A Visitor's Guide To
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A Visitor’s Guide to Welcome Toledo Bend Lake Country & So Much More Spend a few days with us and we think you’ll see why we say that! Toledo Bend Lake Country not only offers you a great fishing opportunity but many other rewarding experiences to make your visit a memorable one. The area is rich in history, has two Championship Golf Courses, four state parks, including the nationally known Hodges Gardens, and over 35 resorts and accommodations. We have provided this book as a guide to help you have an experience you’ll remember. We hope your stay is pleasant and that you’ll come back soon. 2 Toledo Bend Lake Country Contents Toledo Bend Lake 4 Children’sActivities 22 About the lake Listing Water recreation Lunkers Marinas, Guides Accommodations 24 State Parks & Listing Scenic Trails 8 Conferences, Meetings, North Toledo Bend State Park South Toledo Bend State Park Reunions 28 Hodges Gardens State Park Accommodations for groups Scenic Trails Golf Resorts 12 Dining 30 Cypress Bend Golf Resort & Conference Center Listing Emerald Hills Golf Resort Historic Sites 15 Shopping 32 The El Camino Trail Listing Ft. Jesup Ft. St. Jean Baptiste Los Adaes Other Historic Sites Communities 35 Many Zwolle Festivals & Events 16 Fisher Special Events Florien Choctaw Apache Indian PowWow Pleasant Hill Zwolle Loggers & Forestry Festival Converse Fisher Sawmill Days Ebarb Battle of Pleasant Hill Zwolle Tamale Fiesta Map (Sabine Parish) Sabine Free State Festival 39 Day Trips 18 The Antiquing Trail Hemphill Natchitoches Logansport Floral Tours 3 Toledo Bend Lake oledo Bend Lake is Tlocated in Louisiana and Texas on the Sabine River and forms a portion of the boundary between the two states. The Reservoir is 65 miles in length and covers an area of 186,000 acres with 1,200 miles of shoreline. It is the largest man-made body of water in the South and the fifth largest in surface acres in the United States. It offers unlimited opportunity for fishing and recreation activities. any marinas offer fishing Mpiers and launching ramps for their guests. Public launching ramps are available at the following north to south locations on Toledo Bend: • Oak Ridge Park • Converse Bay • North Toledo Bend State Park • San Miguel Park • Cypress Bend Park • Pleasure Point • South Toledo Bend State Park Cypress Bend Park 4 lthough fishing is by far the most popularA past-time on Toledo Bend, the lake also offers water sports areas for jet skiing, water-skiing, wake boarding and tubing. Canoeing opportunities are available in quiet protected coves. Paddle boats are a pleasure for the young and more mature at heart. A number of public beaches, numerous RV and primitive camping sites, ATV trails, hiking trails and birding opportunities are available. Toledo Bend Lake Country 5 Lunkers Lots of Big Fish While bass fishing is the most popular on Toledo Bend, other species such as crappie, bream, white bass, stripers and catfish are in abundance. The current bass lake record is 15.33 lbs. The 2006-2007 fishing season produced a record catch of 50 Lunker Bass over 10 lbs each. The official weigh-in site is Toledo Town & Tackle, located at Hwy 6 West. If you agree to release your lunker, the Toledo Bend Lake Association will award you a replica. Toledo Bend Lake attracts numerous fishing tournaments because of the abundant fishing and the well designed facilities. Cypress Bend Park and San Miguel Park host over 35 major fishing tournaments each year. For a list of lunkers and fishing tournaments, visit us at www.toledobendlakecountry.com 6 Marinas Marinas offering varied levels of services are located along the Toledo Bend shoreline. For a list of all accommodations with amenities and services provided, visit us on-line or order an accommodations brochure at www.toledobendlakecountry.com or (800) 358-7802. Public fishing piers located from north to south on Toledo Bend are at: San Patricio Oversight Area, North Toledo Bend State Park, Clydes Crossing, Cypress Bend Park, Pleasure Point and South Toledo Bend State Park. Pendleton Bridge and Lanan Bridge provide lighting underneath to provide an environment for good “night fishing” for crappie. Wildwood Lodge Fishing Guides Our area offers over 36 guides experienced in fishing techniques and are knowledgeable in areas of the lake most likely to yield you a good catch for a specific time of year. A complete list of guides is available from www.toledobendlakecountry.com or (800) 358-7802. Shady Oak Cabin Judy Wong, Pro Angler Toledo Bend Lake Country 7 State Parks camphouse is also available – with five dormitories, a large bathhouse and a North Toledo main kitchen/dining area. The park includes a large boat launch, North Toledo Bend State Park includes parking lot, picnic pavilions, playground over 900-acres of pine woodland, with and a fish cleaning station. abundant waterfront