Recreation Guide to the Sabine River Basin, Texas

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Sabine Basin Recreation Sites with Canoeing

Blue Elbow Swamp WMA (Orange, Texas; Orange County): 3,343 acres of wetland area open to the public in August 1996. TPWD plans to offer passport canoe tours, fishing, and hunting with TPWD permits.
East Hamilton (Center, Texas; Shelby County): Located on Toledo Bend Reservoir. Includes a one-lane boat ramp, limited facilities. Day-use only. Operated by the Sabine River Authority of Texas.
Haley's Ferry (Center, Texas; Shelby County): On Toledo Bend Reservoir. Primitive camping with no facilities at this time. A new boat ramp is located at Haley's Ferry. Open year round, no fee. Operated by the Sabine River Authority of Texas.
Indian Mounds Campground (Hemphill, Texas; Sabine): This developed USFS site on Toledo Bend Reservoir offers access to the nearby Indian Mounds Wilderness Area and an alternative to wilderness camping. Facilities include 38 travel trailer or tent sites, picnic tables, grills and chemical flush toilets. Operated by the Sabine River Authority of Texas.
Indian Mounds Wilderness Area (Hemphill, Texas; Sabine): Located in the Pineywoods of East Texas on Toledo Bend Reservoir. Established October 30, 1984, under the Texas Wilderness Act and is 11,037 acres in size. Recreation opportunities include hiking, backpacking, horseback riding, photography, bird watching, fishing, and hunting. The nearby Indian Mounds Campground provides camping facilities and access to the wilderness area for day visitors. No motorized vehicles are allowed in wilderness areas, visitors can only enter the area on foot or by horseback.
Lakeview Campground (Hemphill, Texas; Sabine): Located on Toledo Bend Reservoir. 10 camping sites with a table, grill, tent pad and garbage can at each site. Trailhead for Trail Between the Lakes. Water is available from two centrally located hydrants. The area has chemical flush toilets and a primitive boat ramp. Operated by the Sabine River Authority of Texas.

Sabine River Canoe Trips

Canoeing opens up a whole new world for the outdoor recreationist and opens the door to other activities such as camping, fishing, hunting, bird watching, and photography. Canoeists can paddle into areas on our rivers, streams, and the lakes that otherwise would be difficult to reach. There are several excellent canoe guides written specifically for Texas waterways. These provide detailed information on canoe trips as well as on safety, paddling instructions, maps, river flow information, equipment checklists, etc. The trips listed here are the more popular trips on the Sabine River found in these guidebooks. Abundant and beautiful white sand bars in many areas offer numerous primitive camp sites at low or normal water levels. Be alert for rising water levels. Call the numbers below to find out current river flow information. Do not camp on private property along the river without permission.

US 271 to SH 43 Canoe Trip: The Sabine River at US 271 is large enough to provide generally adequate flow for a good float trip at any time.
SH 43 to FM 2517 Canoe Trip: Scenic, with little development along its banks, this 41-mile stretch of the Sabine River is located in Harrison and Panola Counties.
Toledo Bend to US 190 Canoe Trip: This 54-mile section of the Sabine River forms the boundary line between Texas and Louisiana.
US 190 to SH 12 Canoe Trip: This 56-mile section of the Sabine River is very similar to the section immediately above it until you reach the Big Cow Creek confluence about 21 miles downstream.
SH 12 to Gulf of Mexico Canoe Trip: This 37-mile section of the Sabine River in Newton and Orange Counties from SH 12 to the mouth of the river where it enters Sabine Lake is feasible for recreational use at all times.
Canoe Rentals: We maintain a list of Sabine Basin Canoe Rentals.

Sabine Basin Recreation Sites with Canoeing

Sabine River Canoe Trips

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