Northeast Texas Trail

The Northeast Texas Trail is a 210-km point-to-point trail in the United States, tracing two historic railroad corridors through seven counties of rural northeast Texas from Farmersville to New Boston. Gaining approximately 280 m of elevation over 7–9 days and rated moderate, it ranks as one of the longest multi-use rail-to-trail conversions in the American South, passing through 19 municipalities and serving more than 47,500 residents along its corridor.

About the Northeast Texas Trail

The Northeast Texas Trail (NETT) converts two historic railroad rights-of-way into a continuous 130-mile (210 km) multi-use recreational corridor for hikers, mountain bikers, and equestrians. Managed by the Northeast Texas Trail Coalition — a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organisation — the trail was formally established in 2011, though its oldest dedicated section, the 2.36-mile “Trail de Paris” through the city of Paris, Texas, opened as early as 2004.

The route follows two distinct rail corridors across northeast Texas. The western half, from Farmersville to Paris (approximately 100 km), runs along the former Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway line, constructed in 1886. This corridor was managed by the Chaparral Railroad before being railbanked in 1995, becoming the Chaparral Rails to Trails section. The eastern half, from Paris to New Boston (approximately 110 km), traces the Texas & Pacific Railway right-of-way, built in 1876 as part of financier Jay Gould’s transcontinental branch. That section was railbanked and transferred to the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy in 1997.

Together, the two corridors span six counties — Collin, Hunt, Fannin, Lamar, Red River, and Bowie — linking 19 municipalities and serving more than 47,500 people who live and work within a mile of the route. When fully complete, the Northeast Texas Trail is projected to be the longest hike, bike, and equestrian trail in Texas and the fourth longest in the United States.

As of 2026, construction continues in phases. The Coalition targets full clearing and grading by 2027 and complete bridge restoration and surfacing by 2029. Multiple Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Recreational Trails Fund grants have been awarded to participating cities including Farmersville, Wolfe City, Roxton, Clarksville, Annona, Avery, and New Boston. Thru-hikers should verify current section statuses with the Coalition before departure, as some segments require short road-walk detours where historic rail bridges are under repair.

Route Overview & Stages

The trail runs southwest to northeast from the western trailhead at Audie Murphy Trailhead Park in Farmersville to the eastern terminus at T&P Trailhead Park in New Boston, near the Texarkana metropolitan area. The former-rail surface keeps grades below 2%, making the corridor accessible across a wide range of fitness levels. The five stages below reflect practical hiking distances between main resupply towns.

Highlights & Points of Interest

• Audie Murphy Trailhead Park, Farmersville — the official western terminus, named for the most decorated American combat soldier of World War II, who was born in nearby Hunt County. The park provides parking, restrooms, and interpretive signage tracing the trail’s railroad heritage from the 1886 Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe line.
• Santa Fe Onion Shed, Farmersville — a surviving structure from the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway era that recalls Farmersville’s history as a regional agricultural shipping depot; one of the few remaining physical traces of the original 19th-century rail infrastructure along the western corridor.
• Trail de Paris, Paris, Texas — the oldest dedicated section of the NETT, opened in 2004. This 3.8-km urban greenway through the heart of Paris is the most fully developed portion of the corridor, with a paved surface, benches, and native landscaping alongside the old rail bed.
• Sulphur River Bottomlands — on the Lamar–Red River county line, the trail crosses the Sulphur River through a wide floodplain habitat. Great blue herons, wood ducks, red-tailed hawks, and white-tailed deer are regularly spotted here, making this section one of the most ecologically rich on the entire route.
• Kickapoo Creek Trestle Bridges — over 100 rail bridges exist along the full corridor, and the crossings of Kickapoo Creek and its branches in Hunt and Fannin counties are among the most photogenic. The elevated trestle perspective offers views across open Texas bottomland not visible from road level.
• Clarksville Courthouse Square — a brief off-trail detour into this Red River County seat reveals a National Register-listed 1885 courthouse, a walkable historic downtown, and practical resupply options for long-distance hikers at the midpoint of Stage 4.
• Annona and Avery Trailheads, Red River County — two small communities where Texas Parks and Wildlife Recreational Trails Fund grants funded dedicated trailhead improvements. Both provide parking, water, and rest areas on the longest cross-county segment of the trail.
• T&P Trailhead Park, New Boston — the eastern terminus of the NETT, named for the Texas & Pacific Railway. This Bowie County park formally marks the completion of the 210-km journey and provides a fitting conclusion near the Texarkana metropolitan area, approximately 45 km to the east.

