Summer is upon us, and many locals and families will be looking forward to a little getaway. However, one doesn’t need to spend exorbitant amounts of money and travel hours away from home to have a good time.
Recent wanderings took us to an area centered around South Toledo Bend Park, which has never been a disappointment upon the many visits.
However, before my arrival I took my guest, who was visiting the lake for the first time, to the dam. The observation deck on the Texas side provides one of the most spectacular views of the lake imaginable. On the way there, I told the person with me to look for bald eagles, because they are definitely in the area. We didn’t have to wait long, as seconds after we took the stairs to the deck, we witnessed one of said avians doing a little fishing before flying off to the south.
As heavy rains in the area and inflows from the north had Toledo Bend quite full, we didn’t get to explore the areas south of the dam due to them being closed off due to the generators and spillways being open. There’s always next time, but it is worth nothing these areas offer numerous outdoor activities and are worth the time spent there.
After leaving the dam, we headed to the park’s swimming area. Although small, the tiny white-sand beach offers a very intimate swimming area that is often devoid of the crowds one finds at other areas such as Cypress Bend. While spending a few hours there we were mostly alone, with a few families showing up to do a little swimming. We were not aware beforehand, but there is also a new, to me at least, disc golf course. We will be trying that out upon the next visit.
There was a little exploration of the park afterward and found the cabins to be in great shape, and easily accessible, plus close to the water. Other areas provide power for RV hookups, primitive camping, and even a newer glamping option. There are hiking and ATV trails in the park as well, including a cute walk around the conference center that features cutouts and objects of interest to children.
Leaving the park, we stopped by the conference center, which features a meeting area, bathrooms, and a small exhibition of special interest to those visiting the lake which features wildlife of the area almost exclusively. The view from the breezeway is absolutely breathtaking, and earned a little bit more of our time.
Our original plans for food were to grab burgers at Curtis Grocery, which is always a top notch option. As it was someon making their first visit to Sabineland they’ve got to have tamales. So, Toledo Town became the next destination. After a quick stop at Bub T’s for said food we made our way to the park at the foot of Pendleton Bridge, which is perfect for a quick picnic.
Overall, the day was wonderful and my guest can’t wait for another adventure.