East Texas is more beautiful than I thought. (Houston, Dallas: credit, home)

[kemahkami]

I was scrolling through my Instagram feed one day, and saw some pictures of East Texas, and I was stunned. Seriously, the aesthetic is very soothing. While the Hill Country and Big Bend areas get much of the credit for natural Texas beauty, there's this exotic subtropic aura that East Texas offers that you can't get out those areas. Very similar to what you see in the SE US and Florida.

A large part of this comes from the highly acidic soil. It allows easy natural growth of subtropical evergreens like pines and magnolias that would struggle everywhere else in Texas. And because acidic soils are leached of nutrients, the iron oxide is left over, causing a reddish color that is quite interesting on its own. With the high acidity interacting with the waterways, you end up with very clear (albeit stained) rivers known as "blackwaters:" much more appealing than chocolate-brown rivers like the Brazos and Mississippi.

These observations do hold more true for the southeastern area of the region (around Big Thicket NP), since winter warmth and climate wetness is maximized in the region. But overall, it presents a very nice dimension to this state.

[supfromthesite]

I concur. I have always wanted to move somewhere east of San Antonio, where the grass is greener and, to my eyes, the geography is a lot more attractive. I will probably move out thataway one day, perhaps east Texas or even further.

[DanceswithBeagles]

I am a native Texan who moved with family to CA when I was 12. We didn’t see much of TX when we lived there, except Port Aransas, Corpus, and the Astrodome. My dad worked in the SoTX oil fields, very long hours, so I imagine he was too too tired for Texas road trips much of the time.

In retirement, I’m seeing parts of Texas that I never saw when I lived there. I never knew Texas had such variety of beauty.

Thanks to Mark Senior and Kathryn Aragon, who piqued my interest in Tyler, we are visiting in May. We both really look forward to it, and now you’ve added to our anticipation.

Thanks!

[Mark Senior]

Originally Posted by DanceswithBeagles

I am a native Texan who moved with family to CA when I was 12. We didn’t see much of TX when we lived there, except Port Aransas, Corpus, and the Astrodome. My dad worked in the SoTX oil fields, very long hours, so I imagine he was too too tired for Texas road trips much of the time.

In retirement, I’m seeing parts of Texas that I never saw when I lived there. I never knew Texas had such variety of beauty.

Thanks to Mark Senior and Kathryn Aragon, who piqued my interest in Tyler, we are visiting in May. We both really look forward to it, and now you’ve added to our anticipation.

Thanks!

If you come in May, in late May the Rose Garden will likely be in full bloom, may not be because the longer term weather forecast "guess" is wetter and cooler than average from now until May or beyond. However, it should be very "green" by early May, actually in late April.

Hit us up directly for anything you might want to make sure you see around Tyler. Not a host of options but I don't know how long you plan to be in the area.

Were here if you need information. Again, it's not Utopia, and those videos are presenting the area at it's very best, of course, lol

[KathrynAragon]

DancesWithBeagles, come on!

Hey, if you have a chance, you may want to check out the cute little town of Edom, and maybe take in the Trades Day in Canton too, if you're in town on those dates. Both towns are to the west, between Dallas and Tyler but closer to Tyler, and I think the terrain in that area is beautiful - very hilly with twisty, turning roads, lots of rivers, that sort of thing. Edom is an artist enclave and also home to the fabulous Blue Moon Nursery, where I spend lots of my money in the spring! And Ben Wheeler is just a few miles up the road (a very few miles) and it's a cute, quaint little town too with some decent shops, and live entertainment too.

Edom Chamber of Commerce: Events, Shops, Dining: Edom, TX
https://benwheelertx.com/calendar/

Canton trade days are held Thursday through Sunday prior to the first Monday of the month, year round. We are getting ready for the next Trade Days, the April market, to open on March 28 - 31, 2019.

https://www.cantontxfirstmonday.com/

Here's a good fishing place:
https://tpwd.texas.gov/fishboat/fish...chandler.phtml

Here's some Tyler info:
Tyler Texas > Visitors > Calendar of Events
https://www.tylertexas.com/events/ca...01&c=1&q=&st=1


I love the bucolic feel of the East Texas countryside. Hope you like it too!

