Beach camping in Texas
The largest state in the Lower 48 features no shortage of places to pitch a tent.
93% (1430 reviews)
- Texas
93% (1430 reviews)
Popular camping styles for Texas
Under $50
Star Hosts in Texas
12 top wheelchair-accessible beach campgrounds in Texas
99%
(287)
Secluded Guadalupe River Spot
4 sites · RVs, Tents12 acres · Gonzales, TX
These are unique camping spots along the Guadalupe River. I didn’t exactly understand how unique until I started getting feedback from my campers.
The surrounding scenery will lower your blood pressure and do wonders to let you reconnect with nature. Sit back and close your eyes late in the evening and listen to all the wildlife talking to each other. There is faint traffic noise from 90A about a 1/3 of a mile away but it calms down after 7 or so.
Currently no amenities but I am in the plans for some portable bathrooms. Please be prepared to cover all your bathroom and cooking needs. I do have some good clean well water from a faucet on the way into the campgrounds.
Campfires are permitted.
There is a convenience store (Diamond A) with clean bathrooms and a great bbq just 5 miles to the west on 90A and a Walmart and HEB 10 miles to the east on 90A. No dogs over 20 pounds on sites 1 and 2 but sites 3 and 4 are great areas to bring your high-energy dogs. No matter the size or temperament of your pets you are always expected to have them under your control at ALL times. I have very small livestock on the area on occasion.
I am almost always on the property and try to have my phone with me while campers are on site, just let me know what you need and I will do what I can to accommodate you.
Pets
Potable water
Campfires
Trash
from
$40
/ night
99%
(209)
Lake Godstone™ Lodging and Camping
24 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents188 acres · Graford, TX
Lake Godstone™, near Graford, Texas, is a thriving destination introduced to the market in 2017. Initially focused on families, church youth groups, and sports teams, it has since become a hub for a wide array of events, such as birthday and graduation parties, family reunions, church camps, and business team-building retreats.
The venue boasts extensive facilities and activities, including:
Accommodations: A 35-person lodge, a three-bedroom guest home, fully furnished cabins, primitive cabins, group campgrounds, RV and tenting campsites, and primitive tenting sites.
Recreational Activities: Three sandy beaches, six partially covered docks with swim ladders and canoe moorings, kayaks, canoes, a rowboat, pedal boats, water lily pads, and a sports field complex featuring a lit basketball court, sand volleyball court, and baseball and soccer practice fields.
Nature and Exploration: An observatory with a telescope, four miles of mountain bike and hike trails, two new fishing ponds, wildlife feed and water stations, a bird view house overlooking a beaver pond, an aquaponics greenhouse, and six miles of all-weather roads.
Rental Options: UTVs, a golf cart, and a pontoon boat.
Amenities: A comfort station with restrooms and showers, picnic tables, charcoal grills, large fire pits, shelters, a tree house shelter, a campground office, and a small store with a kids' sand playground.
Lake Godstone's diverse offerings and scenic environment make it an ideal location for any retreat or gathering.
Pets
Potable water
Toilets
Campfires
Showers
from
$32
/ night
98%
(66)
Creekside Brazos Rock Camp & Kayak
23 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents5 acres · Millsap, TX
Enjoy the sounds of nature when you stay in this unique place. A cozy, private, 4+ acre camp, half a mile down a gravel/dirt road, set up on a creek across from the river. Off the beaten path, but just about 10 miles off I20. Gated entry with camera, bathhouse- all with private access to creek and river. RV spots also available with full hook ups, fire pit and picnic tables. Also 1 fully furnished camper for rent and tent spots. We are almost never full and have plenty of space. Kayak rental and tube/shuttle available for additional fee. You could even rent the whole campground! $10 pet fee (per pet per night), must be added as an Extra and under 20lbs. All guests must sign online liability waiver before arrival.
