Explore: The Forest Trail Region
Explore a map of the region, perform a search, or browse themes, sites, and cities.
Highlights
Ghost in the Woods
Deep in the Angelina National Forest, the remains of Aldridge Sawmill Town represent the rise and fall of the East Texas timber industry from turn-of-the-20th century boom to 1920s bust. Hikers can tackle a 3-mile trail from the Boykin Springs...
Wildcatters on the Prowl
Do you recognize the name Daisy Bradford? That's the gusher that turned East Texas into Boomtown, USA overnight. The East Texas Oil Museum takes you back to the era of the Wildcatter with dioramas,...
Plan Your Trips with the Texas Heritage Travel Guide
Start your next adventure with the statewide heritage travel guide, featuring historic destinations in all 10 Texas Heritage Trail regions. Download or order a free copy today!
Upcoming Events
September 27, 2019 - 5:00pm to September 28, 2019 - 8:00pm
Hobo Stew, fund raiser dinner, to kick-off Iron Horse Heritage Festival. Proceeds benefit Iron Horse Square, a park development in Downtown Mineola honoring railroad heritage of Historic Mineola, TX. Musical entertainment and mini train rides....
September 28, 2019 - 7:00am to 10:00pm
We are offering sweet loops of three distances - 35, 65 and 105 miles. Rural roads are paved near towns (sadly) so the longer the ride, the more Dirt/Gravel encountered. The 35 mile loop is all on pavement.
September 28, 2019 - 9:00am to 11:00am
Family style crabbing lessons.
About the Forest Trail Region
The Forest Trail Region was the “Gateway to Texas” for Caddo Indians, Spanish and French explorers, Anglo pioneers, European immigrants, and enslaved and freed African Americans. Shadows of early Caddo and Spanish occupation linger, and the stories of Texas’ emergence from a wilderness to a great state unfold in the region’s numerous towns, many among the state’s oldest.
Spanning 35 counties from the Oklahoma-Arkansas border to the Gulf of Mexico, the region encompasses great stories of boom and bust in oil and timber, the early rebellion leading to the Texas Revolution, the El Camino Real de los Tejas, and the mystery and manners you’d expect from the lush, sweet spot between the Old South and the Wild West.
Our Partners
The Forest Trail Region works with a variety of organizations to promote heritage travel throughout the region.
