Outdoors
Day-use and picnic areas near Tyler on public land, from quick drives to full-day outings.
Good to know: Group picnic sites can often be reserved; fire rules change with the season, so check before bringing a grill.
55 mi northeast · US Army Corps of Engineers
Johnson Creek Day Use Area is situated along the banks of the Lake O' the Pines in the Ark-La-Tex portion of the Pineywoods of east Texas near the states of Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana. Address to get here: 580 Crestwood Lp.
55 mi northeast · US Army Corps of Engineers
Lakeside Day Use Area is situated along the banks of the Lake O' the Pines in the Ark-La-Tex portion of the Pineywoods of east Texas near the states of Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana.
56 mi northeast · US Army Corps of Engineers
Lake O' the Pines includes about 18,700 acres of water and 9,000 acres of land located in the piney woods of Northeast Texas. The lake is located partially in Marion, Harrison, Upshur, Morris and Camp Counties.
Map of 23 places loads as you scroll.
Johnson Creek Day Use Area is situated along the banks of the Lake O' the Pines in the Ark-La-Tex portion of the Pineywoods of east Texas near the states of Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana. Address to get here: 580 Crestwood Lp.
Lakeside Day Use Area is situated along the banks of the Lake O' the Pines in the Ark-La-Tex portion of the Pineywoods of east Texas near the states of Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana.
Lake O' the Pines includes about 18,700 acres of water and 9,000 acres of land located in the piney woods of Northeast Texas. The lake is located partially in Marion, Harrison, Upshur, Morris and Camp Counties.
When complete, will impound the South Sulphur River in Delta and Hopkins Counties.
.
Bardwell Lake is located in the Blackland Prairie region of southwestern Ellis County. Built in 1965 for flood control by the US Army Corps of Engineers, Bardwell Lake is located two miles southwest of Ennis off of State Highway 34.
High View Park is on a long peninsula on the western shore of Bardwell Lake, less than an hour south of the Dallas-Fort Worth area in north-central Texas.
The Heard Natural Science Museum and Wildlife Sanctuary in nearby McKinney features natural history exhibits and nature trails.
Navarro Mills Lake holds the state record white crappie at 4lbs 9 ounces.
Wright Patman Lake is located in the beautiful piney woods of northeast Texas. The lake includes about 30,000 surface acres of water and 50,000 acres of land.
Joe Pool Lake is a 7,400-acre impoundment located in the southern portion of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.
Pat Mayse Lake is located in the Red River Basin in Lamar County, Texas. The damsite is on Sanders Creek (a tributary of the Red River) approximately one mile south of the town of Chicota, four miles northwest of Powderly and twelve miles…
Bayou Bodcau in LA and AR is a flood-control project with no permanent pool. A major waterfowl management and upland game management area is located here.
Centrally located in the heart of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex just minutes from DFW Airport, Grapevine Lake offers a variety of outdoor recreation opportunities.
Just north of Dallas, popular Lewisville Lake is a 29,592 acre lake with unlimited outdoor recreation opportunities. Over 20 parks surround the lake and offer camping, hiking, picnicking, horseback riding, boating, and golf.
A 114,000-acre lake in the Big Thicket country of Texas, with native flora including orchids, insect-eating plants and scores of animal species.
This 3,280-acre lake is located on Aquilla and Hackberry Creeks.
The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation manages over 18,000 acres of land and water, which is open to hunting along with an additional 8,000 acres managed by the Corps.
Pine Creek Dam is located on Little River, approximately eight miles north of Valiant in McCurtain County, Oklahoma. The lake extends into Choctaw and Pushmataha Counties.
Millwood is located in the southwest corner of Arkansas on the Little River, 16 miles upstream from its confluence with the Red River. Nine recreation areas offer modern camping facilities.
The largest lake in the United States to be located entirely within a single city's municiple boundaries.
This 29,350-acre rural lake is just a few minutes from the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex and is a great place to get away from city life.
There are 10 Corps of Engineers parks, one state park, and three additional parks managed by Hill County or private individuals. Equestrian riders have a great place to explore rolling hills and woods in the McCown Valley Equestrian Area.
Distances are straight-line miles from downtown Tyler. Listings come from Recreation.gov’s federal recreation database; check each official page for hours, fees, fire restrictions and closures before you go.
THINGS TO DO · YOUTUBE SHORT
A full episode of The Daytripper exploring the Rose Capital and its rose garden.
Watch on YouTube ↗
A WALK AROUND TOWN
A tour of the Tyler Rose Garden in full October bloom, shared by Visit Tyler.
Watch on YouTube ↗Johnson Creek Day Use (US Army Corps of Engineers), about 55 miles northeast of Tyler as the crow flies. Next are Lakeside Day Use (55 mi) and Lake O' The Pines (56 mi).
Based on Tyler’s average highs, February–May, September–November. Conditions at higher elevations can be much cooler.
Federal agencies including US Army Corps of Engineers, USDA Forest Service. Each listing links to its official page for hours, fees, closures and current conditions.