[Campeador]

Originally Posted by KathrynAragon

I love the bucolic feel of the East Texas countryside. Hope you like it too!

We just spent the weekend camping in Davy Crockett NF and 'bucolic' is the exact adjective that I kept saying to my wife. I was pleasantly surprised by how beautiful the area was starting at about Palestine, heading SE from DFW to the national forest. It honestly reminded me quite a lot of the pine forests in central MN, where I grew up. Unfortunately, the landscapes in DFW remind me of Fargo, ND, where I later spent a few years, but we're very happy to have discovered this beautiful, pastoral landscape just a few hours from us. We'll be back!

[Mark Senior]

The immediate Tyler area is Northwest of Palestine about 40 miles and North of DCNF about 75 miles.

Which way did you travel, traveling thru Palestine, which route to DCNF? That particular direction from DFW I have not traveled. I just might try that out myself. I'll drive down to Palestine which I have done countless times over the last 40 years, but from there to DCNF, I've not traveled. Thanks

Oh, I have driven from Alto to Crockett on Highway 21 many, many times on my different routs from Tyler to Houston. This goes thru the north edge of DCNF, and yes this is a very rural and beautiful route, not much litter, and just beautiful. Gee, I even need to revisit that route, not traveling much to Houston anymore. You likely went to Alto or Crockett, which is neat little town, not changing in the last 50 plus years, and that's okay.

[Campeador]

Originally Posted by Mark Senior

The immediate Tyler area is Northwest of Palestine about 40 miles and North of DCNF about 75 miles.

Which way did you travel, traveling thru Palestine, which route to DCNF? That particular direction from DFW I have not traveled. I just might try that out myself. I'll drive down to Palestine which I have done countless times over the last 40 years, but from there to DCNF, I've not traveled. Thanks

Oh, I have driven from Alto to Crockett on Highway 21 many, many times on my different routs from Tyler to Houston. This goes thru the north edge of DCNF, and yes this is a very rural and beautiful route, not much litter, and just beautiful. Gee, I even need to revisit that route, not traveling much to Houston anymore. You likely went to Alto or Crockett, which is neat little town, not changing in the last 50 plus years, and that's okay.

I believe it was 323 to 294 to 228 to 3016... then on to 227 through the NF. If not for GPS and smart phones we'd have surely gotten lost a few dozen times! Beautiful, windy and hilly roads with streams and meadows and forests. I wish I could transport Fort Worth to THAT terrain!

I need to come visit Tyler too.

[KathrynAragon]

Tyler feels quite a bit different than Deep East Texas. For one thing, Tyler has more hardwoods. Also, wow, the azaleas and other flowers - starting in the spring but continuing on through fall. Tyler is very "lush" if that makes sense. I moved to Tyler after growing up in the southeast and spending 10 years in north Georgia, and to me, Tyler and Upper East Texas feels very southern to me - in looks, vegetation, terrain, etc. Except no kudzu! And no delta - the areas around Tyler tend to be hilly with lots of creeks and rivers and lakes.

[Treasurevalley92]

Originally Posted by Campeador

We just spent the weekend camping in Davy Crockett NF and 'bucolic' is the exact adjective that I kept saying to my wife. I was pleasantly surprised by how beautiful the area was starting at about Palestine, heading SE from DFW to the national forest. It honestly reminded me quite a lot of the pine forests in central MN, where I grew up. Unfortunately, the landscapes in DFW remind me of Fargo, ND, where I later spent a few years, but we're very happy to have discovered this beautiful, pastoral landscape just a few hours from us. We'll be back!

Great place to camp. In my opinion the best spot about 3 hours from the metroplex. National Forests are the best, and It's never been as crowded as the state parks when I have been there.

I really wish it was closer.