Trail Between The Lakes

Description:

The trail is a 28-mile hiking trail that winds through the Sabine National Forest. The Trail Between The Lakes extends from Lakeview Recreation Area on Toledo Bend Reservoir to US 96 within sight of the easternmost point of Sam Rayburn Reservoir. In a joint effort between the Golden Triangle Group of the Sierra Club and the USDA Forest Service, trail planning began in 1981, and the construction began in 1985. The final section of the trail was located and marked during the fall of 1990, but the group continues to work on the trail, and members have adopted sections to maintain. There are many points where trail comes close to road so water can be tanked. The trail is easy to follow, marked with 2" x 4" aluminum, rectangular-shaped tags which are attached to trees at a height of 5 feet above the ground in both directions. The Trail Between The Lakes is designated for hiking only; horses, off-road vehicles, and mountain bikes are not allowed. There are many opportunities to camp in primitive or natural settings along the route. Camping is not allowed in the Moore Plantation Wildlife Management Area during deer hunting season or in colonies of red-cockaded woodpeckers, which are an endangered species. Woodpecker colony boundaries are marked with aqua-green paint and boundary signs. The Forest Service asks that you please be careful with campfires, and if you "pack it in, pack it out" in other words, strict Leave No Trace ethics apply. This is a first class hiking trail and well worth several visits! The Lakeview area (Toledo Bend side) offers unique topography rising and falling over hill and valley. There is plenty of room to camp at either trail end on a late Friday night arrival.