B.A. Steinhagen Lake sits between Jasper and Woodville on US 190, eight miles long and four miles wide, formed where the Neches and Angelina Rivers converge before flowing south toward the Gulf. Most people drive across it on US 190 without stopping. I’ve been coming here since I was a kid, and it’s one of those places that quietly keeps pulling me back.
The lake officially covers 13,800 acres, but over 70-plus years since the dam was built, thousands of those acres have turned into something between land and water — transitional bottomland that isn’t quite lake and isn’t quite forest. That gray zone is where the wildlife concentrates, where the best fishing happens, and where the Neches and Angelina River channels give anglers two completely different fishing experiences on the same body of water.
There are three ways to camp at Steinhagen Lake, and they couldn’t be more different from each other. This guide covers all of them, along with the fishing, paddling, hunting, and everything else worth knowing about this corner of Southeast Texas.
The Lake — What You’re Looking At
B.A. Steinhagen Lake is on the Neches River, about a half mile north of Town Bluff in Tyler and Jasper Counties. The dam was authorized by the River and Harbor Act of 1945 and construction started in March 1947, with impoundment beginning April 1951 and the dam completed in June 1953.
For most of its existence it was simply called Dam B — the second in a planned series of dams on the Neches and Angelina Rivers. In July 1967, “Dam B” was renamed Town Bluff Dam and B.A. Steinhagen Lake. B.A. Steinhagen was a prominent citizen of Beaumont who was active in the initial planning, authorization, and other water conservation activities that made the lake possible.
The lake officially lists at 13,800 surface acres, but over 50-plus years the reservoir has developed several thousand “transitional” acres that aren’t quite lake but not quite land — making for a diversified ecosystem with the actual lake impoundment as well as excellent fishing access to the Angelina and Neches Rivers through spectacular riverine hardwood bottomland.
Caution should be used when boating due to deviations in the depth of the lake — average depth is 3–7 feet north of US 190 and 5–12 feet south of US 190. The shallower north end where the rivers feed in is where the vegetation, structure, and wildlife concentrate. The deeper south end near the dam holds better catfish habitat in summer.
The dam itself serves four purposes: flood control on the Angelina and Neches River basins, water supply to the Lower Neches Valley Authority and the Beaumont area, a source of electric power generation, and recreation. The Robert D. Willis Hydropower Project, named for a longtime executive of the Sam Rayburn Municipal Power Agency, began commercial operation in November 1989 and continues to generate power from the dam.
USACE Project Office: 7696 RR 255 West, Jasper, TX | (409) 384-5716 | Mon–Fri 8am–4:30pm
The Camping Options at Steinhagen Lake
Steinhagen Lake has more camping variety than almost any lake in Southeast Texas — a developed campground on the southeast shore, a smaller and shadier option on the northwest shore, a Texas state park on the eastern shore with full amenities and paddling trail access, and thirteen free primitive boat-in sites deep in the Angelina-Neches river bottoms. Each one is a completely different experience.
Sandy Creek Park — Southeast Shore
Complete Sandy Creek Park Guide →
Sandy Creek is the largest and most fully equipped campground on the lake. Seventy-eight sites spread across multiple loops on the southeast shore, with 50-amp service available — the only campground in the Steinhagen system with 50-amp. Waterfront sites with boat tie-up capability, two fishing piers, a hiking trail that connects to Martin Dies Jr. State Park, and the generous site spacing that makes this campground feel more remote than it actually is.
Best for: RV campers who need 50-amp, anglers who want to tie a boat behind their site, families who want the Martin Dies Jr. trail connection.
Sites: 78 total | 50-amp and 30-amp electric + water | 6 primitive | 2 screened shelters
Fees: $10–$30/night
Reservations: Recreation.gov #232699
Magnolia Ridge Park — Northwest Shore
Complete Magnolia Ridge Guide →
Magnolia Ridge is the smaller, quieter, shadier campground on the northwest shore. Forty-one sites in a well-treed setting that keeps the heat manageable even in summer. The defining feature here is the Kids’ Fish Pond — a stocked pond with catfish and rainbow trout reserved exclusively for anglers under 15 and individuals with special needs. A free day pass from Recreation.gov is required to use it. Kids’ Fish Day is held each June.
