3.9mi from Lindale · 1 siteAn upscale but authentic East Texas fishing and nature resort offering trophy bass fishing, family fishing, wooded trails, cabins, secluded RV sites, camping and seasonal country experiences minutes from Lindale and Tyler. It includes 1/2-mile, 1 mile, 2-mile, 3 mile and 4-mile nature trails for hiking.
The 84-acre Holifield Preserve is built around 4 complementary experiences:
Destination trophy-bass fishing.
Family fishing and outdoor recreation.
Nature-based overnight RV boon docking and tent camping.
Seasonal events and community gatherings.
With a feel akin to a private park or national park style retreat, Holifield Preserve aligns with Lindale’s visitor marketing around country charm, music, winery, shopping and outdoor activities while offering a truly unique experience not available anywhere else in East Texas.
Conveniently located only 90 minutes east of Dallas, 90 minutes west of Shreveport and 3 hours north of Houston, the Holifield Preserve is a unique environment offering 4 distinct and isolated lakes connected by a heavily wooded running creek. The East Texas Piney Woods and Post Oak Savannah meet here - with pine-oak forests, pastures, ponds, creeks and lakes. The gorgeous 84 acres had been in the same family since 1860 until acquired in 2025 to develop a trophy bass fishing resort just 90 minutes east of DFW. It is divided into three distinct sections with thick tree lines dividing each one so that each one has its unique destination identity. Lake Nora has existed for generations and produces multiple bass over 6 pounds every year. It is in the middle 28-acre tract surrounded by trees offering both isolation and privacy. Lily Lake, the newest trophy bass lake, is on the northernmost 28-acre tract surrounded by forest, providing privacy and isolation. Construction was completed in 2026, and it will be full of water and stocked in spring, 2027. Lake Jones and Jay Lake are the third and fourth lakes, located on the front 28-acre tract which has been designed for more intensive family access and use than allowed on the more private and limited access trophy bass lakes.
The Holifield Nature Preserve is also only a half hour from Canton, where the monthly First Monday Trade Days draw up to 200,000 visitors each month. This offers an ideal balance for couples: One spouse can shop while the other spends the day fishing during a joint weekend staying in their RV surrounded by nature.
Other significant annual events within an hour that draw large numbers of visitors include The Texas Rose Festival, the Azalea and Spring Flower Trail, the Great Texas Balloon Race, the Red Dirt BBQ and Music Festival, the Texas Shakespeare Festival, the Jacksonville Tomato Fest and the Canton Rodeos and Fall Festivals. Additionally, numerous small towns less than an hour away draw a significant number of tourists to their charming and unique downtown shopping areas including Gladewater, Mineola, Edom, Kilgore, Athens, Ben Wheeler, Lindale and Jacksonville. Shopping these charming small-town downtowns also offers the perfect weekend getaway for one spouse to shop while the other fishes. No other fishing resort is so convenient for spouses to be together while enjoying different activities, offering a unique type of couples’ weekend. Other natural features that draw visitors within an hour include Love's Lookout, Lake Tyler, Lake Palestine, Mineola Nature Preserve, the Neches River, the Sabine River and more.