There are plenty of places for camping in Texas. Showered by natural diversity and landscape, it is the most tourist-attracted state in the whole country.
In Texas, camping with family can be a great way to connect with nature and explore its diversity. Campsites here are managed under the regulations of the Texas Park and Wildlife Department authority.
Some campsites are privately owned, and others are owned by the Texas state park. People camping here have to count an average cost of $30 per night. There are also separate entrance fees to these campsites.
People camping in State Park campsites can stay at a stretch for 14 consecutive days. Private campsites may have different limits.
Camping in public areas and outside of selective campsites is illegal here. Camping outside of designated areas will be charged as Class C Misdemeanor and will cost a fine of $500.
So if you are a family person and thinking of camping in Texas with family, this article will help you to find the best campsites here in texas.
Top 10 Family Camping in Texas
Below is the list of best Campsites in Texas classified from public reviews and ratings. These campsites are famous and give the best family camping experiences.
Inks Lake State Park
| Website: | Inks Lake State Park |
| Phone: | (512) 793-2223 |
| Address: | 3630 Park Rd 4 W, Burnet, TX 78611 |
| Attraction: | Hilly landscape, fishing, paddle boating. |
| Reviews: | 2900 |
| Rating: | 4.7/5 |
Established in 1950, Inks Lake State Park is situated beside Ink Lake in Burnet County, Texas. It has a hilly landscape with rocky ground and an area of 1.877 square miles.
Inks Lake State Park remains open on all days of the year. Open hours are from 8 AM – 10 PM. It has both arrangements for day trips and camping.
There is a day-use fee to enter the park. It costs $10 per day for everyone aged above 13. They offer a free car parking facility.
There are 22 cabins for rent situated at 200 Campsites inside the park. Young campers in groups can also rent the Youth Group Camping area. It also features a Group picnic Pavilion for rent for the visitors.
Inks Lake State Park features swimming, scuba diving, fishing, paddling, and a 9-mile hiking trail. Visitors can rent boats for $25 per hour.
There are a lot of hotels and motels near Inks Lake State Park. Visitors can rent and stay at any of these hotels.
Colorado Bend State Park
| Website: | Colorado Bend State Park |
| Phone: | (325) 628-3240 |
| Address: | 2236 Park Hill Dr, Bend, TX 76824 |
| Attraction: | Hiking, caving, mountain biking. |
| Reviews: | 1803 |
| Rating: | 4.7/5 |
Colorado Bend State Park was established in 1984 in the Texas Hill Country region. It was purchased by the state and was opened to the public in 1987.
With an area of 5832.3 acres, the park has karst features due to the presence of sinkholes, caves, and springs.
Colorado Bend State Park remains open on all days of the year. Open hours are from 6 AM – 10 PM. The entrance fee is $10 per day for people aged above 13. They offer a free car parking facility.
The park is packed with lots of adventures for visitors. It features a 35-mile-long hiking and biking trail, fishing, and paddling.
Colorado Bend State Park has plenty of camping arrangements. Campers can choose from drive-up sites, walk-in tent sites, or primitive hike-in sites for camping. The camping charge ranges from $20 – $80 per night. Campers can reserve group camps for $100 per night.
There is a 3-mile hiking tour over the 70-foot spring waterfall. Visitors can also book a cave tour and explore the caves underneath the park.
Splashway Campground
| Website: | Splashway Campground |
| Phone: | (979) 234-7718 |
| Address: | Campground Office, 5235 2nd St, Sheridan, TX 77475 |
| Attraction: | Pedal carts, Lost Oak hiking and biking trail, playground. |
| Reviews: | 126 |
| Rating: | 4.7/5 |
Splashway Campground is a family-oriented campsite with an area of 80 acres in Wyoming state, Texas. It remains open on all days of the week. Open hours are from 9 AM – 9 PM.
There are two types of entrance fees for visitors, $40 for people under 42 inches and $50 for people above $42 inches.
Splashway Campground has luxury cabins, tents, and RV parking areas for the campers. Campers can book lodges and tents or can rent RV sites. Tents and RV sites have facilities for external electric and water supply along with waste disposal management.
Depending on size and category, the rent for lodges ranges from $150 – $500 per night. Campers can rent tents for $50 per night. To rent the RV parking spot, one has to spend $60 per night.
Splashway Campground is a family and kid-friendly campsite. They offer wheelchair accessibility and free car parking. Visitors coming here can enjoy camping, hiking, paddling, fishing, and carting, along with various types of outdoor sports and activities.
