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In Southeast Texas in Angelina National Forest lies Sam Rayburn Reservoir. Completed in 1965 by the United States Army Corps of Engineers, this reservoir is 3,997,600 acre feet in size. Lake homes for rent on Sam Rayburn Reservoir are nestled in the East Texas Piney Woods region in Jasper County, offering the perfect landscape for hunting, fishing, and exploring nature.

Angelina National Forest contains 153,179 acres of gently rolling pine-covered hills. These woods are filled with deer, squirrels, wild turkeys, woodcock, and quail. Wood ducks remain in the forest year-round, and bald eagles spend their winters in these pines. The endangered red-cockaded woodpecker also calls these woods home. If you want to observe wildlife, explore these woods on horseback or on foot.

The Aldridge Sawmill Historic Site is a highlight of Angelina National Forrest. First constructed by Hal Aldridge in 1905, the township that grew up around the sawmill was abandoned in 1927. A few structures still stand and can be reached by hikers looking to explore a part of Texas history.

Lake properties for rent on Sam Rayburn Reservoir offer access to some of the best fishing in the country. While some people come to Sam Rayburn Lake for bluegill and channel catfish, the big game is bass. More than 300 bass fishing tournaments are held on Sam Rayburn Reservoir each year, including ESPN/BASS Masters, BASS Champs, FLW Outdoors, and Angler's Quest.

Marinas on the lake offer boat launches and slips to lake visitors. Powell Park Marina and Sam Rayburn Marina Resort also offer tackle shops, groceries, and other supplies. If you need to rent a boat, Powell Park Marina offers pontoon rentals.

Sam Rayburn Reservoir lakefront homes offer easy accessibility to several golf courses. On the southeast side of the lake, you'll find the Rayburn Country Association and Jasper Country Club. Nearby Lufkin, to the west, offers Crown Colony Country Club and Lufkin Country Club. If you are interested in living on any of these courses, visit GolfHomes.com for more information.

The beautiful scenery of Angelina National Forest combined with excellent golfing and world-class fishing make Sam Rayburn Reservoir an ideal destination for lasting memories.

Sam Rayburn Reservoir is the largest man-made lake located entirely within the boundaries of the State of Texas, and covers 114,500 acres at normal elevation in five counties, (Angelina, Jasper, Nacogdoches, Sabine, and San Augustine). The dam and reservoir were dedicated in 1965 and named by President Lyndon B. Johnson in honor of the long-time Speaker of the House from Texas. Lake Sam Rayburn has 560 miles of shoreline, including 100 miles of national forest shoreline.

Jet Skis:

Are they permitted? Yes

Swimming:

Can you swim in the lake? Yes

What is the water quality?

Good

Water Level:

Average water level variance? Controlled by Corp

Boat Docks:

Are they permitted? No

Power Boats:

Are they permitted? Yes

Depth of Lake:

50 ft.

Nearby cities:

Broddus - 8 miles, Zavalla 15 miles

Fishing Information

More than 50 bass tournaments are held at the lake each year. Renown for largemouth bass fishing, Lake Sam Rayburn is also home to both black and white crappie, catfish, sunfish, white bass, hybrid striped bass, and spotted bass.

Considerable pre-impoundment timber remains standing and provides excellent fish habitat. Fish find ample cover in over 12,000 acres of hydrilla and another 2,500 acres of other types of vegetation. There are some brush piles, but these privately placed attractors do not play a significant role in Rayburn's environment.

Camping Information

On Sam Rayburn Rayburn Reservoir, Mill Creek Park, operated by the U.S. Corps of Engineers, is a highly developed area on the lake's southeast shore. The park is located off Loop 149 and U.S. Highway 96 at Brookeland, Texas. The park contains 110 campsites with electrical hook-ups, 57 of which have water connections. The park also features a group shelter, a designated swimming beach, boat launching ramps, three waterborne restrooms with hot showers, two trailer dumping stations. The park is open year around.

Camp Sites/Group Sites:

Camp Sites with Hookups/Electric/Water/Sewer Facilities: 0

# of Sites where Fees are Charged: 67

Camp Site Fees without/Elec (low/high)

Martin Dies, Jr. State Park

Local Area Businesses

History of the lake

Sam Rayburn Reservoir, formerly known as McGee Bend Reservoir, is dammed eighty miles north of Beaumont (at 31°04' N, 94°06' W). It is fed by the Angelina River and lies in Jasper, Angelina, Sabine, Nacogdoches, and San Augustine counties. Construction at the McGee Bend site began on September 7, 1956, and deliberate impoundment of water began on March 29, 1965. Paul Hardeman, Incorporated, of Stanton, California, served as general contractor for the project, which cost $63,290,000. The project was renamed in honor of Samuel T. (Sam) Rayburn in 1963.

The reservoir is designed for flood control and power generation, owned by the United States government, and operated by the United States Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Worth district. The earthfill dam has a spillway crest elevation of 176 feet and a top flood-control pool capacity of 3,997,600 acre-feet. Its two hydroelectric plants generate a total capacity of 52,000 kilowatt-hours marketed by the Southwestern Power Administration. With a drainage area of 3,449 square miles, Rayburn Reservoir conserves water for municipal, industrial, agricultural, and recreational purposes.

Sam Rayburn has thirteen developed recreation areas that are operated and managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, including : nine campgrounds, (primitive to highly developed), with more than 500 total campsites, sixteen multi-lane launch ramps, five group shelters, four picnic areas, four designated swimming areas, playground, volleyball, horseshoe and basketball facilities, interpretive trail, and more. In addition there are four out granted marinas operated by private concessionaires.

All Locations: Texas > Sam Rayburn Reservoir Lake Vacation Rentals (2)

History of the lake