"There is no river like the Neches."—from the Foreword


From its origins on a sandy hillside in Van Zandt County, the 
Neches River flows through the heart of East Texas. In its 
watershed lies some of the wildest country in Texas, tucked amid 
the remains of one of the finest hardwood forests in the world.

    With the goal of keeping the Neches flowing free, East Texas 
native and riverman Richard M. Donovan takes readers canoeing 
down a two-hundred-mile stretch of the upper Neches. Through 
two national forests and mile after mile of remote river woodlands, 
he chronicles the river's natural and cultural history, describes its 
animal inhabitants, recounts stories of early settlers and East Texas 
hunting traditions, and calls attention to the recreational potential 
of the river for paddlers and others, whether residents or visitors.

    Donovan also makes a case against damming the river. He 
convincingly promotes the idea of turning the Neches into a 
National Wild and Scenic River, preserving forever the river's 
natural flow and what remains of the verdant bottomlands of this 
historic watercourse.


Royalties earned from the sale of this book will be donated to the 
conservation fund for the purchase of neches river bottomland.

_________________________________________________________

RICHARD M. DONOVAN, a former employee of Temple-
Inland, grew up hunting and fishing along the creeks and streams 
of the Neches River. He chairs the Forest Task Force of the Texas 
Committee on Natural Resources and lives in Lufkin.


River Books, sponsored by the River Systems Institute at Texas 
State University


What people are saying about this book

". . . an adventure to read. One can take this grand and beautiful 
canoe trip down the Neches River without the discomfort of cold 
weather, mosquito bites, sand in a sleeping bag, mud on feet, and 
other natural conditions of a float trip. Additionally, writer Richard 
Donovan fills the rest stops with personal and historical anecdotes 
of people and happenings on the Neches back through time. 
Paddling is a good read throughout!"—East Texas Historical 
Association, Spring 2007

"I found myself engrossed in this narrative."—Pete A. Y. Gunter

". . . one of those great treasures that delivers far more than it 
promises. Not only is it the personal story of one man's journey on 
a scenic river and a compelling case for that river's protection, but 
it is also a fascinating account of the history and people of East 
Texas and a fine collection of stories that bring those people to 
life."—Ken Kramer, Director, Lone Star Chapter, Sierra Club

". . . does for the Neches River and East Texas what John 
Graves's book Goodbye to a River did for the Brazos River and 
West Texas. . . . [Donovan puts] within the grasp of us all an 
appreciation for our state's connection with its rivers, both 
emotional and historic."—Larry McKinney, Senior Director of 
Aquatic Resources, Texas Parks and Wildlife