Just downriver from Jefferson [1] is Caddo Lake, the only natural lake in Texas (all the others were created by dams). Stringy Spanish moss and outstretched cypress trees surround this mysteriously beautiful and sometimes-marshy lake. Caddo Indians claimed a giant flood formed the lake, but scientists believe massive logjams blocked the Red River, causing it to back up into the Cypress Bayou watershed, which formed the lake.
Popular lake activities include camping, hiking, swimming, fishing, and boating.
Among the many attractions at Caddo Lake is the Texas Parks and Wildlife–operated Caddo Lake State Park (take State Hwy. 43 to FM 2198, 903/679-3351, www.tpwd.state.tx.us [2]). The park offers access to diverse fishing, canoe rentals, and quaint cabins, built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s.
Links:
[1] http://www.moon.com/destinations/texas/houston-and-east-texas/piney-woods/jefferson
[2] http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us