There are many forests in Texas with a huge variety of activities and facilities.
From strolling through a nature preserve to blasting your way through an obstacle course, getting back to nature was never so much fun.
That is, until the ghosts and monsters jump out to show themselves.
Updated 2/11/2020 – Whether you’re spending the weekend in one of the national forests in Texas or having a picnic, the spirits are waiting to share their world with the living.
Dare you step into their realm or would you prefer to stick to the safer trails?
Either way, they might still find you.
These 10 Genuinely Haunted Forests In Texas Will Terrify You
10) Boykin Springs at Angelina National Forest, Zavalla
Boykin Springs barely survived a hurricane and it was closed for years while it was being repaired.
Visitors love camping there, the sense of privacy, great hiking trails and the beautiful waterfall.
Another attraction is the old saw mill, but it also has a dark vibe.
Some say a woman was killed while visiting her lover as he worked.
She ran too close to the saw.
You can guess what happened next.
Now she is heard screaming at various times.
Maybe you might see her stumbling around the mill in confusion, if you’re unlucky.
9) Big Thicket National Preserve, Kountze
Calm and Zen-like experiences in a beautiful setting, with lots of benches along the trails to enjoy the scenery, including the cypress reserve in one of the best Texas forests.
There’s also hiking, canoe rentals, a sandbar, bird-watching and a great visitor’s center where you can buy quality books about botany and the preserve.
Keep watch for a seemingly sweet, old lady who asks for directions.
With hollow eyes and a faraway voice, she haunts the trails and has actually been seen walking straight through the trunks of the trees.
The scent of lavender apparently precedes her apparition, so if you smell it, she’s not far away.
8) Trinity Forest Adventure Park, Dallas
What’s not to love about an adventure park where you can zip line through the treetops, enjoy a spot of climbing or navigate your way through an aerial obstacle course?
With a variety of different levels of difficulty, you can test your mettle while having a blast with your family and friends.
But what if you’re zipping along and you get stuck – then you feel like you’re being watched from the trees?
This has been reported more than once, where visitors also advised seeing shadow figures among the branches, hairs prickling on the back of their necks and sinister chuckles on the breeze – teasing and taunting.
7) Piney Woods Native Plant Center, Nacogdoches
You could be forgiven for wondering what could possibly be scary about a native plant center, with wonderfully maintained gardens and offering opportunities for hiking, nature walks, butterflies, shady creeks and wildlife, right in the center of the city.
That is, until you come across the Piney Woods swamps, making it a unique part of the forests in Texas.
Rumor has it that a young girl drowned in one of the swamp areas, after chasing butterflies and tragically plunging into the muddy waters.
At dusk, she is believed to be heard calling for her mother – albeit with a creepy, gurgling voice.
If you wander near the swamps at twilight, brace yourself for a spine-tingling encounter.
6) Huntsville State Park, Huntsville
Lots of fun for everyone – especially kids – with swimming, canoes, hiking trails, wildlife, fishing and bike trails.
You can camp at this park and there’s a great bathhouse.
If human spirits aren’t scary enough, there’s the phantom alligator to contend with.
Even though there’s been rumors of ghosts seen on the trails, the sound of strange growling and rushing through the low bushes is enough to chill your flesh.
Some have reported red eyes glowing through the trees at sunset, just waiting for you to come and play.
5) Sabine National Forest, Hemphill
Whether you’re going to camp or rent a cabin, you’ll have the best of both worlds, with a restaurant and a store as well as activities such as water sports and fishing.
Take in the beautiful scenery in the middle of a natural forest – considered one of Texas most popular forests – with a great river.
It is said that a pyromaniac perished many years ago near one of the campsites, using too much fuel while starting a fire.
People have reported being woken up by the smell of gasoline and smoke, with one visitor advising of a creepy shadow man lurking around the cabins.
If he knocks, will you let him in?
4) Bastrop State Park, Bastrop
Having survived a fire approximately five years ago and slowly growing back, there’s a surreal atmosphere in some parts of this park.
However, there are still many positive attributes, such as camping, a playground, hiking, cabins, swimming, picnic grounds, bike trails and lots of butterflies.
There are times when you can watch the Mexican Free Tail Bats, which can be scary on the nights when the animal spirits of the forest also decide to haunt the area.
Try not to run when you hear the angry screeches or frightening wails weaving through the new growth, as reported by several terrified visitors.
3) Davy Crockett National Forest, Ratcliff
Everyone knows about Davy Crockett – King of the Wild Frontier – for which this forest was named.
Along with the usual attractions and facilities, like tall trees, camping, swimming, fishing, hiking, kayaks, picnic areas and bike riding, there’s also turtle spotting and even sawmill ruins.
The strangest features include alien and Bigfoot sightings.
Surprisingly, one hunter reported coming across not one – but two Sasquatches – a male and a female who spoke to each other in a weird language consisting of clicks and whistles.
It is said that they feed at 8 a.m. – so keep an eye out and pray they aren’t hungry for human flesh.
2) Lake Houston Wilderness Park, New Caney
Complete with lakeside cabins, campsites, hiking, fishing – being dog and horse friendly – this wilderness park has a lot more to offer.
Take the family for a picnic or have fun on the sandy beaches.
Stay for the day or take your time drinking in the natural setting over a weekend.
If you decide to stay in one of the cabins, be prepared for the man in the lake.
He is heard spluttering and calling for help in the middle of the night.
Some have heard his wet, sloshy footsteps outside the windows and even worse – inside the cabins – maybe looking for a towel or something more nefarious.
Will you help him?
1) Sam Houston National Forest, New Waverly
If you’re lucky, you might get a chance to take in the scenery and wildlife in privacy, without hordes of other people.
With a choice of activities at Sam Houston, such as fishing, hiking and camping, it’s a peaceful getaway among wonderful trees, with lovely bridges across several creeks and occasional sightings of deer.
What they don’t tell you about are the stories surrounding a homicide in 2005, where the body of a male was found.
If that’s not scary enough, make sure you don’t stumble across the cemetery which stands on a hill on the trail, where disembodied voices try to get visitor’s attention.
Why?
Maybe you should check it out and report back.
Have you been to any of these forests?
What did you experience?
Tell us in the comments below.