The Best of the Best
Here is our list of the best campgrounds in the Hill Country.
Krause Springs is a great place to camp in large part because it has one of the best swimming holes in the entire state. This is an incredibly picturesque location and you will be tickled pink the first time you walk down the hill and see the pool and the waterfall. The pool and campground are on private property and there is a residence onsite so camping here is kind of like going camping in the best backyard ever. The pool is a great place to hang at night especially during those evenings when there is a full moon. A significant benefit of camping here is that you can get up relatively early in the morning and run down to the swimming hole and, if you are lucky, you will have the whole place all to yourself. Be sure to come out early so you can grab one of the shaded spots in the meadow where tent camping is allowed.
Blanco State Park isn't a very big park and the campsites are limited, but the big advantage in camping here is that you will be close to a beautiful body of water. Since you will have access to the water, you can come camp here even when it is hot because you will always be able to take a dip anytime you like. There also are a fair amount of shade trees in the park, which are an absolute must if you are going to be here during the warm months. The impoundment formed by the dam constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s creates a large pool for swimming and floating purposes. There is a real nice play area just below the dam and you can rent tubes and kayaks here as well.
The
Mountain Breeze Campground is a pretty large facility and it has some campsites at the river's edge that are really sweet. One thing we especially like about this place is they don't allow vehicles on the lower camping level down by the river. That makes for a much more pleasant camping experience along the stream. As an added bonus, the campground is located on a very scenic portion of the river. They also have some tee-tiny cabins if some members in your party prefer not to tent camp. Even though most people tend to come here during the summer, this is a great place to visit in either the spring or the fall when it is still relatively warm. If you are looking for some daytime activities they rent tubes, rafts and kayaks. If you are going tubing you should know that this campground is located upstream from the chute, which is a portion of the river favored by many.
Guadalupe River State Park is another great state park for camping and swimming. You will have to walk or drive a ways to get down to the water from the actual campground, but some of the campsites are located in somewhat secluded locations which makes this a real good place to camp. Like most of our suggested campgrounds, this one has access to a really nice watercourse making it an ideal spot for camping even during the warmer months. In fact, the park has 4 miles of river frontage. There are plenty of trails at this park giving you an opportunity to go for a hike or mountain biking before you go play in the water. Also know that there is a lot of river frontage in the park both upstream and downstream of the main day use area in case you are looking for a place that is a little more secluded.
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Lazy L & L Campground has quite a few really choice campsites located right on the water, but you have to make arrangements early to get one. It is worth making the effort to get one of the more secluded spots down by the water. This campground is situated on a picturesque portion of the river and it is fairly far away from New Braunfels so it might not be quite as crowded as some of the other campgrounds closer to town. They can hook you up with rafts or tubes if you want to go float down the river. This is another great place to visit in the spring before it gets very crowded during the summer when tubing is all the rage here and all the other places along River Road outside of New Braunfels.
Garner State Park is the most popular state park in Texas so it often gets crowded here. Maybe this will help -- call ahead and reserve some campsites in the "old" portion of the park near the river such as the Oakmont campground. You can't reserve specific campsites, but you at least can put dibs on something in the general area of the park you like the best. Once you get to the office at the park you can select the actual campsite you want. If you are able to get a campsite down by the river you will not regret it. Also remember that they have Saturday night dances in the summer where the old camp store is located at the Pavillion. If you need another reason to come out here, the view from Old Baldy is pretty impressive and the river especially looks great from there.
Wes Cooksey Park is a fine little campground located right on the Nueces River practically in the middle of nowhere out on the western edge of the Hill Country. There is a dam that crosses the river, which forms a great place to swim or float. Given the access to a year-round source of water you will be able to camp here even during the warm months. This is a charming place at a very tranquil site and it is conducive for you to do some super easy car camping at a sweet location if that is what you have in mind.
Even though we prefer to camp near rivers, the
Inks Lake State Park is a really nice place to go camping on a lake in the Hill Country. What makes it so nice to visit here is that there are some campsites that sit close to the water in amongst the trees with a fair amount of room on either side so you feel relatively secluded for being in a state park. Grabbing one of those spots by the water will give you an opportunity to go right to the edge of the lake to watch what often times is a beautiful sunset. You can even rent some kayaks if you would like to go paddle around on the water and then later you could take a dip in the lake to cool down.
Guadalupe Canoe and Livery is located right on the river and they have over a half mile of frontage, which is a very good thing. There isn't a whole lot of shade down by the river, but they have great access to the stream. Another advantage is that they have not designated campsites that are right on top of one another so you might be able to have a little space between you and your neighbor when you set up the tents. As an added bonus, you can rent kayaks here for a paddle trip down to the challenging Mueller and Rust Falls area of the river. Be sure to talk to the owners about paddling over the falls because if you are not experienced you easily could crash.
Colorado Bend State Park is a fine state park located on the Colorado River up in the northern portion of the Hill Country. One really nice feature with this park is that some of the campsites are situated on portions of the bank that jut out into the river. Those are excellent areas because if you get a group together to go to the park you might be able to reserve one of the "peninsulas" all to yourself. There of course will be plenty of access to the water, which makes this a very nice place to camp even when it is pretty warm outside. There are miles and miles of trails out here so be sure to get a map at the office so you can find the trails that take you to the secluded portions of the river if you want to get away from the campsites.
