Overview

Description

The 28-mile-long Trail Between the Lakes (TBTL) is what it says it is.  Weaving within the Sabine National Forest, it begins at Lakeview Campground overlooking Toledo Bend Reservoir and extends westward to a trailhead right next to Sam Rayburn Reservoir.  The trail was built in the late 1980s as a joint effort between the Golden Triangle Sierra Club and the US Forest Service.  The Sierra Club continues to play an active role in keeping the trail maintained and protecting the forest.  

The Sabine National Forest is a working forest, but along the trail corridor, you will find mature stands of pine with a thick, shady canopy.  The trail is particularly well known for its variety of bird population, including the elusive Red Cockaded Woodpecker.  You may spot an eagle nest near the water, and hear a symphony of bird calls all year long.  

The trail is for foot traffic only. Horses, mountain bikes, or motorized vehicles are not permitted. The whole trail is within the National Forest, passing close to private land which must be respected, though it remains wild. You probably won’t meet other people on the trail. No permits are required, though there are camping restrictions during hunting season, restricting camping to designated campsites.

Other Online Resources

https://www.facebook.com/groups/TrailBetweenTheLakes.
This public Facebook group is the best way to stay in touch with what is happening on the trail, to ask specific questions, and to seek assistance, like a shuttle.

https://www.sierraclub.org/texas/golden-triangle/trail-between-lakes.
The Golden Triangle Sierra Club, which established the trail in conjunction with the USFS in the 1980s and continues to support it, gives an overview of the trail.

https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/texas/about-forest/districts/?cid=fswdev3_008442.
This is the USFS page about the Sabine National Forest.

https://www.cityofhemphill.com/community/page/tourism
The City of Hemphill’s website identifies tourist sites in the area, including a Columbia memorial.

https://visitsabinecounty.com/.
The Visit Sabine County website provides lots of general information about the area.

https://lonestartrail.org/content.aspx?page_id=22&club_id=738078&module_id=680289.
The Lone Star Hiking Trail‘s (LSHT) website includes an information page that provides much useful information about the trail. Many of the recommendations on the LSHT FAQs are applicable to the TBTL.

Trail Reports

Other people’s experiences are a great planning tool. Here are some reports after thru-hikes or other trail experiences, with the most recent listed first. Note that the state of the trail can fluctuate after weather events.

East to West in October 2025 during a drought and hunting season. Peter Ireland (aka Cajunlimeys) completed a 2-day westbound thruhike, staying at designated hunter camps and keeping his feet dry – even in Little Creek.

West to East thru-hike in March 2025, preparing for the Appalachian Trail.
A 24-minute YouTube video by Brent and Melissa McCoy (aka Boundless Wander) demonstrating a two-night thru-hike with their trail pup, Beulah. It showcases different parts of the trail with a great demonstration of crossing Little Creek (8:00 to 12:00 mins), the deepest creek on the trail.

West to East solo thru-hike in January 2025. A blog with pictures by Peter Ireland (aka Cajunlimeys) of a 3-day eastbound thruhike.

Trail Between the Lakes Part 1 (22 mins) and Part 2 (16 mins) in October 2024. Two YouTube videos by Cade The Catfish, who hiked the trail westbound over 1.5 days. The most significant obstacle on the east end of the trail is shown at 21:36 in Part 1. Part 2 includes camping at the designated hunter camp at FR114/114D junction near mile 20 and comparisons with the Appalachian Trail.

West to East thru-hike in March 2024. A 13-minute YouTube video by Eric and Vicki Newby (aka Oh LOOK! Outdoors). It demonstrates trail conditions after a bunch of rain with an example creek crossing as they check out some new gear at a typical primitive campsite while showcasing how great the weather can be in March!

The Top Ten Backpacking Trails in Texas in April 2022. This list of Texas’s best backpacking trails by Taylor Bell from Texas Monthly includes the TBTL.

West-to-East-to West “yo-yo” in March 2022. A 28-minute YouTube video by Jetgirl Hikes. She provides a great overview of the trail with lots of footage showing what the trail is like and shares many practical tips for the trail. She suggests that March and April are the best months to hike it.

Fastest Known Time (FKT): Trail Between The Lakes in May 2020. Includes a report by James Hudgins of his trail completion in 6 hours 49 minutes! Current FKTs are on the FKT website.

Trail Between the Lake Yoyo FKT Recap in June 2020. A YouTube video of Patrick Welsh’s record-setting yoyo of the trail. Wow! Patrick recommends the TBTL, though he warns about the heat and humidity in the summer. Completing the trail in six hours (or even AllTrails’s “average of 9h 9 min to complete”) is for rare athletes, with most thru-hikers spending one or two nights on the trail.

Trail Between the Lakes in April 2017. An informative summary of the trail by dprather on Big Bend Chat.

Hiking The Trail Between the Lakes in 2017. A blog by Texas Master Naturalist Ron Bamberg.

An undated description of Trail Between the Lakes on Hiiker. Includes an interesting historical perspective on the activities in this area over the last two centuries.

One also finds shorter trip reports in the Facebook Group.