Camping in Texas: A Love Letter to the Lone Star Outdoors

Nov 7, 2025

Introduction to Camping in Texas

If you’ve never camped in Texas, you’re probably picturing tumbleweeds, dusty, flat dirt, and maybe a cactus or two. That’s fair — the stereotypes are out there. But the truth? Texas has a myriad of landscapes. Like a proud, sun-bleached curator of Mother Nature’s greatest hits, the Lone Star State has it all.

You want mountains? Head West. Big Bend’s desert peaks and the Guadalupe range rise like something out of a John Ford film — rugged, silent. At night they’re dusted with stars so bright they’ll rearrange your sense of place in the universe. You need to see it to believe it. Spend a night there and you’ll swear the Milky Way is putting on a private show just for you. (Pro tip: Time your trip with a McDonald Observatory star party. You won’t regret it.)

Prefer water? The Hill Country’s got you. Picture this: You’re floating down the Frio River on an inner tube, cool water swirling around you, limestone bluffs rising on either side, and your campsite’s just upstream — picnic table, fire ring, and all. Places like Garner or Inks Lake aren’t just parks — they’re summer dreams made real. And in spring? The whole place explodes in bluebonnets. It’s like camping inside a watercolor.

Head east, and the vibe shifts entirely. The Piney Woods feel like a different country — moss-draped cypress trees, blackwater bayous, and the kind of quiet that settles into your bones. Caddo Lake, with its ghostly Spanish moss and canoe trails, is pure Southern Gothic magic. Bring binoculars. The birding here? Unbeatable.

And then there’s the coast. Padre Island, Mustang Island. Miles of untouched dunes and salt-kissed breezes. Fall asleep to the sound of waves, wake up, grab yourself a cup of coffee and go dip your toes in the sand. It’s beach camping without the crowds, the condos, or the chaos.

Even the Panhandle will surprise you. Palo Duro Canyon, ‘the Grand Canyon of Texas’ cuts deep into the plains with red rock walls and hiking trails that feel like secret passages to a different world. Caprock Canyons nearby? That’s where the State’s last wild bison herd roams. Yeah. Bison. In Texas.

We looked around, camped around, and while this isn’t ‘the’ definitive list of the absolute best campsites to visit in Texas, it’s certainly our favorite places to go camping. But by going to these places, as a start, we’re sure you’ll find the spots that are your favorites according to your vibe and rhythm. Anyhoo, I’ll quit my yakking, here’s the good stuff.

Here’s our Top 10 Places:

Big Bend National Park: A quintessential Texas camping destination, Big Bend offers a truly remote and rugged experience. You can camp in the Chisos Basin Campground with stunning mountain views or opt for backcountry sites. The Park is an International Dark Sky Park, making it ideal for stargazing.

Palo Duro Canyon State Park: Known as the "Grand Canyon of Texas," this park in the Texas Panhandle provides spectacular scenery with colorful rock formations. There are numerous RV and tent campsites, as well as opportunities for hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding.

Big Thicket National Preserve: A unique and biologically diverse area, this preserve in Southeast Texas is known as the "biological crossroads of North America." It offers a wide range of habitats for camping, from swamps to piney woods, and is perfect for hiking, birdwatching, and paddling and canoeing.

Garner State Park: A favorite among Texas families for generations, Garner State Park is famous for its scenic beauty and the clear waters of the Frio River. It's a great place for swimming, tubing, and hiking, with over 300 campsites to choose from.

Colorado Bend State Park: This is a paradise for adventurers, featuring miles of hiking trails and the spectacular Gorman Falls, a 70-foot spring-fed waterfall. The park offers primitive camping as well as sites with river views.

Check out our tents and choose the best for your camp!

Guadalupe River State Park: A great option for those who love river activities, it’s easily accessible from Austin and San Antonio. The Guadalupe River provides opportunities for swimming, canoeing, and fishing.

Pedernales Falls State Park: Located in the Hill Country, this park is known for its massive, flowing limestone riverbed. The campground offers beautiful views of the surrounding area, and many visitors enjoy exploring the river and hiking the park's trails.

Davis Mountains State Park: If you're looking for a mountain experience in Texas, this is a great choice. This location offers stunning views and a variety of hiking trails. The area is known for its rugged landscape and clear night skies.