Pets
Potable water
Toilets
Campfires
Showers
from
$25
/ night
90%
(5)
Riverside at BRCK
10 sites · RVs, Tents1 acre · Millsap, TX
Enjoy the sounds of nature when you stay in this unique place. A cozy, private, camp, half a mile down a gravel/dirt road, set up on the Brazos River across from Rock Creek. Off the beaten path, but just about 10 miles off I20. RV spot and tent sites available at Riverside. Also 1 fully furnished camper for rent, and additional RV/tents spots, across the street at Creekside. We are almost never full and have plenty of space. Kayak rental and tube/shuttle available for additional fee. You could even rent the whole campground! Brazos Rock Camp Kayak web-site has more info. *electric access at the pole on the back left of the property, and water/dump station and Bathhouse is across the field at Creekside. Pets must be preapproved and entered as guests for occupancy purposes. Please see rules in photos.
Pets
Potable water
Toilets
Campfires
Showers
from
$25
/ night
83%
(69)
Magnolia Gardens Park
60 sites · RVs, Tents200 acres · Sheldon, TX
Located steps from the San Jacinto River Historic Magnolia Gardens Park. Have your coffee riverside as the steam rises off the warm water. Observing the abundant wildlife. If a secluded GREEN space is what you're looking for, you fond it!Learn more about this land:Located on the sandy beaches of the San Jacinto River, Magnolia Gardens park. We offer a family environment you can picnic, camp, swim, fish, kayak, and rent jet skis. Set up your tent on the beach, or in the wooded areas. You can drive around the property till you find the perfect spot. There are areas near electric plugs 🔌 not Available in all areas of the park. If u wish for secluded camp site. We have plenty of space away from The world. Disconnect to reconnect
Pets
Potable water
Toilets
Campfires
Showers
from
$20
/ night
96%
(53)
Camp Nadur at Sargent Beach
1 site · RV1 acre · Sargent, TX
*** NEW LOW RATES FOR REMAINDER OF 2024 ***
Nestled between the Gulf of Mexico and the Intercoastal Waterway, Sargent Island, with its unique, water-front home sites, was created in the 1950s. A quiet community, we feel Sargent is an oasis away from the crowds and congestion of other beach-side communities. We love taking a break from our busy lives to listen to the waves roaring down the shore. We think you'll love it, too!
Learn more about this land:
This is a 8000 sq ft privately owned, ocean-side lot. Located on a barrier island in Sargent, TX, the site offers a neighborhood atmosphere, with a secluded, unobstructed beach view. There is an approximately 30x30 gravel pad and long driveway.
This is a subdivision--there is a neighbor on our right side.
This is an RV lot only. This property suits smaller to midsize RVs and most wheeled campers (but no ground tents--there is too much ground wildlife for safety, though elevated, vehicle-mounted tents are fine).
The property is still in development. We currently have electricity (110v, 30, 50 amp), water, but NO SEWER OR SEPTIC. You must bring your own toilet facilities with you and take the waste away. NOTE: Public Toilet facilities and trash available 1.5 miles away.
We do provide a picnic table, but it changes often--we lose them in storms, lol. You'll also have a clothes line and a canopy as wind/storms permit.
If you're an introvert, dislike traffic or just like breathing room, you'll love quiet, crowd-free, Sargent beach. It's such a peaceful getaway!
ISLAND LIFE NOTE: This is the Texas Gulf Coast--we have mosquitos, and it's the state bird for a reason! Please bring SPRAY.
This gorgeous, island property is vulnerable to the extreme weather conditions on the Texas Gulf Coast. It's a dynamic property, shifting and changing, depending on the weather--we try our best to maintain this property in a timely manner, but we can't control this Mother Nature factor! There may be times we cannot put up the shade canopy due to high winds, other aspects of the property may have shifted, there may not be a beach due to high tides, etc. Please ask questions and we'll communicate what's available at your booking time. Our strict cancellation policy encourages good communication at time of booking.
