The Outdoors in Nash, Texas
Nash is a Texarkana suburb rather than a wilderness town, but its location in far northeast Texas puts plenty of outdoors within easy reach. The big draw is a sprawling Corps of Engineers lake a short drive away, backed by metro parks and the wooded, rolling country of Bowie County.
Here's how to enjoy the outdoors in and around Nash.
Wright Patman Lake
The area's premier outdoor destination is Wright Patman Lake, a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reservoir on the Sulphur River whose geographic center lies about eighteen miles southwest of Texarkana — an easy drive from Nash. It covers roughly 20,300 acres, giving plenty of room to spread out.
Fishing is the headline. Wright Patman is well known for white bass and crappie, with good numbers of legal-size fish, plus largemouth bass, channel catfish, and blue catfish. The Corps maintains about a dozen parks around the lake offering boat ramps, camping, picnicking, swimming, and hiking, so a day or a weekend on the water is always close at hand.
Parks and Metro Recreation
Closer to home, Nash residents tap the parks and recreation of the Texarkana metro that surrounds them — city parks, ballfields, walking trails, and community spaces, all just minutes away across the line into Texarkana. For everyday outdoor time, that metro access means a park or trail is never far.
The lake's Corps parks also add wildlife viewing to the mix: Wright Patman draws wintering bald eagles, pelicans, and migratory ducks, making it a destination for birdwatchers and photographers as well as anglers and campers.
Bowie County Countryside
Beyond the metro and the lake, Nash sits amid the wooded, rolling countryside of Bowie County in the Ark-La-Tex corner of Texas. Quiet country roads offer scenic drives, and the surrounding region is good hunting country, with deer, hogs, and other game in the woods and bottomlands.
The broader four-state region around Texarkana adds still more lakes, rivers, and public land within a reasonable drive. But for Nash, the heart of outdoor life is Wright Patman Lake a short drive southwest — a big, fish-rich reservoir that, paired with the metro's parks, gives the suburb a solid outdoor base.
City & County Parks
Municipal and county parks, greenspaces, and recreation areas in and around Nash.
- King Park
- Texarkana College Park
- Southwest Center Park
- Bringle Lake Park
- Yates Park
- Bell Park
- Grandview Park
- Beverly Park
- Spring Lake Park
- Kidtopia Park
- Ferguson Park
- William Karrh Memorial Park
- Sheppard Park
- Grady T. Wallace Park
- Lee Park
- Findley Park
Source: © OpenStreetMap contributors
Lakes Near Nash
Lakes and reservoirs within about 30 miles of Nash, by approximate straight-line distance. Access, boating rules and camping vary by lake, so check with the operator before you go.
- Wright Patman Lake · ~16 mi
State Parks & Natural Areas Near Nash
Public lands within reach of Nash — state parks, natural areas, and historic sites managed by Texas Parks & Wildlife — with approximate straight-line distance from town.
- Atlanta State Park · Cass County ~16 mi
- Daingerfield State Park · Morris County ~44 mi
- Caddo Lake State Park · Harrison County ~53 mi
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from Nash. Source: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department — park locations
FAQ: Outdoors in Nash
Wright Patman Lake is a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reservoir on the Sulphur River about ten miles southwest of Texarkana — a short drive from Nash. It covers roughly 20,300 acres and has about a dozen Corps parks for fishing, camping, boating, and swimming.
Yes. Wright Patman Lake, a short drive from Nash, is well known for white bass and crappie, with good numbers of legal-size fish, plus largemouth bass, channel catfish, and blue catfish. Several Corps boat ramps and lakeside parks make access easy.
Yes. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers maintains about a dozen parks around Wright Patman Lake, a short drive southwest of Nash, offering camping, boat ramps, picnicking, swimming, and hiking — everything needed for a day trip or a weekend on the water.
Nash residents enjoy fishing, boating, camping, and swimming at Wright Patman Lake a short drive away, plus the parks and trails of the Texarkana metro next door. The surrounding Bowie County countryside adds scenic drives and good hunting country, with more lakes within a reasonable drive.
East Texas guides
Region-wide guides that put Nash in context — where to go, what things cost, and how people actually live here.
Best Lakes in East Texas
A fact-checked guide to 17 East Texas lakes, from Lake Fork's trophy bass and Caddo Lake to Toledo Bend, Sam Rayburn and Lake Tawakoni. Sizes, species, access and rules come from TPWD.
Read Guide →Best Hiking Trails in East Texas
East Texas hiking trails checked against park and Forest Service sources: Tyler, Daingerfield, Mission Tejas and Martin Creek Lake state parks, the Four C Trail and the Sawmill Trail.
Read Guide →East Texas State Parks Guide
Twelve East Texas state parks from TPWD: Tyler, Caddo Lake, Atlanta, Lake Bob Sandlin, Tawakoni, Purtis Creek, Cooper, Martin Dies Jr. and more. Camping, cabins and passes.
Read Guide →Fishing in East Texas: Complete Guide
A sourced guide to fishing Lake Fork, Lake Palestine, Cedar Creek and Lake Athens: bass slot limits, where TPWD says the fish are, and Texas license rules.
Read Guide →Business Owner?
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