Things to Do in Rusk, Texas

Rusk's signature attraction is the Texas State Railroad, the official railroad of Texas. Vintage steam and diesel locomotives carry passengers on the scenic Piney Woods Route between Rusk and Palestine — a roughly 50-mile round trip through dense forests, rolling fields, and over rivers, with the chance to watch two historic steam trains switch tracks and pass each other along the way.

The four-hour Piney Woods Train Excursion is the classic ride, with seating from open-air cars to first-class, dome cars, and the caboose. The railroad also runs special trips year-round — brunch and dinner trains, holiday tours, and the wildly popular THE POLAR EXPRESS Train Ride at Christmas. The Rusk Depot, with its free railroad movie and the Mail Car Café, is the eastern gateway to the experience.

The Rusk Depot sits within Rusk-Palestine State Park, which makes a fine outdoor complement to the train ride. The park offers a day-use area, campsites at the Texas State Railroad Campground, and the 15-acre Cherokee Lake, stocked with crappie, bass, and catfish for easy fishing.

It's a pleasant, low-key spot for a picnic, a paddle, or an afternoon by the water — and a convenient place to camp if you're making a weekend of the railroad and the area's other attractions.

History buffs will want to visit the birthplace of Governor Jim Hogg, the first native-born Texan to lead the state. The Mountain Home plantation where he was born is preserved as part of a 178-acre piney-woods park near town — a peaceful place to walk and reflect on Texas history.

Don't miss the Rusk Historic Footbridge, which at 546 feet is the second-longest footbridge in America, and the Cherokee County Courthouse and historic downtown square, with the shops and small-town charm of a classic East Texas county seat. Between the train, the park, the history, and the footbridge, Rusk packs a lot into a small package.