Things to Do in Buna, Texas

Buna's headline attraction is the Big Thicket National Preserve, just to the west — more than 100,000 acres of public wilderness where swamps, forests, and central plains meet in one of the most biologically diverse landscapes in the country. With more than 30 miles of hiking trails plus paddling trails on its rivers and bayous, it's a destination for hikers, paddlers, birders, and nature photographers.

The Neches River and nearby creeks add canoeing, kayaking, and fishing through cypress-lined sloughs and quiet backwaters. Guides and rentals in the region make it easy to spend a day on the water. For anyone who loves the outdoors, the Big Thicket and the Neches are reason enough to call Buna home.

Much of what there is to do in Buna revolves around the community itself. Buna ISD — home of the Cougars, in blue and white — is a point of pride, and Friday-night football, basketball, baseball, and other school events draw the town together through the year. Churches, local gatherings, and small-town traditions fill out the calendar.

This is the kind of place where the high school, the local eateries, and the surrounding woods provide the everyday entertainment. For families especially, the close-knit feel of Cougar country — where neighbors know one another and the school is the heart of town — is a genuine part of the appeal.

Buna's location keeps a real metro and the county's towns within reach. Beaumont, about thirty-six miles southwest, offers the museums, shopping, dining, and events of a Southeast Texas city, plus a gateway to the Gulf Coast. Jasper, the county seat to the north, and Kirbyville add their own small-town attractions and services.

Farther north, the great reservoirs of B.A. Steinhagen Lake and Sam Rayburn add boating, big-lake fishing, and lakeside camping within a drive. Between the Big Thicket, the river, Cougar sports, and the nearby towns and lakes, Buna offers a well-rounded menu of things to do for a small community.