accommodations The Visitor Center complex includes and activities. an Olympic-size swimming pool and The park has 63 campsites with water bathhouse, along with a laundry and and electrical hookups, plus ten rental concession area. cabins with fireplaces. A large group 8 and camping. The site offers 19 South Toledo vacation cabins, 55 RV campsites South Toledo Bend State Park is located and 5 tent sites. on several small bluffs that extend over and This area is a into Toledo Bend Reservoir next to Toledo common nesting Bend Dam on Hwy 191. It offers scenic ground for the waterfront views from many vantage points. bald eagle. One Visitors to the park can enjoy recreational of the special activities such as hiking, cycling, birding features of this park is the Visitors Center with interpretative areas and programs for children. The protected beach area and the covered fishing bridge are a real favorite. Toledo Bend Lake Country 9 to the State in 2007 by the Hodges Foundation, boasts over 700 acres of Hodges Gardens native and cultivated flora, including two rose gardens and a large collection of Hodges Gardens State Park is located Japanese Red Maple trees. Nature- approximately 15 miles south of Many on oriented visitors will experience a wide US Highway 171. The Park was originally range of topography. Waterfalls and designed and opened to the public in 1956 pools are featured through-out the gardens. by oil and gas businessman A.J. Hodges Cabins on the 225-acre lake and RV pads Sr. Hodges Gardens State Park, donated are available. 10 Scenic Trails Cow Bayou Wilderness Area About 200 acres of mixed pine/hardwood forest comprise this wilderness area, with approximately 8 miles of a figure-8 shaped ATV trail. Primitive camping is allowed and a small boat dock is available. Open to the public free of charge, except for special “rides.” Located on the parish line between Sabine and DeSoto Parishes off Hwy 191. Call (318) 256-4114 or (800) 259-5253. Toledo Bend ATV’s, Biking, Birding Forest Scenic Byway The Toledo Bend Forest Scenic Byway (Hwy 191) travels the length of Toledo Bend Reservoir and displays 76 miles of rolling hills lined with stately pine. Highway 171 and Hwy 6, plus other arms of the Byway, offer links to the Cow Bayou ATV area towns, sights and attractions. Thirty-plus marinas Biking Route and other accommodations offer the visitor a Birding Trails/ wide variety of opportunities to Eagles enjoy the numerous activities available on or off the water. Beaches, state parks, historicalsites, a 700-acre garden, luxury golf courses, a 26-mile bike trail, interpretive signage areas, observation towers at Floral Gardens the Dam, and excellent opportunities for birding, including habitat for Bald Eagles, are accessible along the Byway. Toledo Bend Lake Country 11 Golf Resorts Cypress Bend Golf Resort & Cypress Bend Golf Resort and Conference Center is located on Toledo Bend Lake. It offers one of the finest 18-hole championship golf courses in the South. You’ll feel the magic the moment you set foot on Cypress Bend, a jewel on the shoreline of Toledo Bend. You’ll experience spectacular views at every turn at Cypress Bend. The 18-hole course features ten holes along the water with shots across hidden coves and inlets. Surrounding hardwood forest, dramatic elevation changes and luscious landscaping add to Cypress Bend’s challenge and beauty. 12 Relax Conference Center The Resort features 96 luxurious guest rooms, including 17 suites, 11,000 square feet of meeting space, fine dining in the Cypress Dining Room or casual in the Cypress Café or Sabine Social Room. Pamper yourself with the elegant full service Spa and Salon with heated indoor/outdoor pool. Toledo Bend Lake Country 13 Emerald Hills Emerald Hills Golf Resort is set among the beautiful piney hills of Sabine Parish and offers a demanding 18-hole championship golf course, richly appointed condominiums, motel rooms and suites. Emerald Hills offers a great escape for the vacationing family or a secluded retreat for business executives. The 18-hole championship golf course Complete convention and meeting mixes the demands of accuracy with some facilities also make Emerald Hills an ideal of the best greens found on any golf course spot for conferences and reunions. anywhere. Located across from Hodges Mulligan’s Bar & Grill serves breakfast, Gardens State Park on US Highway 171 lunch, and dinner, all of which can be South. enjoyed overlooking the golf course. For more information: 318-586-4661, or at www.emeraldhillsresort.com 14 Historic Sites Along the El Camino Trail El Camino Real Designated as a National Historic Trail in 2004, El Camino Real de los Tejas (Hwy 6 in Louisiana and Hwy 21 in Texas) has existed for more than 300 years. El Camino Real has its easternmost beginning in Natchitoches, Louisiana and runs from piney woods through rolling hills to the arid lands of Old Mexico.