The Primordial Paddlefish Is Being Reintroduced to Texas Lakes
June 30, 2022 | By Asher Elbein
caddo lake
Big Pines Lodge Has Been a Caddo Lake Staple Since the 1950s
June 24, 2021 | By June Naylor
Against All Odds, Caddo Lake Prevails
October 30, 2019 | By S.C. Gwynne
The great cypress swamp is lovely, dark, and deep. There is no debating this. The wildly intricate and critter-infested maze of bayous, lakes, ponds, sloughs, and interconnected channels known as Caddo Lake and Big Cypress Bayou is one of the country’s most spectacular nature shows. It contains arguably the most diverse collection of species in Texas. The place has a mystical feel, too, an impression enhanced by the ghostly Spanish moss that drapes the trees, by the cypress roots known as “knees” that rise from the swirling mists like Excalibur in the Arthurian legend, by the lily pads with lotus flowers that spread everywhere and suggest Celtic fairylands.
Water Weed-Devouring Weevils Helping Clear up Caddo Lake
December 20, 2018 | By TH Staff
Anglers and paddlers, rejoice: Caddo Lake is back.
Once largely overrun by giant salvinia, a highly invasive aquatic fern, the lake has benefited from a combination of freezing weather last winter and the release of more than 200,000 salvinia-munching weevils—the same kind that keep salvinia in check in the noxious weed’s native Brazil, the Marshall News Messenger reports.
9 Texas Cruises to Keep You Cool and Charmed This Summer
July 26, 2018 | By Heather Brand, Matt Joyce, Clayton Maxwell, June Naylor, Jennifer Babisak
We love the idea of taking a boat ride—the cool breezes, sparkling waters, and rare perspectives you just can’t see from shore. Not everybody has a boat, though. For the otherwise landlocked, here are nine Texas cruise experiences—from spotting dolphins on a paddleboat to serenading your sweetie on a gondola—that make getting out on the water a summer treat anyone can enjoy.
A Canoe Exploration of Caddo Lake’s Creatures and History
March 16, 2018 | By
Two hours into my canoeing adventure on Caddo Lake, I saw an osprey swoop down into the water and emerge with a fish clutched in its beak. I was debating whether the raptor would stick around long enough for me to pull out my binoculars when an enterprising bald eagle suddenly appeared and struck the osprey in mid-air. The osprey tumbled but managed to keep the fish, and then flew higher. My group watched in wonder as the two magnificent birds circled one another over the lake’s cypress forest for several minutes.
Texas Highways Top 5 Most-Read Stories of 2017
December 27, 2017 | By
As 2017 comes to a close, we’re taking a look back at the 5 most-read stories of the year.
8 State Parks in East Texas Where You Can Unplug and Enjoy Nature
October 15, 2017 | By Laurence Parent
Despite my job as a Texas photographer and writer, I hadn’t visited many of East Texas’ state parks in years. In 2016, when University of Texas Press asked me to revise my 2008 guidebook, Official Guide to Texas State Parks and Historic Sites, I seized my opportunity and hit the road. The experience was a bit like renewing old friendships; I not only saw things I remembered from previous visits, but I also found new surprises. Here are some highlights from my East Texas favorites.
Texas’ Top Natural Wonders: Caddo Lake
August 7, 2017 | By
Caddo Lake
“I rented a kayak and paddled my way across the tea-colored water and green lawns of giant salvinia.
Scenic Route: Peaceful Paddle
July 20, 2017 | By
For more information, visit tpwd.texas.gov/fishboat/boat/paddlingtrails/inland.
Lakes, Sweet Lakes
June 16, 2015 | By Dan Oko
Our Lakes, Our Lives: A tribute to the great lakes of Texas
Our Lakes, Our Lives
June 16, 2015 | By Larry D. Hodge
If you were born before 1950, you’re older than three-fourths of the lakes in Texas.
Texas Top 40 No. 37, Caddo Lake State Park
December 5, 2013 | By
Every Texan should experience the primordial mystery of Caddo Lake State Park. With its ghostly, century-old cypress trees draped with gray-green Spanish moss, cozy cabins built in the 1930s, and a history that encompasses pearl hunting and steamboating, a Caddo getaway works efficiently to re-set your perspective.
Texas Top 40 Travel Destinations
December 3, 2013 | By
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Last fall, we asked Texas Highways readers to share their favorite places in the state for our Texas Top-40 Travel Destinations.
Texas to-do’s
December 29, 2012 | By Helen Bryant
Sometimes you can spy a whooper or two in the marsh through a free telescope on the refuge’s observation tower.
Trip to Bountiful: Texas Highways Wildflower Drives
March 12, 2009 | By Melissa Gaskill
For the enlightened and adventurous traveler, serendipity transforms every trip: Hiking a new trail and rounding a bend to encounter an unexpected vista, journeying to a destination you’ve heard about—or visiting a familiar place with someone who’s never been—without an agenda.
