Backpacking The Trail Between the Lakes

Join BCO on the trail for the long President's Day weekend. We backpacked part of this trail before. This time we will hike the whole trail. For those who can come up on Friday night we will camp at Lakeview Campground on Toledo Bend.  On Saturday morning we will shuttle cars and start from the Lakeview trailhead.

ABOUT THE TRAIL

The Trail Between the Lakes is a 28-mile hiking trail that winds through the southern half of the Sabine National Forest. Located in the southern Sabine County, it extends from Lakeview Recreation Area on Toledo Bend Reservoir to State Highway 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 started in 1981, and construction
began in 1985. The final section of trail was located and marked during the fall of 1990, but the group continues to do volunteer work on the trail.

Hikers can see plant communities, interesting topography, wildlife, beautiful scenery, and various forest management activities. A portion of the trail is adjacent to Toledo Bend Reservoir, and many portions lie along streams or special wildlife areas. The trail crosses roads at many locations, so it's easy to plan shorter hikes of varying lengths.

The trail is easy to follow. It's marked with 2-by 4-inch aluminum, rectangular-shaped tags which are attached to trees at a height of five feet above the ground in both directions. A vertical tag indicates that the trail generally continues straight ahead. A single tag with the long side leaning to the left indicates a left turn, and double tags with the long sides leaning to the right indicate a hard right turn.

The trail is designated for hiking only; horses, off-road vehicles, and mountain bikes are not allowed. 

Lakeview is 14 miles southeast of Hemphill, TX off Farm to Market Road 2928. The area is open with a camping fee of $3 per night per campsite and $2 per vehicle for day use. This small secluded area has 10 camping sites with a table, grill, tent pad and garbage can at each site. Water is available from two centrally located hydrants. The area has chemical flush toilets and a primitive boat ramp. This area is located on Toledo Bend Reservoir.

Directions:
From Hemphill, Tx.:

• Take Highway South to Six Mile - junction of Highway 2928
• Turn East on Highway 2928 and go 3.5 miles to end of paved road; follow signs to Lakeview (approx. 4 miles).