Best for: Families with young anglers, campers who want shade and quiet, anyone who wants the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail experience at a Corps campground.
Sites: 41 total | 30-amp electric + water | 8 primitive | 1 screened shelter
Fees: $10–$30/night
Reservations: Recreation.gov #232636
Free Primitive Boat-In Sites — Neches and Angelina Rivers
Complete Primitive Camping Guide →
Thirteen free primitive campsites along the Neches and Angelina Rivers in the Angelina-Neches/Dam B Wildlife Management Area — accessible by boat only, from the Bevilport boat ramp on the Angelina River. Sites range from 2 to 6 river miles upstream. Each site is a cleared spot on the river bank, some with a picnic table and fire ring, some with nothing at all. The camping permit is free from the USACE Town Bluff Project Office. This is as remote as it gets while still being within an hour of Jasper.
Best for: Anglers and paddlers who want a real wilderness overnight, families comfortable with self-sufficient camping, anyone who wants Steinhagen Lake without another campsite in sight.
Cost: Free (free permit required)
Permit: Email TBPO@usace.army.mil or fax (409) 429-3188
Martin Dies Jr. State Park — On the Lake’s Eastern Shore
Complete Martin Dies Jr. State Park Guide →
Martin Dies Jr. State Park borders the eastern shore of B.A. Steinhagen Lake and is the most developed camping experience in the system. Three separate units — Walnut Ridge, Hen House Ridge, and the day-use-only Cherokee Unit — sit on the Neches River and the lake with full state park amenities including water and electric hookups, screened shelters, hot showers, and boat ramp access.
My grandparents lived on this lake, and I grew up fishing Bee Tree Slough and the backwater sloughs off the Neches with them. Walnut Ridge is the camping unit I know best — it’s the one with the best water access and the most direct connection to the paddling trails. The Walnut Slough, Sandy Creek, and Neches Paddling Trails (3 to 16 miles) all launch from the park and cover some of the best bottomland paddling in East Texas. Cherokee Unit is day use only — no camping there.
Martin Dies Jr. is the right call if you want a state park experience with a camp host, maintained trails, ranger programs, and facilities you don’t have to think about — paired with the full Steinhagen Lake fishing and paddling access. It charges a separate entry fee from the USACE campgrounds and operates independently, but it’s functionally part of the same Steinhagen Lake recreational system.
Best for: Families who want state park amenities, paddlers who want direct trail access, anyone connecting Martin Dies Jr. to a Sandy Creek camping trip via the shoreside trail.
Phone: (409) 384-5160
Reservations: texasstateparks.reserveamerica.com
Entry fee: $5/person/day (13+)
Bluffview Park and Campers Cove — Day Use Only
Two additional USACE sites at Steinhagen Lake are day-use only — no overnight camping.
Bluffview Park: Day-use facility with a group shelter (reservable, up to 100 people, electrical outlets, water supply, grills), a boat ramp, picnic sites, and a ⅓-mile paved walking trail. Good option for day fishing trips or group gatherings near the lake without camping.
Campers Cove: The campground at Campers Cove is permanently closed. The day-use area remains open with a boat ramp, picnic sites, and a walking trail.
Fishing at Steinhagen Lake
Due to the shallow nature of the reservoir, the most popular game fish at B.A. Steinhagen is the catfish. Channel, blue, and flathead catfish are all present in good numbers. When people who know this lake talk about fishing it, catfish is what they’re talking about — night fishing with cut bait in the deeper south end channels in summer is the standard approach, and it produces.
An average population of largemouth bass is present and fishing is fair. Good numbers of spotted bass are present in the Angelina River. The spotted bass in the Angelina River channel are worth targeting specifically — they’re a different experience from the open-lake largemouth fishing and the river structure gives them somewhere to concentrate.
A good crappie fishery exists, especially in the spring. Low numbers of white bass are present and the fishery is limited to the early spring during the spawning run above the reservoir. Bluegill and redear sunfish are present in high numbers and provide good fishing, especially for youth or inexperienced anglers.
The two fishing environments: The north end of the lake where the Angelina and Neches feed in is shallow, heavily vegetated, and best for spring bass and crappie around the flooded timber and brush. The south end near the dam is deeper and holds better summer catfish structure. Most serious anglers work both sections depending on season.
