Great place to rent your canoe. The lady who runs this place is super friendly and extremely helpful. She will get you in the water quickly and point you in the right direction. We followed her directions and were not disappointed. She showed us the trail that would give us the iconic views of Caddo Lake and she was not wrong. It was exactly the experience we were looking for. 10 out of 10 would rent again. The shop also has snacks and drinks that are all priced very reasonably.
Interesting stop on an East Texas road trip. We were heading back from Caddo Lake and this was sort of on the way back home. It was well worth the detour. There is a small, newly constructed museum with informative displays and a short nine minute video about the Caddo people and the history of the Caddo Mounds. There is a short walk around the mounds with informational plaques and a grass house that you can enter. It takes about 45 minutes to an hour to see everything if you take your time. All in all a great place to stretch your legs and learn some history while you are at it. They do charge admission but its only $5 per adult (as of April 2024) so, not bad at all.
Caddo Lake is an absolute gem of a park, it could, however, use some polishing.
First off, the good points. The Park is undeniably beautiful, with narrow roads winding through the forest to get to the campgrounds. Some campsites right next to the water and all spaced fairly far apart, allowing some privacy. The trails are few but are fun and well maintained. The camp store is well stocked with snacks and souvenirs and the staff are very helpful and polite. They rent canoes for a reasonable rate, but we were unable to rent one while there due to all being reserved for a park event. We were able to get a rental at the nearby Johnson Ranch Marina though. The bathrooms and showers are clean and functional. At this point I would have rated the park an easy 5 out of 5. However...
Now for the bad. There is not an overnight Park Ranger on duty. Quiet hours begin at 10pm and there is no one present to enforce this. There was a an extremely loud group of people that came into the park after 11pm revving their engine and blaring music. This really destroyed the serenity of the park. I called the office to speak with a ranger but was met with a recording that the office closed at 4:45. While obnoxious people are not the park's fault, having no one on duty to handle situations like that definitely are the park's fault.
The beds were very comfortable, and the sheets were soft, plenty of hot water in the shower, and the room was clean.
Parking is well lit and plentiful; staff is pleasant and helpful. They have a small convenience store/market in the lobby stocked with frozen meals, snacks, beverages and items you may have forgotten to pack, like aspirin and nail clippers.
They serve a hot breakfast with several options, waffles, eggs, sausage etc. Everything was great except the bacon supply at breakfast. We arrived 30 minutes after breakfast service had started and all the bacon was already gone. It was not replenished while we were there. The sausage was good and there was plenty of it but, we both really wanted bacon.
Really cool cave. We took the natural entrance tour into the cave, it's about 1.25 miles long and descends about 750 feet before you get into the "Big Room." Wear comfy hiking boots with good grip and ankle support as the decent can be slippery and steep. You can choose to take the elevator to the bottom if you would prefer.
Once at the bottom the Big Room Trail is an approximately 1.25 mile, mostly flat loop. The Big Room is HUGE with some really interesting and beautiful formations. Don't miss the Doll's Theater its small but impressive.
When you are done with the loop you can choose to hike out via the natural entrance or take the elevator. We took the elevator, as we were short on time and the steep ascent out was not appealing.
A couple of things of note, there are bathrooms at the bottom of the cave if you need them. There is a snack bar down there as well, but it was not open when we went so check first if you are planning on visiting it. One last word of warning do not eat at the cafe, it is terrible. My "big ass" burger (that's what is printed on the receipt) was terrible, the bun was soggy, the patty was steamed, there were no tomatoes, onions or pickles just a pile of spring mix next to the burger on the plate. The worst offense was the cheese was not a slice of cheese but cheese whiz. Also, for $14 it does not come with fries or chips. My son ordered the Frito chili pie and I'm not sure who got the worse meal. His plate was Fritos covered in kidney beans, black beans and pinto beans topped with semi melted shredded cheese. No meat was present in his "chili" just beans and ketchup. Gross.
Clean rooms, friendly staff and 15 minutes outside of Carlsbad Caverns. The ladies working the front desk here are great and really make a difference.
The rooms are clean, the beds are comfortable, and the sheets are soft. The shower had plenty of hot water and great water pressure. Our room was quiet and the perfect place to stage adventures to nearby National Parks. Carlsbad Caverns is 15 minutes away and Guadalupe Mountains is 40 away.
They have cereal and muffins in the lobby for breakfast and plenty of hot fresh coffee to get your day started. The rates are super affordable, and I would gladly stay again when I'm in the area.
Cool photo op for the giant pistachio but otherwise it's an overcrowded tourist trap.
Sand sledding is soooooo much fun! We first experienced it a Monahans Sandhills State Park in Texas but, this blows it away. If you don't have a sand sled of your own the giftshop at the entrance to the park sells them for $25
Definitely check the park website before you come to make sure they are open, as they do close sometimes during missile tests at the nearby military base. They post info about closures a couple of weeks out so you can plan appropriately.
This park is unbelievably beautiful and so worth a visit. We had originally planned a short trip just to do some sand sledding but ended up staying all day. We had to stay for the Ranger lead "Sunset Stroll", and it was totally worth it if you want to learn some interesting history about the park.
If your plans allow you to stay for the sunset, please, stay. The colors are out of this world as the sky turns brilliant shades gold, red, purple and everything in between. The mountains in the distance slowly fade to cool blues and the sands take on a cool blueish tint themselves. One of the top five sunsets I've experienced.
If you follow the GPS it leads to a dirt road with a "Private Property" sign in an area giving off serious "The Hills Have Eyes" vibes.
No store is visible nearby. We did find a washed-out sign marking the Continental Divide and some information about it. Not worth a stop.
This hotel was fantastic! The staff were friendly and helpful, great front desk staff really help make a positive first impression. Stepping into the lobby really felt like we were transported back in time to the glory days of Route 66. The music playing, the displays of cool bits of nostalgia, the roaring fire in the super comfy lobby all contributed to a wonderful hotel experience. The gift shop is stocked with all kinds of great souvenirs from shirts to candy and all reasonably priced.
We enjoyed dinner at the onsite restaurant, the food was solid, and the drinks were very good. The room was clean, the sheets were soft, and the bed was comfortable. We stayed in the Dana Andrews room and there was a little article about who he was and what movies he had starred in. The room was decorated in an Old West style and had a movie poster from one of Dana Andrews movies.
The bathroom is tiny and with the sink directly in front of the toilet it's a little cramped. It is an historic hotel and that's just the way bathrooms were built back then. It wasn't a problem for us but, larger guests might find it challenging.
Overall, a great hotel with amazing staff.