August 2024 update: The island just took a direct hit from Hurricane Beryl. You'll notice hurricane debris along the road--the county is still working on removal. Beaches are fairly clear as the storm pushed out debris, but there may be limited resources in the area. The Crab Trap (restaurant) is currently closed.
Pets
Potable water
Toilets
Campfires
from
$20
/ night
88%
(119)
Lakefront Vineyard & Winery
9 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents13 acres · Millersview, TX
A true Texas inspiration! Began in 2007 as a hobby to make wine for personal consumption, this vineyard has evolved into an award-winning winery in a location uniquely suited for grape production, right on the border of the High Plains AVA & Hill Country AVA.
Pets
Potable water
Toilets
Campfires
Showers
from
$35
/ night
100%
(24)
Edge Of The Waters
2 sites · RVs1 acre · Port Bolivar, TX
Waterfront RV Port on Bolivar Peninsula. Water, sewer, and electric (20-30-50 amp panel) Covered RV spot with a screen porch. Property is fenced and dogs are welcome. The screened has a dining table with chairs, and also stores some patio chairs to use on the property. They are really great to sit on the dock! There is also a charcoal grill and a crab trap for you to use. (You need a fishing license and bait. Chicken bones works great!)
Fishing is great here... the canals have been dredged and folks are catching right of the back of their lots. Community fishing area is on the end of both Van Sant and Mabry, Mabry has a boat ramp. These you cast right off a drop to the intracoastal. Beach Access via community gate at end of street. Combination for those will be shared in arrival instructions.
Spot is a residential lot... It is 60 x 130. Canal City is a quiet residential area. The back side fronts on the water. You will probably see more seagulls and purple martins than people.
We have weekly discounts. Message me and I can go over them because the Hipcamp platform makes them difficult. It works out to approximately 7 nights for the price of 5.
Be prepared: Bolivar has mosquitoes. This is the coast. If it has rained they can be really bad. The county sprays on a regular rotation but it can be bad. They tend to swarm when you pull in. Spray helps. We also send recommendations for what sprays work best for us in the arrival instructions. We do not offer refunds for mosquitoes. We have never found them unmanageable, and the screen porch keeps them almost entirely away.
We are east of Rollover Pass. Easiest to arrive through Winnie and south on 124. Unless you are coming from Galveston or southeast Houston it is probably shorter. The ferry is fun (dolphins and such) but the waits can be long. Also: Do not bring loose propane tanks or gasoline cans on the ferry, they will send you away. (Propane on RV is fine, but that is all they allow)
https://www.txdot.gov/discover/ferry-boat-schedules/ferry-rules.html
Pets
Potable water
Toilets
Showers
Cooking equipment
from
$50
/ night
95%
(22)
Adventure Bay Private RV Campsite
1 site · RV2 acres · Rockport, TX
Adventure Bay, an exclusive and spacious RV site that is truly one of a kind. (RV not included, no tent camping, no bathroom facilities)
Are you tired of overcrowded RV parks and tight spaces. Enjoy the peace an quiet of Copano Bay. A private, waterfront RV spot with water, 12v, 30amp or 50amp hook-ups, can accommodate up to a 40ft rig. Perfect for fishing, crabbing, or just relaxing. The site has a concrete slab, picnic table, yard and even a little beach. Fenced on 3 sides except the waterfront.
Plenty of space to park your RV, boat, and the vehicle you tow it all with. Enjoy the simplicity and beauty of Copano Bay with extraordinary sunsets. You won’t want to miss this!
Pets may never be left unattended outside or create a noise disturbance.
No Pit Bulls, Dobermans, Rottweilers, Chows and or wolf hybrids are allowed.
Pets
Potable water
from
$81
/ night
91%
(27)
Rough Run Creek Campground
44 sites · RVs, Tents10 acres · Study Butte, TX
The name says it all!
'Rough Run Creek Campground:
is conveniently located downtown Study-Butte 1000 feet West of Cottonwood General Store.
