Sabine National Forest Guide Profile

Camping, trails, maps & photo credits — Sabine National Forest

Sabine National Forest in Texas offers Forest Service recreation at Boles Field, Ragtown. Each recreation site has its own facilities and access rules; use the official maps and current site instructions to plan your visit.

Camping & reservations

The booking button opens official site-specific camping instructions for Boles Field: (409) 625-1940. Check current reservations, first-come arrangements and any permit requirements there.

Boles Field ↗

Boles Field is located on the northern Sabine National Forest, about 8 miles east of Shelbyville, Texas. The area centers around a cemetery for fox hounds established at the turn of the century. Boles Field offers camping with electric hookups and picnicking. The area is open all year. No reservation is needed for camping and there is a self service fee station at the entrance. Effective 2/25/2025: Due to a water leak the restrooms are closed while repairs are completed.

Reservations: Amphitheater and shelter reservations may be made by calling 1-877-444-6777 or online at www.recreation.gov.

Ragtown ↗

Ragtown is located on the Texas shore of Toledo Bend Reservoir and is maintained and operated by the Sabine River Authority of Texas. Completed in 1975, this area is nestled high on a bluff and offers spectacular views of the water. The boat ramp allows access to the lake most of the year. Visitors can hike along 1-mile long Mother Nature's Trail winding past magnificent oak and beech trees along the lakeshore. For more information call 409-625-1940.

Red Hills Lake ↗

Red Hill Lake is CLOSED for the season effective 11/01/2024 Red Hills Lake is located a short distance from Toledo Bend Reservoir. Completed in 1940 by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), this area offers camping, fishing and swimming on a picturesque 19-acre lake.

Truck-camping & permitted overnight use

Confirm with the district whether your chosen designated campsite accepts a truck camper or RV. Check pad length, turning space, approach surface and seasonal access; a trailhead or day-use lot is not an overnight campsite.

The official recreation inventory lists Indian Mounds: (409) 625-1940, SABINE (Toledo Bend Reservoir Area): 409-625-1940, Haley's Ferry Boat Ramp: (409) 625-1940 for dispersed camping. Read each site’s current rules; this does not authorize camping on every forest road.

Indian Mounds: (409) 625-1940 ↗ — Indian Mounds Recreation Area, located on the 185,000-acre Toledo Bend Reservoir, is maintained and operated by the Sabine River Authority of Texas. The area offers camping, fishing and boating all year. The area offers excellent opportunities for hunting waterfowl on the reservoir and hunting deer and squirrel outside of the campground area. Visitors can hike to the mounds for which the area was named. For more information call 409-625-1940.

SABINE (Toledo Bend Reservoir Area): 409-625-1940 ↗ — Located in the pineywoods of east Texas, the 160,656-acre Sabine National Forest is the easternmost of the four national forests in Texas and forms part of the boundary between Texas and Louisiana. The forest is situated on the western slopes of the Sabine River watershed within Sabine, San Augustine, Shelby, Jasper, and Newton counties.

Haley's Ferry Boat Ramp: (409) 625-1940 ↗ — Haley's Ferry boat ramp, located on the northern end of the 185,000-acre Toledo Bend Reservoir, is maintained and operated by the Sabine River Authority of Texas. Completed in 1996, this boat ramp offers access to the reservoir throughout the year. The reservoir is administrated by the Sabine River Authority of Texas and Louisiana.

Activities, hiking & trails

Official forest trail and visitor maps. Official activities and trail-planning information ↗

Maps & road access

Consult the current Motor Vehicle Use Map for permitted motor routes, vehicle classes and seasonal designations. A route on an MVUM is not a guarantee that it is maintained or passable. Check current road closures and conditions with the district; carry an offline map.

Use the official directions for the exact named campground or trailhead; forest boundaries and administrative offices are not campsite entrances. Official directions / site access ↗

Before you travel

Check the forest’s current alerts, seasonal services, fire orders and campground rules. Download the relevant official maps before entering areas with limited reception.

Source review: 2026-11-01. Conditions, fees, permits and availability can change. USDA Forest Service official information ↗

Photograph sources & licensing

Banner: Woodland road, Sabine National Forest
On our way to find Gentiana saponaria, Sabine National Forest, Sabine County, December 2023
Credit: sonnia hill. Original source ↗ · CC BY 2.0 ↗. Resized and cropped to match the profile display framing; original image source linked.

Second large photograph: Colorow Creek box canyon, Sabine County
Colorow creek box canyon, Sabine National Forest, Sabine County, March 2008
Credit: sonnia hill. Original source ↗ · CC BY 2.0 ↗. Resized and cropped to match the profile display framing; original image source linked.

Photographs are real images of the named unit; no AI-generated photographs are used. Federal photo credit register.