With a wealth of recreation activities within easy driving distance, more and more vacationers are making the National Grasslands in Texas their weekend destination.
The Forest Service manages nearly 38,000 acres of grasslands in Texas consisting of the Caddo and Lyndon B. Johnson National Grasslands.
The Caddo National Grasslands contains three lakes. The largest, Lake Coffee Mill, is 651 acres with a developed recreation area containing 13 picnic units and a boat ramp.
Lake Davy Crockett is 388 acres with two developed recreation areas; West Lake Davy Crockett has 11 camping units, while the east side has picnic areas and a boat ramp.
The historic 1930s recreation area, Lake Fannin is a favorite place for reunions and receptions. The remodeled lodge is on the National Register of Historic Places and is available to the public through a special use permit issued to the Lake Fannin Wilderness Park Association. This group is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to restoring and reopening the area to the public for recreation.
Recreation users on the national grasslands should be extremely careful with fire because the prairie grasses can be highly flammable.
The Lyndon B. Johnson National Grasslands offers a recreation area at Black Creek Lake consisting of picnic units, walk-in camp units, a boat ramp and an accessible fishing bridge.
Cottonwood Lake is north of Black Creek Lake and has a boat ramp. Connecting the two lakes is the Cottonwood-Black Creek Hiking Trail along with nearly 50 miles of multiple-use trails in the Cottonwood Lake vicinity.
The 50-mile Lyndon B. Johnson Multi-Use Trail is open to horseback riding, mountain biking and hiking. Access to the trail is provided by the TADRA Point Campsite, Valley-View Group Use Campsite and numerous dispersed campsites.
The trail system consists of five loops that begin and end at TADRA Point. Additionally, open areas of the grasslands are popular for cross-country horseback riding. Because soils on the LBJ and Caddo Grasslands are susceptible to erosion, vehicle travel is restricted to designated roads.
There are approximately 400 lakes and ponds, ranging from less than an acre to more than 40 acres on the LBJ National Grasslands Most of the lakes were stocked upon completion, and the larger ones are stocked periodically with catfish.
The lakes that offer boat launching opportunities are: Black Creek, Cottonwood, Clear and Rhoads lakes. Caution is advised as some ramps are primitive.
Catfish, largemouth bass and perch are common catches at most of the lakes and ponds. Crappie have been caught on Black Creek, Cottonwood and Clear Lake. In addition, there are numerous small ponds that are not accessible by road that offer great opportunities.
Black Creek Lake offers developed recreational sites featuring seven picnic units and seven walk-in camping spots (tables, grills). The lake has a barrier-free fishing bridge across a small creek, a concrete boat ramp and a four-mile hiking trail.
For more information on the Caddo and Lyndon B. Johnson National Grasslands, visit the website at www.fs.fed.us/r8/texas or call the Ranger’s Office in Decatur at 940-627-5475.