Just 2 miles before the western entrance to Big Bend National Park
We have 10 acres of room for tent camping and boondock RV camping-only spots in the roadside spot in downtown Study-Butte Texas.
Come and stay near the Big Bend National Park!
An intimate campsite (not too far off the grid)
A campground just outside Big Bend National Park where you can relax and recharge.
Short walk to Cottonwood grocery ONLY 1000 FEET TO WALK East crossing over the bridge to mile marker 538 just 1000 feet walking distance from Rough Run Creek Bridge to Cottonwood grocery store and supply.
The camping area is about one mile past the intersection of Highway TX-170 and TX-118 approximately one mile South on the left at the Rough Run Creek Campground.
Heading only 3 miles further to the gateway into Big Bend National Park, Texas at the Western entrance following on State Highway TX-118 South.
Big Bend State Park is to the West on Highway TX-170 approximately 29 miles from Rough Run Creek Bridge past the town of Terlingua, Texas 79852
Rough Run Creek Bridge Camping 53737 TX-118, Study Butte, Texas 79852 -
Ten 10 acres of creekfront property
This campground is a roadside camping area, directly on Highway TX-118 at the Southeast end of Rough Run Creek Bridge
On the East side of the highway.
Enter the property between the Rough Run Creek Bridge and the large black mailbox which also marks the South property line of the camping area.
The South property line runs 800' feet deep from the roadside of highway TX-118 along the creek bed of Rough Run Creek.
At the East end of the campground, you will find an old camper shell near the Southeast end of the campground and the property corner.
There are 10 acres in the "dispersed" #BYO everything camping area, #BYO Sleeping bags, #BYO Tent Shades, and #BYO Gas grills, unfortunately, for now, you have to #BYO toilet.
Rough Run Creek Bridge camping area includes the creek bed itself, with beachfront camping.
The best location to stage an early morning hiking trip from locations for campers visiting Big Bend National Park which is only 2 miles away.
Please leave nothing but your tracks when camping or leaving the area for the day.
Each night campers must make bookings by 11:00 AM for check-in and out on a ticketed day pass.
For showers and bathroom facilities, we recommend the bathroom showers provided at the Big Bend Motor Inn where they have coin-operated shower facilities for visiting tourists.
If you need to dump any trash the Big Bend Motor Store and gas station will let you pay $5.00 to use their dumpsters.
Please honor the BURN BAN (no open fires). Propane cooking stoves are okay.
Pets
from
$30
/ night
98%
(177)
Fishers Of Men Ranch
71 sites · RVs, Tents39 acres · Marble Falls, TX
Fishers Of Men Ranch is Perfect for Looking for a Private Place to bring yourself, family, and friends. Want to ESCAPE the HUSTLE and BUSTLE of Everyday Life! We’ve have the PERFECT Environment for Enjoying a Relaxing Stay here! We have Rustic, Rugged, Terrain to Hike, Discover, Explore, and Observe! Gorgeous 39 acres to Roam freely and find your favorite place to Get Away From It All! This is a GUEST RANCH ONLY! NO Dogs Allowed. Bill and Kaz will meet you at the Gate and Estcourt you into the Ranch and show you where to go. Need to Set up Arrival Time when giving information to Kaz for Invoice information she will ask for in a Text after you BOOK with HipCamp. You will LOVE it here at the Ranch because We are Different from other Camping places! We Strive to be Different!
The April 8, 2024, Solar Eclipse was an AMAZING Experience with OVER 200 Guests on the Ranch to View the Eclipse! Everything went Extremely WELL Without A Hitch! Thank You Dave for bringing your 4 Telescopes and Screen to View the Eclipse! Several others brought their Telescopes and Fancy Cameras! Thank all of you who shared your Telescopes!
The Ranch has OPENED UP More Camping Roads to make more room for More Tent Camping! Used allot of them during the Solar Eclipse! Bill and Kaz are already Working on improving MORE Campsites after the Eclipse! Opening these New Campsite Roads has also OPENED UP More to Explore! Kaz will be ADDING More Pictures of Latest Goings On on the Ranch!