Best Time to Hike the Northeast Texas Trail

Northeast Texas has a humid subtropical climate characterised by hot, humid summers and mild winters. Getting your timing right is the single most consequential planning decision for this trail.

October to April is the recommended hiking window. October and November bring temperatures of 15–22°C, reliable dry spells, and vivid fall colour from oak, sweetgum, and hickory trees — most striking on the Bonham-to-Paris section. March and April usher in wildflower season, with bluebonnets and Indian paintbrush visible along open sections of the Lamar County segment, though spring thunderstorms can leave unpaved stretches muddy for 24–48 hours after heavy rain.

January and February are manageable for well-prepared hikers, with average lows of 3–6°C and very low trail traffic. Cold fronts occasionally bring freezing rain to Collin and Hunt counties, so carry a waterproof layer and check the forecast carefully each morning. December is similarly quiet, with occasional icy conditions on trestle bridge decking.

May through September brings extreme heat, with daytime temperatures regularly exceeding 35°C across all counties. Humidity compounds the risk of heat exhaustion on exposed rail-trail sections with limited shade. Mosquito and tick pressure is highest in summer, particularly near the Sulphur River bottomlands. Multi-day thru-hiking during this window is strongly discouraged.

The single best month to hike the Northeast Texas Trail is November. As of 2026, November consistently delivers dry, comfortable temperatures (12–20°C), peak autumn foliage between Stages 2 and 3, minimal insect activity, and 10–11 hours of daylight — enough for 35–45 km days without pre-dawn starts.

Practical Information

Accommodation

The Northeast Texas Trail passes through or near 19 municipalities, providing accommodation options every 30–54 km. The two largest towns on the route — Paris, TX (population ~24,000) and Greenville, TX (~28,000) — offer the widest selection.

• Primitive camping: Several trailhead parks and municipal areas permit overnight camping at no charge or for approximately €5–12 per night. Wild camping is possible in some remote sections; verify access with the Northeast Texas Trail Coalition and respect private landowner boundaries before dispersed camping.
• Budget motels: Small-town motels in Greenville, Paris, and Clarksville range from €55 to €85 per night. National budget chains including Super 8 and Days Inn are present in both Greenville and Paris.
• Mid-range hotels: Paris, TX has the broadest hotel selection, with mid-range properties running €85–120 per night. Booking in advance is advisable during October and November when autumn visitor traffic increases across the region.

Many hikers tackle the trail in weekend stages rather than as a continuous thru-hike, using US Highway 82 — which parallels the entire corridor — to shuttle between sections by car.

Getting There & Back

Western trailhead (Farmersville): Farmersville lies 55 km northeast of Dallas, a 45-minute drive from Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW). No scheduled public transport links DFW to Farmersville directly; car hire or a private shuttle is the standard approach. Rideshare services (Uber, Lyft) operate from DFW to Farmersville.

Eastern trailhead (New Boston): New Boston sits 45 km west of Texarkana and is served by Texarkana Regional Airport (TXK), with connecting flights to Dallas (DFW) and Atlanta (ATL). The drive from TXK to New Boston takes approximately 40 minutes. Car hire is available at TXK.

For a point-to-point thru-hike, the most practical strategy is to leave a vehicle at the eastern terminus in New Boston and begin hiking from Farmersville, or arrange a shuttle with local services based in Paris, TX — roughly the trail’s midpoint and the largest town along the route.

Permits & Fees

No permit is required to hike the Northeast Texas Trail. All open sections are free of charge and accessible to the public. Some trailhead car parks have voluntary donation boxes supporting the Coalition’s ongoing bridge restoration and maintenance work. Sections passing through municipal parks may have posted opening and closing hours; check signage at each trailhead before beginning a stage. No camping fee applies at most primitive sites, though this may change as the trail approaches its 2029 full-completion target.

Gear & Packing List

The Northeast Texas Trail is remote between towns, with some sections lacking reliable shade or potable water for stretches of 15–25 km. Keeping pack weight manageable is as important here as on any long-distance route — particularly in the heat of the Lamar and Red River county segments.