Hidden Falls Zips Corner CampSites
| Website: | Hidden Falls Zips Corner CampSites |
| Phone: | (830) 798-9820 |
| Address: | Farm to Market Rd 1431, Marble Falls, TX 78654 |
| Attraction: | Off-road trail, scenic view at a gun range. |
| Reviews: | 79 |
| Rating: | 4.8/5 |
Hidden Falls Zips Corner CampSites is a privately owned 3000-acre campground in Burnet County, Texas. Its location enables visitors to witness the beautiful landscape of Texas Hill Country.
It remains open on all days of the year. But campers must arrive at the campground between 9 AM – 8 PM.
Hidden Falls Zips Corner CampSites has lots of options for Camping. Such as tent camping, primitive cave camping, and RV sites. There are two RV sites, area A and area B. Rent of an RV site per night is $60.
There are four types of entrance packages with costs ranging from $35 – $80.
Campers at Hidden Falls Zips Corner CampSites can also rent and stay at the Starlite Motel. Each room at the motel can accommodate 3 persons. The rent of a room at the motel per night is $160.
Campers can enjoy hiking and biking on the trail and lots of off-roading activities and can also enjoy the natural beauty of Texas Hill Country with family.
Ranch 3232
| Website: | Ranch 3232 |
| Phone: | (512) 658-7800 |
| Address: | 1712 Ranch Road 3232, Johnson City, TX 78636 |
| Attraction: | Beautiful Lodge, Camping in Glamping Tents. |
| Reviews: | 48 |
| Rating: | 4.9/5 |
Ranch 3232 is a campsite situated in Johnson city of Texas Hill Country. It offers unique camping experiences with family.
Ranch 3232 consists of 9.8 acres of sloping land. It features camping with entertainment, sightseeing, and shopping.
The campsite remains open on all days around the year. The entrance fee per person on the campsite costs $12.
There are hiking, kayaking, biking, and horse riding arrangements for the campers. Campers can rent lodges, tents, and RV sites at a cost ranging between $40 – $150. It is also suitable for day trips.
There are four types of lodges packed with luxury inside Ranch 3232. Solo travelers, couples, or family campers can rent these lodges according to need. Besides, the RV site has plenty of facilities to accommodate classic or vintage trailers.
Ranch 3232 also has combo sites suitable for both RV and tent. Visitors have access to free car parking.
Boulderdash Cabin & RV Park
| Website: | Boulderdash Cabin & RV Park |
| Phone: | (361) 834-4637 |
| Address: | 125 Lakeshore Terrace, Bandera, TX 78003 |
| Attraction: | Medina Lake, Scenic Beauty. |
| Reviews: | 91 |
| Rating: | 4.8/5 |
Boulderdash Cabin & RV Park is a lakeside hip camp located in Bandera, Texas. It is situated on 4.8 acres of land beside Medina Lake. The place gives a beautiful scenic view to visitors.
Boulderdash Cabin & RV Park remains open on all days around the year. Open hours are from 9 AM – 10 PM. The average cost of camping per night here is $150. This charge includes kayaking on the lake.
Boulderdash Cabin & RV Park has a well-furnished cabin, 4 RV hookup sites, and a tent site. Campers can rent and stay at any of these sites. There is free wifi and a car parking facility for the visitors. Besides, the place is kid and pet friendly. Campers get the accessibility to a private kitchen around the cabin.
Overall the campsite gives the campers a private feeling to spend some quality time with family.
Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park™ Camp-Resort: Whispering Pines
| Website: | Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park |
| Phone: | (903) 858-2405 |
| Address: | 5583 FM Rd 16, Tyler, TX 75706 |
| Attractions: | Hiking, swimming, golf course. |
| Reviews: | 445 |
| Rating: | 4.6/5 |
Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park™ Camp-Resort: Whispering Pines is a 47 acres campground situated in East Texas. It remains open all year round and is best for family camping.
They don’t offer any day passes. Instead, they offer long-time camping options for a week, month, or whole season. Prices range between $20 – $150 per head. For booking, one has to pay 50% of the whole package cost in advance. Car parking is free of charge here.
Campers can stay in cabins or tents at campsites. There is a swimming pool, warming tub, and water playground where visitors can swim, play or relax.
Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park™ Camp-Resort: Whispering Pines also features various sports like golf, laser tag, gem mining, etc. Visitors can play these sports along with hiking through natural trails.
There are also 100 RV hookup sites inside Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park™ Camp-Resort: Whispering Pines. Campers can rent these sites and park their RV.