Be sure and Checkout our Pictures of the Ranch!
Most pictures taken with Cell Phones! All Pictures of the Animals are found on the Ranch, come see the many Varieties we have here!
When you Book EXPECT a friendly Text from Kaz asking for information that she needs from you being this Ranch is Private Property.
FRONT GATE STAYS CLOSED AT ALL TIMES! To Keep All On The Ranch SAFE!
All RV and Tent Camping is a
PACK Your TRASH IN and
PACK Your TRASH OUT!
Because of the Volume of Campers coming, the Ranch can NO Longer take your Trash! Buzzard's, Raccoon's, Foxes, and Etc. will get into the Trash! Don't leave TRASH Outside!
ALL CAMPFIRES MUST BE DROWNED OUT! WATER is Provided and you are EXPECTED to DROWN OUT Your FIRES! And if Bottles Used REFILL Them!
FREE Firewood is Provided. Oak Wood for Cooking and Cedar wood for Campfire ambiance! Keep Campfires LOW! NO Bonfire!
All TENT Camping is Primitive! NO Facilities! RUSTIC!
BRING a Potty and Tent or SHOVEL and BURY it!
ALL Campsites are VERY CLEAN and Keep It Clean!
FOR RVers We have ALL HOOKUPS for Water, Electrical, and Sewer! On WEST Side. EAST Side has Electrical and Water ONLY, to Use DUMP Station, Working on More Sewer Hookups in Future. Unless LARGE CROWD, Most of the Time the West Side is Available for RV Camping!
NO Throwing Rocks in Lake because hurts your feet when walking on bottom!
We are ASKING Everyone to HELP Take Rocks OUT OF LAKE! FOR SAFETY ON YOUR FEET! If Everyone Takes Out 6 Rocks No Matter the SIZE that will HELP RID of the ROCKS Out of the Lake! Of Course You Can Take More Rocks OUT! "KNOCK YOURSELF OUT" (LOL) PUT ROCKS STACKED IN A PILE ON NORTH END OF LAKE and Bill and Kaz will pickup the Pile. (Thank You in Advance!) NO MUDDING with 4X4 Vehicles because leaves BIG Ruts in the Mud and messes up the Lake Environment! Keep the Lake area beautiful!
Kaz always had a DREAM to help kids with Life Skills & Mentor in God’s Principles because she had Christian Mentors growing up! They were always there for her through her life and kept her focused down the right path and stayed out of trouble and learned a tremendous amount from them! Bill her husband supports her and they raised 7 children together and have 10 grandkids. Kaz father was Asperger's Autistic and from 5 years old started showing Kaz hands on learning skills that are still instilled in her today! She found this to be a Valuable Lesson from her Dad. These methods and skills through the years working with her own children and other children through the years with different organizations confirm to be very beneficial and encouraging for the children growing up. Bill and Kaz have shared equally through all they’re projects during they’re 40 years of marriage. They’re Jack Of All Trades, Artists, Shown in Art Shows, Remodeled Homes, Churches, Work on the Ranch Together, and Etc. They are able to teach others how to do things that can benefit kids till they graduate and have a better understanding of what they want to do in their lives as an adult and PLUS have the mentoring to guide them through life.
The Ranch has its main Mission to work with youth but is open to Renting the Ranch House that Sleeps 1 to 20 guests, and RV/5th Wheeled Campers Camp Sites and Tent Camping for them to Enjoy the Marvels that God has Created and Lot's to Experience, Explore, and Observe!
The Ranch is PERFECT for Hosting: Weddings, Special Events, Retreats, Family Reunions, Youth Activities, Church Activities, Boy/Girl Scouts, Boys/Girls Club, RV Camper Clubs, and Etc. to accommodate whatever you need for the special essentials you would like to have provided for your special event!