Yeargan's River Bend is a good place to camp on the Frio River on the western fringes of the Hill Country and they have a very nice swimming hole to boot. They also have some screened shelters, which always are a good thing. We like going to places like this that are privately owned and not nearly as crowded as the state parks, but you do need to make arrangements to arrive early and reserve a spot by the water because these private campgrounds have limited riverfront access. We like this place because it has really good access to a refreshing and beautiful watercourse.
Bigfoot Canoes has a primitive campground at a very enjoyable spot on the Guadalupe River. The water is deep enough to swim here or you could just hop on your float and enjoy the afternoon at a leisurely pace. There is a rope swing on the far bank of the river. A significant bonus with coming here is that you can have them shuttle you upstream and then paddle kayaks back down to the campsite. Now that is an excellent combination for a weekend getaway. If you don't have a kayak don't worry because they rent them here. You should know, however, that the facilities at the campground are minimal.
The Leisure Camp sits on the sparkling waters of the San Marcos River a few miles east of the City of San Marcos. They have excellent access to the water at this campground making it a favorite place to stay for around eight to nine months out of the year. There is a pretty good amount of shade at this site for camping when it is warm and the owners try to keep it quiet at night so you probably will not have to be worried about it being too rowdy like it gets at some of the state parks.
Enchanted Rock is an excellent place to camp and go explore the huge granite dome. Camping here is a treat because it allows you to wake up in the morning and get in all your hiking before it gets too stinking hot. Remember, there is not a lick of shade up on the rock so it is best to take that trek in the morning and then hang out under the shade trees in the afternoon. If there is any kind of drawback at all to camping here it is that there is no water for swimming or wading. Still, this area is unlike any other campground in the Hill Country and you really should come out here and camp at least once.
Paleface is a good place to camp because it is so huge and you have the option of camping near cliffs or near areas that have easy access to the water. There also are coves that are reserved for swimming in case you are wanting to avoid motor boat activity. There is also a lot of land in the center of the park that you could explore while hiking and once it gets too warm you can go play in the water near your campsite.
Big Oak River Camp is a real nice place to camp on the Nueces River when the water levels are up. This is an out of the way location in the western edge of the Hill Country that has been a favorite of locals for years. It is located in a picturesque setting and the spring-fed river feels great, especially during July and August. They also have cabins onsite in case that would be better for some of the members of your group.
Llano River Camping is on private property near Junction and it offers camping right close to the water. There are several campsites that have shade trees and the really choice campsites have access to a white gravel "beach" along the river. This is a nice alternative to camping at the state parks and this is a very pretty area when the river levels are up.
Pitch a Tent
If you are ready for an overnight stay under the star-packed sky in the Hill Country then take a gander at the campgrounds we have summarized, many of which will provide opportunities to wet a line, go for a swim, take a hike, ride a bike, watch satellites, howl at the moon, do some rock climbing or launch a yak.
The distinguishing feature for the campgrounds included in this Outdoor Guide is that they are locations where tent camping is allowed. As indicated in the descriptions for the various campgrounds, some of them offer other forms of “camping” as well (e.g., RV spaces and/or cabins) and of course the vast majority of the campgrounds are located adjacent to water. We included some sites that primarily are RV parks because of their proximity to waterbodies and due to the fact that they allow tent camping, but our focus clearly is not on RV parks. Instead, we have focused on tent camping sites because they often also include swimming, fishing, hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, wildlife viewing, floating, kayaking and tubing opportunities.
We have included descriptions of many public facilities you likely have heard of and several you probably already have visited. However, we also have included descriptions of a number of out of the way public and private facilities that likely will be new to you. If you are going to a privately owned facility always contact the owners before heading out to their place. They will not have the gate opened for everyone to come and go as they please and you really should avoid an unannounced visit. Finally, remember to place your tent where there will be morning shade, make sure you know whether there are any ants around, do not leave food outside where the critters can get to it, put your footwear where you can find them in the dark, always check to make sure nothing crawled in your shoe before putting it back on, and never ever go to sleep on an incline with your head lower than your feet.
General information regarding camping in Texas is available in
"Camper’s Guide to Texas Parks, Lakes, and Forests." If you need additional information about the parks described in this Outdoor Guide, jump onto the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Lower Colorado River Authority, Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority, Corps of Engineers, city and county government park departments, and the private landowner websites where that info can be found. You will find those links with our summaries of the destination sites when you run a search. The
Wild Texas site also has good information about camping.
Be Cool, Not a Fool
Everyone would appreciate it if you toned it down during whatever the period is for quiet time. Remember, most folks go to the outdoors to get away from noise, not to be subjected to it. If you are looking to have a rowdy night maybe it would be better to drive into town and hang out with the locals. Perhaps most importantly, make absolutely, positively, 100% sure the campfire is all the way extinguished if the site will be unattended or you could be the next poor sap to start a forest fire and have your name plastered all over CNN.
Do Your Homework
We have included information about whether pets are allowed at some of the campgrounds, but we strongly urge you to confirm that information before taking your hound on the camping trip with you. Pet policies often change and you do not want to tote Asta all the way out to the campground only to be told pets are no longer allowed on the premises -- bummer. Also, be sure to inquire as to whether the campground you are considering visiting is a primitive or improved campground. A primitive campground will not have water or electricity and an improved one likely will. Always be sure to check on weather and water conditions before heading out to the campgrounds. You can access that information pretty quickly by going to the Weather menu button above.
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