Pine forests speak to me. Straight and true, they tower overhead—emissaries from the realm of angels. Walking among them is restorative, like being with old friends. They are listening, they are right with me, baring their secrets, their souls. Solidly rooted in the earth while searching the heavens, they have much wisdom to offer; and if you allow, they’re willing to share. For me there is a mental connection and an emotional one too. In the aftermath of the Bastrop County Complex Wildfires, this bond has strengthened. So, these were the thoughts that came to mind when I first read about Atlanta State Park. To be sure, there’s more to the park than pine trees, but after driving seven hours for a new experience, the trees were my one true recompense.
You see, the main attraction at Atlanta State Park is fishing. Located on the shores of a lake in the far northeast corner of Texas, people flock here on weekends to try their luck. There is limited fishing gear and some canoes available for rent from the headquarters. The park offers almost 19,000 surface acres of water to fishermen (from a total reservoir of over 34,000). They come after largemouth bass, crappie and that elusive 75-pound catfish! I watch them stream in, proudly outfitted with every conceivable kind of canoe or bass boat, dropping camp, and hurrying off to maximize time on the water. It’s a passion for some people; I understand that. . . but I’d rather spend time in the forest.
Atlanta State Park is ten miles southwest of Texarkana, in Cass County. That’s damned near at the Louisiana/Arkansas border! In fact, there’s a place near Texarkana (known colloquially as ‘Ark-la-tex’) where you can stand at the intersection of three different states. With gently rolling hills studded with pines and assorted hardwoods Atlanta State Park is located in the forested portion of the West Gulf Coastal Plains, a part of the East Texas timber belt. It’s a medley of short leaf and loblolly pines, peppered with white oaks, black willow, buttonbush and others. Unlike our part of Texas, the fall color is spectacular in Atlanta State Park. And in the springtime the renewal of life is celebrated in the flashiest way: dogwood blooms throughout the park set off the forest as if it rained pearls the night before.
I am sometimes surprised how many Texans don’t get outdoors to explore their state. During our trip, we ran into a carload of visitors from the Galveston area who were clearly overwhelmed by the exquisite beauty and grandeur of the sweeping pine forest. “I’ve never seen anything so beautiful,” the driver told me. While numbly familiar with the warm water and beaches of the coast, these Galvestonians were hypnotized like kids in a candy shop. That’s what magnificent forests can do—convert all comers to kindred spirits!
The lake came first—formed in 1953 by damming the Sulphur River, a tributary of the Red River in Arkansas. Wright Patman, one of four Texas lakes born from this impoundment, was originally called Lake Texarkana but was renamed in the 1970’s to honor the longtime congressman from East Texas. The park comprises 1,475 acres along the southern shore of the lake, a relatively small place as Texas state parks go. It was first leased by TPWD from the Army Corps of Engineers in 1954. There’s not quite five total miles of hiking trails in the entire park, a camping area, two boat ramps, and a fish cleaning station. For day trippers, there are some woodland picnic sites and a short (0.8 mile) nature trail through rambling terrain. A small common area not far from the campsites offers volleyball, a swing set, horseshoe pits, and a basketball half-court. Balls and horseshoes can be checked out from park headquarters.
This part of Texas was home to the well-known Caddo Indians, the dominant culture of the region for some 800 years. There were other indigenous groups living in the area much earlier than this but the Caddo were known for growing crops, crafting fine ceramic vessels and tools and establishing trading relationships with all their neighbors. In the 1830’s white settlers discovered the area and soon pushed the Caddo out. They were primarily farmers who produced cotton, corn and livestock on up into the 20th century. If you walk the park carefully and pay attention to your surroundings, you can find the remnants of old wagon roads and trails (called traces). The Bobo Ferry trace once led to a crossover spot on the Sulphur River and other less prominent traces can be found in the park too. Some roads were worn down more than 3 feet deep in some spots.
The park takes its name from the nearby small Texas town of Atlanta. The village was established in 1871with the building of the Texas and Pacific Railway. It was named for Atlanta, Georgia, the metropolis from which many city fathers originated. They came as southern planters and brought along their slaves to help work the land. Today the town is of similar size as Bastrop with principal focus on farming, forestry and oil. One of its most well-known citizens is Ellen DeGeneres. She and her mother moved there from New Orleans in January 1974. Ellen graduated high school in Atlanta in 1976.
Be sure to spend some time on Hickory Hollow Nature Trail. It’s a relatively short but stimulating walk through the unique geology and rich assortment of trees in the park. It’s on the east side of the park and features a generous parking area—just follow the signs. Snaking through the center of the hike loop is a narrow waterway. It supplies a lavish and lush assortment of vegetation, vines and forest canopy and provides an active playground for squirrels, birds and other critters. The density of the overhead cover provides a cool, intimate and interesting hike, welcome in the oppressive heat of summer. The entire park hosts a variety of birds, some regional, some seasonal only. These include brown-headed nuthatches and pine warblers. During winter, the ducks, like ruddy ducks and buffleheads, come through. The water also attracts American white pelicans and double-crested cormorants among the usual fare of great white egrets and blue herons fishing the shoreline. Even gulls can be spotted around the dam sometimes.
So, is this far-flung park worth the drive from Bastrop? If you are not a passionate fisherman, the answer is no. If you are the kind of person who prefers loud weekend crowds participating in organized group sports, you won’t find it here. If shopping and sight-seeing are your thing, you’ll be bored to death. Atlanta State Park was built for people who gain strength and encouragement from solitude, wildlife and the unfettered abundance of nature—and, of course, fishing. It is not for the steely-eyed haunted tourist—ablaze with psychic desperation—anxious to pose for selfies with arms and legs planted in three adjoining states! From Bastrop, enjoying time at Atlanta State Park almost requires an overnight stay. If you do come, bring your tent or RV—you don’t want to miss the final wink of gold as the sun sinks from view. Equally breathtaking is the feeling you get watching the morning sun sprinkle diamonds on the water. This alone is worth the trip.
By Larry Gfeller