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[sounds of the swamp]
The lake is a cypress swamp
with lots of Spanish moss hanging from the trees.
It's very surreal.
Just the scenery at Caddo Lake,
it excites the imagination.
In the piney woods of Northeast Texas,
straddling the Louisiana border,
is a place equally rich in history,
biodiversity, and scenic beauty,
Caddo Lake.
Caddo Lake is the largest
naturally formed freshwater lake in Texas.
It's been around for hundreds of years.
Since it's such an old lake,
it's very diverse in both fish species, bird species.
There's a lot of plant and animal life
that depend on the lake.
Humans have long depended on this lake as well,
dating back to the Caddo Indians
and early Texas settlers.
[player piano music]
From about 1840 through just about a little after 1900,
a lot of people and cargo came in and out of Texas
across Caddo Lake and up and down Big Cypress Bayou.
Steamboats were actually able to travel all the way
from New Orleans up to the port of Jefferson.
At that time, Jefferson was the busiest inland port in Texas.
Watch your step right here.
The boat traffic is different now
but Caddo Lake remains as timeless as ever.
It looks like we've gone back in time, doesn't it?
Looks prehistoric.
Dave Lomax spends his time
helping Caddo Lake State Park visitors
see the lake up close.
Now this is Big Cypress Bayou here.
The way to experience Caddo Lake is to get on a boat and go.
Go down the backwaters, go through the hidden bayous;
it's an experience that birdwatchers, fishermen,
hunters, hikers, canoeists, anybody can enjoy it.
2 feet deep exactly. Caddo Lake depth finder.
If you either don't have time or can't afford a boat,
you can get a really good feel for what Caddo Lake is like
standing at the end of our observation pier
on the sawmill pond.
[bullfrog sound]
We have exhibits at our visitor center.
They give people a sense for what's out there.
And we have volunteer-led nature hikes.
They're a beautiful, beautiful little flower.
Late March, early April, when the dogwoods are blooming,
I think that's the prettiest time of the year.
Each season has its uniqueness.
Wow!
Along the forest trail,
hikers can explore bottomland hardwoods,
upland pine forest,
and even a little state park history.
They always used native stone, native wood...
This was one of the first 5 projects
that the CCC worked on in Texas.
We've completely renovated the 9 cabins.
The exteriors are the way the CCC built them.
The interiors are 100% remodeled.
They're really nice.
From the comfort of a log cabin nestled in the pines,
or from a boat gliding through the cypress,
it's easy to see why Caddo Lake
has become legendary among Texas state parks.
I've been here all my life
and I never get tired of looking at it.
It gives me a good feeling to see first-timers come down here
and be awed by the beauty of Caddo Lake.
For more information on Texas state parks and historic sites,
visit our website or call 1-800-792-1112.