and cormorants in winter and migration, and Belted Kingfisher year-round. The water's edge is perfect for Great Blue Heron and Great Egret, but almost anything could turn up in late summer when juvenile birds start wandering away from the coast. Check the tall pines and dense thickets of the park for neotropical migrants, such as the White-eyed Vireo, often heard scolding from the brush. Dragonflies to look for in the area include Widow Skimmer and the occasional Halloween Pennant.

(903) 665-3911, (903) 665-2336

Latitude: 32.8403
Longitude: -94.6957