Dinosaur Valley State Park: A unique camping experience, this park is home to fossilized dinosaur tracks in the bed of the Paluxy River. Visitors can camp, hike, and follow the footsteps of ancient creatures.

Padre Island National Seashore: For those who want a beach camping experience, Padre Island offers primitive camping along its 70 miles of undeveloped coastline. You can enjoy sunbathing, fishing, and, if you're lucky, seeing newborn sea turtles make their way to the ocean.

Here’s a handy interactive map so you can check places out for yourself:

Top 10 Places to camp in Texas

And Texas gets you, whatever kind of camping you enjoy:

RV Camping

If you’re hauling a 40-foot RV with satellite TV and a porch swing, there are plenty places with hook-ups/without. Do some research and find the spot that fits your style.

Tent Camping

If you’re driving up to your camp spot most of the places you’ll find have, as a minimum, toilet facilities, fire pits and drinking water. Have a look at a few places around and read the reviews that people have left.

Primitive Camping

If this is your thing and you like to keep it to the bare minimum, there’s a huge choice of places out there for you.

Camping with boat launch facilities

From lakes in the mountains down to the shores of the Gulf, there’s plenty of scope for launching your beloved vessel. Just be sure to book ahead and check all the relevant rules and permissions.

All the rest

There are cabins for those who like the easier life. Backpacking into the backcountry with nothing but a sleeping bag and a high level of stubbornness, yurts, screened shelters, even glamping ranches with wine tastings and cowboy poetry nights. (Seriously. Look it up.)

Whatever kind of camping you want to do in Texas, there’s a spot with your name on it.

How do I book a campground at the last minute?

Booking a campground in Texas at the last minute can be a challenge, especially at popular state parks, but it is not impossible.

For Texas State Parks, check the official website: The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) website is the best place to start your reservation search.

Use the “Camping This Weekend” tool: the TPWD website has a special feature that shows the available campsites for the coming weekend.

This is a great resource for finding last-minute openings.

Be Flexible: Your best bet is to be flexible with your destination
Less trafficked parks, especially those in more remote areas, may have last-minute availability.
You might also have better luck on weekdays than weekends.
Call Directly, if you can’t find anything online, call the campground or RV park directly
Check reservation systems frequently, even on the day you plan to make the trip.

Try Hipcamp, ReserveAmerica, and Campspot to check for availability.

The best advice is to try and avoid last-minute booking, it’s possible, sometimes unavoidable, but risky when looking at some of the most popular destinations. But to be honest, you’ll always find somewhere to go camping.

What to bring when camping?

If you want a handy checklist that you can print and use time and time again, please follow this link: (hyperlink here to the checklist article we just did please)

Discounts and promotions at campsites in Texas

Many Texas campgrounds offer discounts for extended stays (weekly/monthly), military/first responders, and members of camping clubs. Look for off-season deals, weekday specials, and packages that bundle amenities for a cheaper trip.

Conclusion and recommendations

So yeah — forget what you thought you knew. Texas isn’t just big. It’s alive. Wild, welcoming, and wildly varied. Whether you’re chasing solitude under desert stars, tubing with your kids down a lazy river, or waking up to ocean mist on your face — you’ll find it here.

Texas is a place that celebrates being outside. Local BBQ joints just down the road from your campsite. Tiny towns with live music on Friday nights. Breweries nestled in the pines. History carved into canyon walls and whispered in old trail markers. Texas doesn’t just let you camp — it invites you in, hands you a cold drink, and says, “Stay a while.”

Just pack your sense of wonder. And maybe some bug spray.

Y’all come on down. The campfire’s already going.

FAQ

What’s the weather like in Texas?

The weather? Sure, summers can sizzle — but that’s what rivers, mountain breezes, and early mornings are for. Come fall or spring, it’s pure gold: in the 70s by day, campfire weather by night. Even winter’s fair game if you know where to go — South Texas stays mild enough for January marshmallows.

What about wildlife?

Wildlife? How about armadillos shuffling through the brush at dusk. Roadrunners darting across trails. Javelinas snuffling near your cooler (keep it sealed!). Deer grazing at dawn. In the east, watch for gators slipping into murky ponds. In the west, maybe even catch a black bear ambling through the Chisos. Bring your camera. Leave your fear at home.