This forest's 161,500 acres border the Neches River in east Texas. Since logging ended in the 1920s, this pine and hardwood forest has made a dramatic comeback. One of the best ways to see this area is via the 20-mile long Four C National Recreation Trail. The trail passes through a variety of terrains, sloughs, upland forests and pine woods as it follows an old tramway from Ratcliff Lake to the Neches Overlook.
An alternative to hiking is the Big Slough Canoe Trail, which makes a loop though the Big Slough area and along the Neches River. Also within the forest is the Mission Tejas State Historical Park which contains a replica of the first Spanish mission in east Texas and the Rice Stagecoach Inn.
