Caddo Lake State Park — Attraction in Marshall

This is a very peaceful place to go, but there are a few things you should know first. I do want to say that my wife and I really enjoyed our 2 day stay in one of the smaller cabins. It was very clean and the air was already on so there wasn't a musty odor. But, there was at least one major drawback and it is mentioned on the website. There are not any fire rings at any of the cabins priced $75 or higher. There is one smaller cabin, which is more like an air conditioned room to sleep in, that has a fire pit. The fireplaces in the larger cabins are not usable. They are real fireplaces, but they have screens bolted into the brick that keeps them from being used. To me this is kinda a draw back. But, driving through the park I did like all of the other sites which all have fire rings and plenty of shade. It did look like the sites right in the lake would be a mosquito festival, but I didn't stay in one so I cannot be sure. This actually is on Big Cypress Bayou, not Caddo Lake. The bayou is wide and as the name suggests there are plenty of big Cypress trees to see. The sounds of the numerous birds and frogs combined with the scenery was very relaxing. The fishing wasn't all I expected. But, fishing often is not as good as you'd hope for. The trail system was very nice. All of the trails except one are considered moderate difficulty. Most people in good to moderate physical shape can hike the trails. The trails all interconnect and you can make several different hikes from one starting point. All possible loops will be downhill one way and uphill the other. On the very steep portions there are stairways. But, if you have difficulty breathing or knee problems, you will probably make it down okay, but coming back up might be a problem. My wife has a knee problem and we had brought the car and the motorcycle, so we parked the car at the boat ramp and rode the motorcycle back to the top and hiked down hill. Anyhow, the staff was friendly and helpful. There's a cool little museum inside the gift shop. There's also an ice machine about a half mile outside the park that has 20lbs of ice for $2 and the nearest store opens at 7am and closes at 5pm. It is located about a mile away. We would definitely...

Caddo Lake State Park: The Half-Egret, Half-Gator

The sun sank behind the pines, casting long shadows across Caddo Lake State Park. The air was thick with damp moss and murky water, a place where the earth exhaled secrets, and something darker lurked beneath the surface. People came seeking solace or escape, but few understood the things hiding in the waters—things that didn’t want to be understood.

They called it the Half-Egret, Half-Gator. Some said it was a twisted mutation, a byproduct of human folly or nature’s revenge. Others believed it was just a story, a tale told by those who’d seen too much.

It began with an old fisherman who went missing near the cypress trees. His boat was found overturned, motor still running. His blood was smeared across the water, and a trail—half-human, half-something else—led into the swamp. No one dared follow.

Then came the sightings. A creature, tall and grotesque, glided silently through the water. Its head was that of an egret, its body that of an alligator—feathers blending with scales, moving with predatory grace. It was both beautiful and terrifying, something born from nightmares.

Despite the danger, people kept coming—tourists, locals, even kids—hoping to catch a glimpse of the creature. One evening, a group of teenagers, eager to test the legend, rented a boat and paddled out into the darkening water. They laughed, mocking the tale, until the water around them grew still, the air heavy. Then, a flash—a glimpse of white, followed by gleaming, predatory eyes. Before they could react, the creature burst from the water, its long neck rising, its gator-like body snapping with hunger.

The teenagers never returned. All that was found were ripples and blood.

Caddo Lake isn’t just a place where the sun sets. It’s where something ancient waits—half-egret, half-gator—a beast that never quite leaves. For those who survive, the darkness stays with them, a memory of something too terrifying to understand. And for anyone daring enough to enter the heart of the swamp, there’s no telling if they’ll come back… or if they’ll...

Our little fam camps all over, near and far from TX. 🏕️ This was our last stop on our way home from the Red River Gorge and Smoky Mountains. We had site 36 in Armadillo Run. It’s large, lots of space, plenty of room for a bigger family. The drive slopes back a bit, but was pretty even side to side.

We visited in mid October. I was concerned about mosquitoes being a problem (Sea Rim SP and Ute Lake SP in NM were insanely terrible on our visits, couldn’t even stay the night). BUT we wore bug spray, and we actually didn’t see that many. I was glad for visiting later in the year.

The park HQ opens at 8:15am, and they have 15 canoes to rent. 🛶 First come, first serve. It was $10/1 hr or $20/3 hrs. They have a full day option, but I don’t recall the price. They don’t take reservations after 3pm. (But the office is open till 4:45 for normal business.)

We came to canoe this park, and I WOULD recommend that activity to anyone visiting. It’s beautiful. The water had no current. So calm, super easy to navigate. The Saw Mill Pond is clearly the best part. I had thought the bayou would resemble the pond, and the bayou is also beautiful, but the pond is where it’s at. We got the 3 hr option and paddled a bit over an hour, maybe 1.5 hrs because we went up and down the Big Cypress Bayou. The 3hr window would be enough for most, I think.

Super duper nice park staff and volunteer/host staff. 💙

💦 The bathhouse near us was new and clean. Oct 2025. When we take our tiny camper, we don’t have a bathroom, so bathhouse cleanliness and condition are super important to us. So I’m gonna start including photos and info about bathrooms in all my...