The Fishers of Men Ranch (Name) is Biblical and was Given to Kaz by the Lord 4 years before finding the Ranch. You see that the Lord had something Special here for Bill and Kaz to do for others Long Before they purchased the Ranch the LORD had His PLAN for Bill and Kaz. They have owned the Ranch since, July 2016.
(For Hosting a Special Event Call, Text, or Leave Voicemail
to the Ranch Directly) (Hosting
Special Events handled through Ranch)
Fishers Of Men Ranch is a Family Friendly Environment and Christian Based!
Potable water
Toilets
Campfires
Showers
Trash
from
$40
/ night
100%
(2)
Lake Palo Pinto RV Park
97 sites · RVs, Tents3 acres · Palo Pinto, TX
Waterfront Campsites on Beautiful Lake Palo Pinto
It's 5 O'clock somewhere! Make happy hour’s happy again, at this rustic lakefront campground surrounded by nature and tranquility.
EVENT SCHEDULE
4/18 Karaoke night 6-9pm
5/02 Karaoke night 6-9pm
5/16 Karaoke night 6-9pm
5/18 Saturday live music from the Mark Trimmier Band 6:00pm
5/30 Karaoke night 6-9pm
6/01 Car Show & Swap Meet 7:00am
6/13 Karaoke night 6-9pm
6/27 Karaoke night 6-9pm
6/29 Saturday live Music with Kim Younkin 6:00pm
7/11 Karaoke night 6-9pm
7/25 Karaoke night 6-9pm
RV and tent lakefront campsites
Bring your boat and launch it at the boat ramp (call or check lake levels at Water Data For Texas)
Experience life of leisure fishing from our shoreline
Catch dinner and utilize our fish cleaning station
Cook a pizza in the large wood-burning pizza oven
Roast s'mores at one of our three large stone firepits
Watch your favorite sports game on one of the large cable tv’s inside or outside our newly renovated clubhouse
Use our newly renovated showers, bathrooms, and laundry facilities
Check out our camp store for ice and bait
Available storage on site
20/30/50-amp full hookup sites
Lake Palo Pinto Fishing
There are a wide variety of fish in the lake including Large Mouth Bass, Hybrid Stripped Bass, White Bass, White Crappie, Channel Cat, and Flathead Cat. The Brazos Electric Power Plant is located on the lake. The power plant helps to keep the water warmer during the winter months keeping the fishing better in that area where an 83-pound Flathead Catfish was known to be caught.
Lake Palo Pinto RV Park is just 14 minutes to Palo Pinto, 25 minutes to Mineral Wells, and about an hour from Fort Worth. It is north of I-20 about 10 miles.
Nearby points of interest include Clark Gardens Botanical Park, Holiday Hills Country Club, Mineral Well Fossil Park, The National Vietnam War Museum.
Take The Baker Hotel ghost walk tour, where you can learn about the historical significance of the hotel, its ghostly inhabitants, and the history of the City of Mineral Wells. Downtown Mineral Wells is home to more than 20 murals featuring everything from flying pigs to human-sized butterflies and interactive murals to portrayals of local people from days gone past.
Downtown Mineral Wells has over 100 historic buildings with boutiques, antique shops, and specialty stores, plus restaurants that offer patio dining and live music. Mineral Wells was named for and is still famous for its mineral waters. The town boomed as a health resort after 1885, when the Crazy Well was dug. The Crazy Water Bath House offers mineral baths and treatments inspired by the waters and nature.
Three museums call Mineral Wells their home. The National Vietnam War Museum has dozens of silent memorials recognizing those who served their country in the Vietnam War. This museum exhibits a half-scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C., the Camp Holloway Memorial Wall, a Meditation Garden, and a Huey Helicopter.
The Old Jail Museum is a growing complex of historic log cabins and frontier buildings that demonstrate life in the region’s 19th century. Local artifacts fill all of its buildings. The Little Rock Schoolhouse Museum, built in 1884, housed the first public school building in Mineral Wells, and is dedicated to the preservation of the historical memorabilia of the City of Mineral Wells.
