Yesterday (yes, YESTERDAY! I’m getting on top of things haha) the kids and I day tripped to a state park about an hour and a half away on the east side of Tyler. I wanted to get one more use out of our state park pass that is set to expire at the end of the month (don’t worry, I’ll be getting another next month) and with the weather forecasted to be a balmy 65 degrees, we took advantage. We loaded up a lunch bag, some fishing rods and our new puppy, Sally, and we were out the door by 10.

I knew the park was situated on a lake that cooled a power plant similar to our previously visited Fairfield Lake SP, but I had no idea there so much history to the area as well!

We started our visit with lunch and set out on a 1 mile hike around an island just off the shore of the main park. This was Sally’s first real go being on leash and she did great! Ashlyn and I took turns walking her and we marveled at the landscape and trees on one tiny little island. We went from towering pines to a plateau of prairie and post oaks and even found the most unusual “growth” in a tree branch.

Once we completed our trip around the island, we retrieved the fishing rods and headed to the pier. I had initially just packed some bread to ball up for bait (don’t judge…3 kids with 3 rods means 3 hooks…I really wanted to keep it simple haha), but we intercepted 2 ladies on their way out who gave us their leftover night crawlers and crickets! Score! We settled Sally on a blanket with a bone and she contentedly chewed herself into a nap while I got the kids lines in the water.

I’m forever in awe of the kids new found love for fishing. Not a bit of activity was happening, yet they were hard at for an hour. Sure they wanted to “check their bait” every 30 seconds and asked out loud quite often where the fish were; but by the end of the hour, Weston was casting like a damn pro (seriously, I was shocked), Archer lost a few worms to bites and Ashlyn caught a perch bigger than her first one! They managed themselves so well, I was able to turn my attention away and take some glamour shots of the pup!

After this already full day of activity, I figured we had enough and we loaded up to drive the remainder of the park to see what the campsites were like. The park offers cabins, cottages (both with AC), screened shelters, primitive and water/electric tent camp sites AND large RV spots. Many of which had permanent awnings constructed over the picnic tables. We drove past a trail head and I explained to the kids that it led to an old historic road from the 1800’s that people used to travel between Henderson and Shreveport back then. Much to my surprise, all 3 exclaimed they wanted to see it even with it being another 1 mile round trip hike! Probably had something to do with our Oregon Trail Unit study we are working on currently 😉.

We piled out with a tuckered and reluctant pup and, really, we were not disappointed! The old road met up with our trail from private property and we did indeed get to walk in the same footsteps as travelers from back then. The kids were intrigued that old roads lacked the many roadside attractions we see today.

We made it to Martin Creek which was dammed to create the lake that cools the power plant. The original road disappears into the lake now and I’m not sure if the preservation of it picks up somewhere on the other side or not. From the state park installed bridge over the creek, Ashlyn and I were convinced we could make out a creek crossing even though there wasn’t any signage confirming our theory.

The park had another larger trail East of this one that took you around the setting of a once popular pit stop town along the road named Harmony Hill. The community disappeared once a railroad came in, bypassing it in nearby Tatum.  I’m thinking that would be another interesting trail to try, but not at 3pm on our supposed to be day trip at the park.

So, obviously, this park warrants another trip with some overnight stays to explore that last trail, enjoy some swimming and give fishing some more tries. Definitely a great park to kick our 2018 adventures off on!

-Lindsay