When most people think of Texas, they probably envision broad expanses of plains. East Texas, however, is almost as heavily forested as New England, and these piney woods are the backbone of the east Texas economy. The reason: timber. Extensive logging takes place there, but forests of towering pines still cover much of the landscape beginning 150 mi/240 km east of Dallas.
Four national forests are located in the Piney Woods—Angelina, Sabine, Davy Crockett and Sam Houston. The Angelina National Forest is accessible through Lufkin, the city at the heart of the Piney Woods region. Deer, squirrels, wild turkeys and the Sam Rayburn Reservoir (the largest lake wholly within the state) can all be found in the Angelina Forest. The Toledo Bend Reservoir, the other large body of water in east Texas, is in the Sabine National Forest, which runs along the Texas-Louisiana border. Facilities for boating, canoeing, hiking, camping and fishing are available in all four national forest areas.
