Hemphill Voyage Tips and guide

Contents

Hemphill is in Deep East Texas. It is the county seat of Sabine County in the easternmost reaches of Texas. The area is a gateway to Toledo Bend Reservoir, but also has a more pensive recent history, as the area where many of the crashing remains of the Space Shuttle Columbia fell on February 1, 2003. The town has a NASA museum and memorial dedicated to fallen astronauts.

Hemphill is surrounded by the Sabine National Forest and the Toledo Bend Reservoir.

The Sabine National Forest is notable for extensive forests of American beech and other hardwood trees. Other important tree species include loblolly pine, longleaf pine, shortleaf pine, white oak, southern red oak, sweetgum, and Florida maple.

Texas Highways 87 and 184 are the primary points of entry into Hemphill. Texas Highway 21 is nine miles to the north, which provides east and west connections to Lufkin and Many, Louisiana.

• 31.3459-93.844681 Patricia Huffman Smith NASA Museum (NASA's Columbia Museum), 375 Sabine Street, Suite B, ☏ +1 409 787 4827. Tu-Sa 10 AM-5PM, Closed Su M. Museum and memorial dedicated to the Space Shuttle Columbia accident in 2003. The museum has multiple exhibits and special events, such as guest speakers and programming for kids throughout the year. Admission $5 adults, $3 students. (updated Mar 2025)

• 31.3408-93.84221 Sabine National Forest. Outdoor recreation opportunities in the include fishing, hunting, camping, hiking, horseback riding, and mountain biking. (updated Apr 2025)
• 31.1965-93.57212 Toledo Bend Reservoir. The fifth largest man-made reservoir in the United States. Private facilities range from fish camps, with marinas and primitive camping, to highly developed lodge and motel type facilities. There are boat ramps at major recreation areas and other spots on the reservoir, giving boaters access points to the lake. Toledo Bend Reservoir is a nationally known bass fishing lake, and numerous tournaments are held here each year. (updated Apr 2025)
• Red Hills Lake. Picnic facilities and a swimming beach. (updated Apr 2025)
• Deer hunting. Moore Plantation is a 26,500-acre wildlife management area in Sabine County cooperatively managed by these two agencies. It is known for excellent deer hunting. (updated Apr 2025)
• Trail Between the Lakes. A 28-mile hiking trail that extends from Lakeview Recreation Area on Toledo Bend Reservoir to Highway 96 near Sam Rayburn Reservoir. Hiking is at its best in the early spring and fall when the forest is filled with blossoms and colorful leaves. (updated Apr 2025)

The town of Hemphill has no hotel/motel style accommodations in the town limits. The nearest motel is the Rodeway Inn & Suites, 11 1/2 miles to the northeast on Texas Highway 21, just before crossing the Pendleton Bridge into Louisiana.

However, there are a small handful of bed & breakfast type options in the town, and can be found via B&B booking websites like Airbnb and VRBO.

There are family camping areas in the Sabine National Forest in a natural forest setting. Facilities at each designated camping unit include a parking space, tent pad, grill or fireplace, picnic table, and lantern pole. Several units share a water tap, trash receptacle, and toilet facilities. Most parking spaces are suitable for camping trailers. Red Hills Lake and Boles Field has a sewage dump and electrical hookups at each site. Sites are available on a "first-come, first-served" basis. Developed campgrounds require a fee. There are many opportunities for dispersed or primitive camping throughout the forest.

Routes through Hemphill

Jct N S ← Center ←

N  S

→ Orange → Port Arthur