Trail 3 - Caddo National Grasslands
Before hiking a new trail, I do research. I check out trail reviews on AllTrails. I watch videos on YouTube posted by those who have hiked the trail. I use a search engine to scour the internet for as much information as I can find. Having hiked the LBJ National Grasslands, I wanted to check out the Caddo National Grasslands. In preparation for my trip to Caddo, I undertook my usual research and found minimal information on the location. While the internet did not have much to say about Caddo National Grasslands, this place has a lot to offer for outdoor recreation.
The Caddo National Grasslands is composed of 18,000 acres of land in Fannin County, Texas managed by the US Forest Service. Despite the designation as a grassland, 60-70% of Caddo is forested. There is 25+ miles of trails at Caddo which are maintained by the Caddo Trail Rider's Association. The best location from which to access these trails is the Bois d'Arc Trailhead.
The Bois d'Arc Trailhead contains 25 gravel spur campsites designed for the equestrian. Each site contains potable water, horse tie, fire ring, and picnic table along with enough room for a trailer. While the campground does not have electricity, vault toilets are available. The cost to park your vehicle or camp overnight is $10 per vehicle per day which is paid at a self-service station. Despite being designed for the equestrian, these campsites can easily accommodate a camper or tent. An overnight stay here would be the perfect addition to a day of hiking.
The trail system at Caddo National Grasslands consists of five numbered trails - 1, 2, 3, 4a, and 4b. Per the official map, the trails range in length from 3.6 miles to 11 miles. My hike took me on Trail 3. This trail is officially listed at 6.2 miles. However, using AllTrails to track my hike, the trail came in at 7.2 miles. While there were some horseback riders camped at the campground, I encountered no hikers or horseback riders on the trail during my hike.
Trail 3 begins on the West side of the campground nestled between the campsites. A wooden sign marks the start of the trail.
The trail is a lollipop loop. You will hike in approximately one mile before the trail splits to form the loop. I chose to take a right and hiked the loop in a counter clockwise direction.
This trail is almost entirely covered by the canopy of the forest. Very little of the trail runs through clearings or prairie. Trees found on the trail include varieties of oak and cedar.
The trail follows a well worn and easy to follow path. Combined with signage and regularly placed trail markers, this trail is easy to navigate. Cellular service on the trail is limited, so if you plan to use your smartphone for navigation, it is best to download maps in advance.
Overall, Trail 3 provided a great hiking experience. Caddo National Grasslands is an underappreciated and often unknown hiking destination in North Texas. Like other public lands, hunting and controlled burns are a regular occurrence. In addition to wearing fluorescent orange while on trail, it is advised you call the Forest Service office in Decatur, Texas to ensure that no hunts, burns, or other events are taking place at the time you plan to hike. Having found how wonderful this place is, I hope to return in the future to hike some of the other trails.
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