Texas freshwater fishing license required. Available at tpwd.texas.gov or tackle shops in Jasper.
Sandy Creek Park has two dedicated fishing piers on the southeast shore. Magnolia Ridge’s Kids’ Fish Pond provides a stocked alternative for young anglers away from the main lake. The free primitive sites on the Neches River give paddling anglers access to river channel fishing that most lake anglers never reach.
Paddling at Steinhagen Lake
The paddling situation at Steinhagen is connected to Martin Dies Jr. State Park, which borders the lake on its eastern shore. The park maintains three named paddling trails:
Walnut Slough Trail — The classic Steinhagen paddling experience. Backwater sloughs, standing cypress, and bottomland hardwoods you can only access by boat.
Sandy Creek Paddling Trail — Follows the Sandy Creek drainage through bottomland hardwoods.
Neches River Paddling Trail — The most demanding and most rewarding option. Swift river current, dramatic bottomland scenery, and access to sections of the Neches that feel genuinely remote.
All three launch from Martin Dies Jr. State Park, which charges a separate entry fee. The park office at (409) 384-5160 has current conditions and trail maps.
The free primitive boat-in sites on the Neches and Angelina Rivers make multi-day paddling and camping trips possible — put in at Bevilport, paddle to a sandbar site, camp overnight, continue the next day. It’s one of the best paddle-camping setups in Southeast Texas.
Wildlife
Wildlife habitat at Steinhagen consists of pine uplands, bottomland hardwoods, and mixed forest, where numerous species including deer, squirrels, rabbits, foxes, quail, waterfowl, and songbirds make their homes.
Alligators: Present throughout the lake, particularly along the river corridors and in the marshy north end where the rivers feed in. Standard SETX rules — 30-foot distance, never feed, keep kids and pets away from the water’s edge.
White-tailed deer: Common throughout the surrounding bottomland and the campground forest edges. Dawn and dusk are the best windows.
Waterfowl: The bottomland hardwood corridors make excellent winter waterfowl habitat. Fall and winter bring significant numbers of ducks to the lake and the adjacent WMA.
Bald eagles: Seen on the lake during winter months, particularly in the upper north end where the rivers feed in.
Songbirds: The bottomland hardwood forest along the Angelina and Neches River corridors produces excellent birding during spring and fall migration. The Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail passes through Magnolia Ridge Park.
Hunting
The Angelina-Neches/Dam B Wildlife Management Area covers approximately 13,000 acres adjacent to the lake and is open for public hunting. Legal game at the Town Bluff Project includes dove, quail, squirrel, rabbits, waterfowl, deer, and feral hogs. Alligators are only legal in conjunction with TPWD special hunts.
No rifles or pistols are permitted. Archery is allowed. Muzzleloaders are allowed. Shotguns are limited to non-toxic #2 shot and smaller for most species.
A Corps of Engineers hunting permit is required and available at the Project Office: 7696 RR 255 West, Jasper, TX | (409) 384-5716. TPWD also issues permits for the WMA portion — check the annual hunting guide at tpwd.texas.gov for current season dates and specific regulations.
Camping during hunting season: If you’re camping at Sandy Creek or Magnolia Ridge during deer season or other hunting season periods, wear blaze orange when moving around wooded areas adjacent to the campgrounds. The WMA boundary is close to both campgrounds.
Getting to Steinhagen Lake
The lake runs along US 190 between Jasper and Woodville — you can’t miss it if you’re on that highway.
From Beaumont: US 69/US 287 North to Jasper, then US 190 West approximately 12 miles.
From Lufkin: US 69 South to Jasper, then US 190 West.
From Woodville: US 190 East approximately 12 miles.
From Houston: US 59 North to Livingston, then US 190 East through Woodville approximately 12 miles.
Sandy Creek Park — Turn south on County Road 155, approximately 12 miles west of Jasper on US 190.
Magnolia Ridge Park — Turn north on FM 92, approximately 12 miles east of Woodville on US 190.
Bevilport Boat Ramp (for primitive sites) — Off US 190, watch for USACE signage.
Nearest full services: Jasper (east) has Walmart, grocery stores, tackle shops, hardware, and restaurants. Woodville (west) has basic food and fuel.
