East Texas: land of towering loblollies and rust-red clay roads, moss-draped swamps and cypress forests, peace and quiet and—yes—the mysterious unknown. Despite the fact that it’s our own neck of the woods, for many Houstonians, the region remains sequestered behind that famous Pine Curtain.

Well, we at Houstonia like a mystery. It’s what beckons us onto the highway on a blue-sky weekend, propelling us away from city life, toward something brand-new.

For this story, we slipped through the Pine Curtain to explore the best of the region’s 11 state parks, where pristine forests, inviting campsites, well-marked trails and fish-stocked lakes are preserved for all Texans—if they know where to go and when. Summer is high season, so make sure to reserve a campsite ahead of time at these, our seven favorite state parks in the Piney Woods.

No matter your level of camping experience, or even your interest in the great outdoors, there’s a state park in the region for you to enjoy. Read on, and that much, at least, we’ll demystify for you. The rest is waiting to be discovered…