Day Trips

Lake Livingston State Park reaches out into the blue water with pine-tree-covered fingers that showcase the beauty of East Texas. Even with the severe drought that gripped the state this year, the water level of the lake between Huntsville and Livingston has held up remarkably well.

The second largest lake within the state's boundaries, Lake Livingston is owned by the city of Houston and the Trinity River Authority of Texas. The 39-mile-long reservoir sprawls into four counties and captures enough of the Trinity River to cover 83,000 surface acres. The 4-foot drop in the water level from its normal level has left a white bathtub ring along the 450 miles of shoreline.

The lake's shores contain a TRA park and several marinas, but the sweetest spot is the 636-acre state park in the southeastern corner near the dam. Known for its bass fishing, the thick woods of the park also provide camping, hiking and biking trails, and cabins with walls that slide open for a view of the sunset. The park store rents bikes and nonmotorized watercraft and has a tower overlooking the lake.

Lake Livingston State Park is 10 miles from Livingston, about 225 miles east of Austin, and 75 miles north of Houston. For information, call 409/365-2201 or go to www.tpwd.state.tx.us.

---

1,057th in a series. Collect them all. Day Trips, Vol. 2, a book of "Day Trips," is available for $8.95, plus $3.05 for shipping, handling, and tax. Mail to: Day Trips, PO Box 33284, South Austin, TX 78704.