Martin Dies, Jr. State Park

Deep in the Pineywoods

Two rivers meet here on the eastern edge of Texas, creating wild and diverse habitats. Come explore the lake, sloughs and forest trails of this very special place at the edge of the Big Thicket.

Activities

Forest Country offers serene water­ways, lots of wild­life, and a deep woods wil­der­ness ex­pe­ri­ence.

The 1,300-acre park sits on the banks of the B.A. Steinhagen Reservoir. The park has three units:  Cherokee, Hen House Ridge and Walnut Ridge.

The northern half of the lake and sur­rounding lands near the forks of the Angelina and Neches rivers make up the 12,636-acre Angelina-Neches/Dam B Wildlife Management Area (WMA).

Find your adventure:

On Water
Explore scenic sloughs, the 10,687-acre lake, and the Angelina and Neches rivers.

Paddling

Try some­thing new or under­take an ex­treme back­country ex­pe­ri­ence. Nearly 14 miles of marked paddling trails cross backwater sloughs along Spring Creek, the wide open lake, and the fast-moving Neches River.

Paddle the Neches and Walnut trails to see unforgettable beauty.

Rent canoes and kayaks at park headquarters or bring your own.

Fishing

The park offers sev­er­al small light­ed fish­ing piers and bank­side fishing from many campsites. Catfish, bass, perch and crappie are the common catch. You don’t need a fishing license to fish from shore or pier in a Texas state park.

The park has multiple ramps to launch your boat, canoe or kayak. Campsites have parking for boats and trailers.

Swimming
Our designated swim area (in the Hen House Ridge Unit) is open from sunrise to sunset. No life­guards are on duty; swim at your own risk.

On Land

Hike and bike the park’s trails and roads, connect with nature, attend a ranger program, and more!

Hiking & Biking
The park has seven scenic miles of hiking and biking trails. Be sure to explore the 3/4-mile Island Trail!

Stargazing
Our distance from big cities means dark skies.

Nature Study
The park has an ex­traor­dinary mixed pine/hard­wood forest habitat. A wide variety of trees, plants, birds, mammals, reptiles and all kinds of insects live here.

Birding
Located on the southern migration route of many bird species, Martin Dies, Jr. State Park is a birder’s paradise.

Volleyball
Play volleyball at one of the park’s courts. Check out a volleyball for free at head­quarters during business hours for use in the park.

Hunting
Set up camp in the park to hunt on the adjoining Angelina-Neches Wildlife Management Area. Hunting for deer, hog and squirrel on the WMA requires appropriate permits and licenses.

Duck hunters: The North and South Cherokee Unit boat ramps and the Tidelands boat ramp are available for early starts. These three boat ramps are separate from camping areas. Only park entry fees are required to use the ramps.

Canoes and Kayaks
Rentals come with life jackets and paddles, and are available from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily at headquarters.   

We rent canoes and kayaks on a first-come, first-served basis.
Canoes and kayaks cannot be used after dark.
Canoes hold up to four people, with a maximum weight of 650 pounds.
Kayaks hold one person, with a maximum weight of 300 pounds.
We may limit rental hours when the park is busy to allow everyone a chance to paddle.
You may not transport our canoes or kayaks in your car.
Please note: For your safety and to protect our equipment, we will not rent canoes and kayaks if hazardous conditions exist. This includes winds of 10 mph or above, dense fog, or storms in the area.

Bicycles
Rent single speed cruiser bicycles at headquarters from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily.  You must return bicycles before 4:30 p.m.

These bicycles are for use on park roads only. You’ll need to bring your own bike if you want to ride on park trails.