Gilmer Texas

The City of Gilmer is located in Upshur County, Texas, northeast of Tyler, south of Mount Pleasant. It is named after former United States Secretary of the Navy, Thomas Walker Gilmer, and sits at an elevation of 367 feet in the Piney Woods section of Texas.

It is located on U.S. Highway 271, and also Texas highways 154 and 155.

Gilmer is known for being the home of the East Texas Yamboree, a four-day event held annually during the third weekend of October. It celebrates the popular crop grown in the area, the sweet potato, or the "yam".

Located downtown at 119 Simpson Street in a former U.S. Post Office is the Historic Upshur Museum. Construction on the building began in June of 1925 and was completed early in 1926; it served as the Gilmer post office until 1991. In 1992 local groups purchased the structure for a museum.

Civic Center in Gilmer, Texas

Today, the museum continues its growth, and houses static and changing exhibits, photographs, displays and artifacts of Upshur County. It also features samples from Gilmer Pottery and Byrd Pottery, and native American artifacts.

The museum is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. Admission is free, but donations are always welcome.

The city is also the birthplace of popular music singer Don Henley of the Eagles band, Johnny Mathis, and blues musician Freddie King.

Four miles west of Gilmer is Lake Gilmer.

The Gilmer Zip Codes are 75644-75645, and its Area Code is 903. Its population is 4,843 residents according to the Federal 2020 Census.

For more information, visit the website of the City of Gilmer.

 

Gilmer Area Motels and Accommodations

Gilmer has several motels, hotels, and other lodging including those listed below.

Planning a trip to Gilmer? Click here to find the best deal, compare prices, make reservations, and read what other travelers have to say about hotels in Gilmer

In addition, there are other accommodations in Tyler including a Hampton Inn, Holiday Inn Select, Hilton Garden Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Country Inn & Suites, Courtyard by Marriott, Residence Inn, Fairfield Inn, and others.

Rowdy Creek Ranch Rowdy Creek Ranch is a winery, and a weekend or retreat getaway in the heart of East Texas! It offers wine tasting, weekend retreats, glamping in vintage trailers, a stocked fish pond, and more, nestled on 350 beautiful acres of woods and fields. The facility is located at 4048 State Highway 300, Gilmer, Texas. Phone 903.734.0144 Rowdy Creek Ranch Website and Facebook Page Glamping trailers at Rowdy Creek Ranch in Gilmer, Texas

 

Barnwell Mountains

Located high atop the Barnwell Mountains of East Texas is one of the state's most exciting motorized off-road parks - The Barnwell Mountain Recreational Area! It is located on State Highway 155 between Gilmer and Coffeeville. Elevation is about 630 feet.

The property offers dirt bikes, UTVs and OHVs 1,850 acres of pure delight. There are 27+ miles of single track trails for dirt bikes and many more miles of challenging trails for UTVs and OHVs. There is a 16 mile Adventure Trail for the dirt biker or ATV rider looking for a less demanding ride and there are trails that even the novice UTV and OHV riders will enjoy!

The Barnwell Mountain Cabins are located across from the recreational area.

more about the Barnwell Mountain Recreational Area and Barnwell Mountain Cabins

Area Tourism and Attractions

While visiting the Gilmer area, you may want to take other interesting day trips in East Texas: