Eisenhower State Park, 11/22/2022

 83. We did not camp here - for a multitude of reasons, we've never been able to camp here!  This trip we chose to camp at Ray Roberts and use that as a more central basecamp to other places, Eisenhower being one of them.  This is a surprisingly big park on the shores of Lake Texhoma.  There are numerous campsites, a huge privately owned marina, and a plethora of ATV trails (which were closed when we visited).  We hiked a short, but hilly trail near the shore, saw ammonites in the rocks, and gawked at the monstrous boats stored at the marina.  

Part of the trail took us to the shore, where we could see just a few of the many boats stored at the marina. 

Pano of Lake Texhoma from the marina. 

Eisenhower State Park is also really close to Denison and Sherman, so we explored those towns a bit as well.  Denison has a brewery, a distillery, lots of antique shops, the old Katy Depot, President Eisenhower's birthplace house, and the home of T.V. Munson, the man who saved the wine industry.  

Sherman has 2 breweries, antiques, and is a county seat as well.  

Katy Depot.

Grayson County courthouse.

President Eisenhower's birth home. 

Ray Roberts Lake S.P. 11/20 - 24/2022

 82. Scampsite 92, Isle Du Bois unit - a lovely wide, 2-vehicle pad on a little slope, but surrounded by trees - it felt like we were in our own private space, more so than at other parks.  The Isle Du Bois unit is a park for boaters, fishing, horseback riding and mountain biking - there are several DORBA trails (single-tracks for bikes), long trails for horses, a large boat ramp, fishing pier and fish-cleaning area.  The longest walking trail is paved (unusual) and there were several ADA-accessible camp sites as well.  There are playgrounds in the camping areas as well.  The weather was cold and on-and-off drizzly, so we spent some time outside of the park as well.  

Ray Roberts Lake has 2 more units as part of the state park group: the Johnson Branch, which is on the other side of the lake (north side) from Isle Du Bois, and the Lone Star Lodge & Marina, which is part of  Jordan Park.  

The Lone Star Lodge & Marina has rooms, pontoons, jet skis, kayaks, tubes, and lily pads for rent.  When we visited, there were pieces and parts of docks on the ground, so it looks like the marina part is getting some love.  

Johnson Branch Unit was surprisingly devoid of RV's (and tents, but the weather was iffy, so that wasn't really a surprise) and we never did figure out why.  It's a lovely unit, also with lots of DORBA trails, but smaller trails suitable for kids as well.   

Scampsite 92.

Ray Roberts Lake, part of the paved walking trail and the swimming beach. 

Lone Star Lodge lobby. 

There is A LOT to do in the area: Denton is really close, is a county seat (gorgeous courthouse), has 2 breweries, antiques, restaurants, and a "haunted" old bridge - we visited the bridge in daylight so didn't experience The Goatman.  

Old Alton Bridge, 1884.

Denton County Courthouse.