For a multi-day thru-hike across all 210 km, a pack in the 45–65 L range suits most hikers. The Osprey Aether 65 handles the volume needed for three-to-four-night stretches between resupply towns, with structured support for heavier food and water carries. Ultralight hikers moving fast will find the Zpacks Arc Haul Ultra 60 carries comparable loads at a significantly lower base weight. For weekend stage hikes of two to three days, the Hyperlite Mountain Gear 3400 Windrider is a proven ultralight option. If you are still selecting a pack, our 2026 roundup of the best ultralight backpacks ranks seven tested options across weight, fit, and capacity.

Essential items for the Northeast Texas Trail:

• Water filtration: Carry a reliable filter (Sawyer Squeeze or similar); surface water from Kickapoo Creek, the Sulphur River, and smaller drainages is available but requires treatment before drinking
• Insect repellent & tick kit: Ticks are active from March through October; daily full-body tick checks are essential in bottomland sections near the Sulphur River and any wooded creek crossings
• Rain gear: Spring thunderstorms build rapidly in northeast Texas; a waterproof hardshell or quality rain jacket is non-negotiable from March through May and advisable year-round
• Sun protection: Wide-brimmed hat, SPF 50+ sunscreen, and UV-protective layers for the open rail-trail sections with minimal overhead shade between towns
• Offline maps: Download all five stages before departure; cell signal is intermittent in rural Fannin and Red River counties, particularly between Roxton and Clarksville
• First aid & blister kit: Compacted gravel and packed-earth surfaces can be demanding on feet over back-to-back 35–50 km days

For calorie planning on long hiking days in Texas heat and humidity, our guide on how many calories you need hiking a full day explains why energy demands in humid subtropical conditions typically exceed standard estimates by 10–20%.

Similar Trails You Might Like

If the Northeast Texas Trail’s long-distance, point-to-point character and rural American corridor appeal to you, these trails offer comparable or more demanding experiences across the United States. For the ultimate American long-distance challenge, the Pacific Crest Trail spans 4,265 km from the Mexican border to Canada through California, Oregon, and Washington’s most dramatic mountain terrain. The Continental Divide National Scenic Trail (4,988 km) is longer still, tracing the Rockies’ spine through five states from New Mexico to Montana. For iconic single-day or overnight alpine hikes, the Half Dome Trail in Yosemite National Park, the Angels Landing Trail–West Rim Trail in Zion National Park, and the Mount Whitney Trail in California’s Sierra Nevada each deliver dramatic high-country scenery within a compact footprint. Planning a different kind of point-to-point adventure? Our guide to the Theth to Valbona hike in Albania offers useful reference on logistics, packing, and timing for remote mountain trail-to-trail routes in a very different landscape.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the best time to hike the Northeast Texas Trail?

October through April offers the most comfortable conditions. November is the single best month — temperatures average 12–20°C, autumn foliage peaks across the Bonham-to-Paris section, and insect activity drops sharply. Summer hiking (May–September) is strongly discouraged: daytime heat regularly exceeds 35°C and high humidity across all seven counties creates genuine heat-exhaustion risk on exposed, low-shade rail-trail sections.

How difficult is the Northeast Texas Trail?

The trail is rated moderate. As a former rail corridor, grades are consistently gentle and sustained climbs are virtually absent — cumulative elevation gain is approximately 280 m across 210 km. The main challenges are managing distance between resupply towns (up to 54 km between stages), heat and humidity in warmer months, and navigating short road-walk detours where bridge repairs are still pending on some sections.

How many kilometres can you cover per day on the Northeast Texas Trail?

Most hikers cover 25–40 km per day on the flat, former-rail surface. On well-developed sections near Paris and Greenville, fit hikers push 45–50 km in a single day. In remote Red River County sections with limited water and shade, plan more conservatively — 25–30 km — and confirm water availability and accommodation options before committing to each stage.

Where can you stay along the Northeast Texas Trail?

Accommodation is available in Greenville, Bonham, Paris, Clarksville, and New Boston — the five main towns along or near the corridor. Budget motel rooms cost approximately €55–85 per night; mid-range hotels in Paris, TX run €85–120. Primitive camping is possible at several trailhead parks, typically free or €5–12 per night. Verify any wild-camping plans with the Northeast Texas Trail Coalition before your trip.

Do you need a permit to hike the Northeast Texas Trail?

No permit is required and all open sections are free of charge. Trailhead car parks maintained by participating municipalities are open to the public; some have voluntary donation boxes supporting ongoing maintenance and bridge restoration. A small number of sections pass through municipal parks with posted closing hours. Check the Coalition website for the latest information on temporary closures or segment detours before you set off.