Located in beautiful East Texas, Caddo Lake State Park is situated near the Texas-Louisiana border and is now in the midst of its 80th year of operation. Serving visitors with its wonderful natural attractions, paddling, hiking, and campgrounds, Caddo Lake State Park has a rich history and a storied past that makes it the great attraction it remains today.
Including the presence of the Caddo Indians during the 18th and 19th centuries (for which the lake was named), it’s believed that the area was actually inhabited for close to 12,000 years. When the Native Americans first arrived in the region, they lived a semi-nomadic style life, including hunting and gathering. The vast forest and the broad expanse of wetlands this area provided offered fishing and hunting grounds to sustain their population as well as the opportunity to develop a farming system. Moving into the 19th century and the settlement of Texas by its earlier immigrants, however, the Caddo Indians have gradually been driven away.