Mustang Island State Park
| Website: | Mustang Island State Park |
| Phone: | (361) 749-5246 |
| Address: | 9394 TX-361, Corpus Christi, TX 78418 |
| Attractions: | Port Aransas beach, parasailing, surfing. |
| Reviews: | 4359 |
| Rating: | 4.6/5 |
Mustang Island State Park is a State Park located in the South of Port Aransas. It has an area of 3954 acres with a 5-mile-long beach.
Mustang Island State Park remains open around the year. Open hours are from 8 AM – 5 PM. The entry fee at the park is $10 for people aged above 12. Children under 12 years have free access. There are also free car parking facilities for visitors.
Mustang Island State Park offers two types of campsites. One is a campsite with electricity, and the other one is a primitive campsite. The rent of these campsites is $20 and $10 per night, respectively.
Campsites with electricity have access to electricity and water lines. On the other hand, primitive campsites don’t have electricity or water lines, and campers have to stay in tents. There are a total of 98 campsites inside the whole park.
Campers have access to parasailing and surfing for free under certain conditions. They can also swim in the Gulf of Mexico but at their own risk.
Lake Houston Wilderness Park
| Website: | Lake Houston Wilderness Park |
| Phone: | (832) 395-7690 |
| Address: | 25840 FM 1485, New Caney, TX 77357 |
| Attraction: | |
| Reviews: | 1810 |
| Rating: | 4.6/5 |
Located in Houston, Texas, Lake Houston Wilderness Park is 4786.6 acres of wooded parkland. It is owned by the Houston Parks and Recreation Department.
Lake Houston Wilderness Park offers overnight camping experiences along with lodging, biking, and hiking through the forests. It remains open six days a week. Tuesday is the day off. Open hours are from 6 AM – 5 PM.
The entry fee at the park is $3 for people aged between 3 – 65. There are 9 different types of campsites inside the park. Depending on the campsites, overnight rentals vary between $7 – $150. RV site rent per night is $30. For an overnight stay, there is a requirement to deposit refundable security money. It is $130 per head.
Lake Houston Wilderness Park has a total of 6 trails for hiking and mountain biking. They also feature archery, kayaking, mountain biking, fishing, and horse riding. But visitors have to bring their bikes, horse and fishing equipment.
As the park is mostly covered in forest areas, visitors can enjoy a quiet escape from busy life.
Garner State Park
| Website: | Garner State Park |
| Phone: | (830) 232-6132 |
| Address: | 234 RR 1050, Concan, TX 78838 |
| Attractions: | Spectacular scenery, trail with bird’s eye view. |
| Reviews: | 4370 |
| Rating: | 4.7/5 |
Garner State Park is a 1774 acres State Park situated in Uvalde County, Texas. Established in 1941, this park is famous for overnight camping.
It remains open all year round. Open hours are from 8 AM – 10 PM. The entrance fee is $8 for people aged above 13 years. Children under 13 years have free access.
Garner State Park features 16 miles of scenic trails where visitors can go hiking or bike riding. Besides, visitors can also play golf, go swimming, and fish hunt in the Frio river. There are arrangements for renting paddle boats, tubes, kayaks, and bbq equipment.
Campers can stay at any screened shelters or cabins at campsites. There is also a group campsite for a large group of campers. A concessionaire is present inside the park. Visitors can buy meals and drinks from there.
There are groundhogs inside the park. Visitors shouldn’t keep any food unattended; otherwise, groundhogs may eat the food.
FAQ
Is Texas a good choice for Camping?
Texas is a great camping location because it has huge diversity, which makes camping enjoyable for campers. The ecosystem of Texas includes rivers, mountains, plain lands, deserts, and forests. So campers get a wide variety of options.
What is the best state park for camping in texas?
Among all the state parks in Texas, Garner state park is the best for camping. Because of its features and beautiful scenic view, it is attractive to campers. Its geographical formation gives the campers the best camping experiences.
What is the best camping season in Texas?
The best season for camping in Texas is the time starting from Winter to Spring. During this time, there are fewer crowds, and the weather is also cold. Thus it ensures the best outdoor experiences.
Which food items are most popular in camping?
Cereal, bread, rice, and milk are the best food items for camping. Because these are easy to carry and pack with packings. Besides, these foods are also easy to prepare before eating and also provide good energy for physical activities outdoors.
Conclusion
Camping has always been a medium of recreation and refreshment. During off days or vacations, camping can be a source of refreshment along with adventure. By going camping, people also get to know about nature.
Texas, as a large state, has a huge diversity in nature. There are also lots of designated places for camping here. Camping is one of the best ways to enjoy the natural beauty of Texas.
So if you are a nature-loving person living in Texas and thinking of going camping with family, this list might help you to find the best family camping places in Texas.