Best Times to Visit
Fall (October–November): The best window for camping, fishing, and wildlife. Heat breaks, mosquitoes drop significantly, catfish and bass fishing picks up, waterfowl arrive on the lake, and the bottomland hardwoods show their fall color in October. This is when Steinhagen Lake is at its best.
Spring (March–May): Crappie spawn peaks in March and April — some of the best crappie fishing in SETX happens in the shallow north end timber during this window. Comfortable temperatures, wildflowers in the surrounding forest, good birding during migration.
Winter (December–February): Quiet and cold. America the Beautiful Senior Pass holders get 50% off at both campgrounds — rates drop to $9–$10/night, making this the best value camping on the lake. Waterfowl hunting season is active and the lake sees significant duck activity.
Summer (June–August): Hot, humid, and mosquito-heavy. The shadier Magnolia Ridge is more comfortable than Sandy Creek in summer. Start fishing before dawn and be back at camp before the heat peaks. Bug protection is mandatory from May through September.
The America the Beautiful Senior Pass
Both Sandy Creek and Magnolia Ridge give 50% off all site fees to holders of the America the Beautiful Senior Pass — available to U.S. citizens and permanent residents 62 and older. Annual pass: $20. Lifetime pass: $80. Details and purchase at store.usgs.gov/recreational-passes. One of the best camping values in East Texas for pass holders.
FAQ
What is B.A. Steinhagen Lake also called?
The lake and dam are commonly called “Dam B” by locals — a name that stuck from its original designation as the second in a planned series of dams on the Neches and Angelina Rivers. The official name honors B.A. Steinhagen, a Beaumont civic leader instrumental in the lake’s authorization and planning.
How deep is B.A. Steinhagen Lake?
Average depth is 3–7 feet north of US 190 and 5–12 feet south of US 190. Maximum depth is approximately 35 feet near the dam. The shallower north end is heavily vegetated and best for spring bass and crappie. The deeper south end holds better catfish habitat in summer.
What fish can you catch at Steinhagen Lake?
Catfish (channel, blue, flathead) are the most popular and most abundant species. Largemouth bass are present in average numbers, spotted bass are good in the Angelina River channel, crappie are excellent in spring, and bluegill and redear sunfish are abundant — making this one of the better bluegill lakes in East Texas for families and beginning anglers.
What are the camping options at Steinhagen Lake?
Four options: Sandy Creek Park (78 sites, southeast shore, 50-amp, boat tie-up, Martin Dies Jr. trail connection), Magnolia Ridge Park (41 sites, northwest shore, Kids’ Fish Pond, better shade), Martin Dies Jr. State Park (eastern shore, full state park amenities, paddling trail access, water and electric hookups), and 13 free primitive boat-in sites on the Neches and Angelina Rivers requiring a free permit from the USACE Project Office.
How far is Steinhagen Lake from Beaumont?
Approximately 45–55 miles via US 287/US 69 North to Jasper, then US 190 West. About an hour from Beaumont.
Are alligators present at Steinhagen Lake?
Yes. Alligators are present throughout the lake, particularly in the shallower north end and along the river corridors. Maintain 30-foot distance, never feed, keep children and pets away from the water’s edge.
Is hunting allowed at Steinhagen Lake?
Yes, in the adjacent Angelina-Neches/Dam B Wildlife Management Area. Legal game includes dove, quail, squirrel, rabbits, waterfowl, deer, and feral hogs. A Corps of Engineers hunting permit is required and available at the Project Office. No rifles or pistols — archery and muzzleloaders are permitted.
B.A. Steinhagen Lake doesn’t have the name recognition of Sam Rayburn or the proximity of Lake Livingston, and that’s what keeps it manageable. The campgrounds aren’t overrun. The fishing piers aren’t crowded. The Neches River sandbars where you can camp for free with a boat-in permit are some of the most peaceful spots in East Texas.
For the full picture on each camping option:
- Sandy Creek Park — Complete Guide
- Magnolia Ridge Park — Complete Guide
- Free Primitive Camping on the Neches River
- Camping at Martin Dies Jr. State Park
- Best Campgrounds in Southeast Texas
Before your trip, grab the free Ultimate Family Camping Checklist — 83 items across 7 categories, built for camping in Southeast Texas.
This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting SETX Camping!
