I.D. a Red-Cockaded Woodpecker
As is pretty much the case throughout southern and eastern Texas, the birding in Angelina National Forest can be spectacular. There are good numbers of wood ducks, bald eagles, herons, and migratory waterfowl at Rayburn Reservoir, and in the open longleaf pine forests you'll spot red-cockaded woodpeckers, a bluebird-size woodpecker with a black-and-white barred back and one of the rarest birds in North America. Other rarities include brown-headed nuthatches, Henslow's sparrow, and Bachman's sparrow; other wildlife runs from armadillo, gray fox, bob cat, and deer to numerous reptiles and small furbearers.

Hike the Sawmill Trail
For most people, a ramble down the Sawmill Trail will be just the right speed for a close-up look at some of the most interesting features of Angelina National Forest's ecosystem. Five-and-a-half miles long, the trail winds between Bouton Lake and Boykin Springs. You'll pass through excellent examples of the forest's dominant habitat - dry, upland longleaf pine woods, a dramatic contrast to the rocks and cascading springs at Boykin Springs. A quarter-mile-long spur near the middle portion of the trail leads to the abandoned Aldridge Sawmill site, a remnant of a rapacious logging industry that harvested all of East Texas's old-growth pine forests. This headlong clear-cutting of climax forest spelled the end for the ivory-billed woodpecker; its cousin, the red-cockaded woodpecker, nearly followed the ivory-billed on the road to extinction. But now, this trail through Angelina is one of the few places where you can spot a red-cockaded woodpecker, along with interesting flora such as pitcher plants.

Canoe Boykin Lake
Also at Boykin Springs is 9-acre Boykin Lake, a great place to paddle on a hot day in the summer, when you can always jump overboard just to cool off. Swimming and paddling are both popular activities in the lake. You can bring along fishing tackle, or just enjoy the ride - the lake is a great place for birdwatching. In the cooler months, consider a night at Boykin Lake's campground; it has a lovely rustic feel to it and there's a lot to explore.

Drive the Texas Forest Trail
The route through East Texas' Piney Woods region connects four national forests, including the Angelina. An especially good road for scoping fall foliage, drive through Govenor Hogg Shrine State Historical Park, Lake O' the Pines, and Caddo Lake State Park on your way to Sam Rayburn Reservoir and Angelina National Forest.