The W.K. Gordon Center for Industrial History preserves, documents, and researches the industrial history of Thurber, Texas, which was once a thriving coal mining company town of 10,000 people and now a ghost town. Thurber was located near the southern Palo Pinto County line. Visitors can see reconstructions of Thurber’s mercantile store, livery stable, the town bandstand, the 655-seat opera house, and the Snake Saloon, which once boasted one of the largest horseshoe-shaped bars in the United States.
The Mineral Wells Fossil Park at the old City of Mineral Wells landfill’s borrow pit, which closed in the early 1990s but then revealed fossils documenting ancient sea species such as crinoids, echinoids, and other historic sea life from the Pennsylvania Period over 300 million years ago. Fossil collecting is allowed in designated areas only, and only surface collecting is allowed with small gardening tools at the park.
Take a guided tour of Guest Ranch Exotic Game Hunting where you will see their different species of antelope, buffalo, deer, and sheep. The best times to go on this tour are early mornings and late afternoons, and the cost of the tours begin at $35.00.
Check out the Palo Pinto Mountain State Park that comprises 4,871 acres of former ranch land about 23 miles west of Palo Pinto Creek Reservoir. When fully developed, this park will offer hiking, camping, fishing, stargazing, and other outdoor activities. Plateaus with beautiful vistas overlook sheltered canyons. Palo Pinto Creek winds through the northern border of the park. A dam on Russell Creek impounds the 90-acre Tucker Lake, the centerpiece of the park. Plans for the park include an extensive network of multi-use trails for hikers, mountain bikers, and horseback riders. Trails will lead to remote areas of the park with expansive vistas.
Pets
Potable water
Toilets
Campfires
Showers
from
$2.50
/ night
Available this weekend
Dog-friendly getaways
Beach camping in Texas guide
Overview
They say everything’s bigger in the Lone Star State, and that includes the variety of options for campers, whether you're looking for an RV park, tent camping, or a primitive camping backcountry adventure. Beat the summer heat on sandy Gulf beaches, or head inland to the arid deserts of Big Bend Country in winter for some of the nation’s darkest skies and best nighttime views. Spring and autumn offer the best weather for wine tasting in Texas Hill Country, hiking the canyons of the Panhandle, or paddling the bald cypress forests of the Texas Pine Curtain.
Big Bend Country
Remote West Texas boasts some of the most pristine landscapes in the state. Explore the hiking trails of Guadalupe Mountains and Big Bend national parks, raft through narrow canyons along the Rio Grande River, go rock climbing in Hueco Tanks State Park near El Paso, or hit the dunes in Monahans Sandhills State Park. The quirky communities of Marfa, Terlingua, and Marathon serve as convenient gateways to desert adventure.
Texas Hill Country
Known for its wineries, whiskey distilleries, swimming holes, and rich German heritage, the rolling hills of this central Texas region extend between Austin and San Antonio, with plenty of small towns to explore along the way. Springtime brings bluebonnets to the roadsides of the region. In fall, head to Lost Maples State Park for some of the state’s best leaf peeping. Soak up panoramic views from Enchanted Rock, venture deep into the Caverns of Sonora or the Cave Without a Name, or take a leisurely float along the Guadalupe River.
Gulf Coast
The Texas Gulf Coast stretches for more than 600 miles along the shores of the Gulf of Mexico and includes the Padre Island National Seashore. Sun seekers will find plenty of sandy beaches with warm Gulf waters (plus opportunities for beach camping), while the natural areas along the coast feature some of the best birdwatching in the nation. Houston, Galveston, South Padre Island, and Corpus Christi are among the most popular areas to stay.
Panhandle
The plains of the Texas Panhandle comprise one of the largest regions in the state. Here you’ll find America’s second-largest canyon within Palo Duro Canyon State Park, as well as the iconic Cadillac Ranch car sculpture along road trip-worthy Route 66.
Pine Curtain
Lakes, forests, and swamps dominate the landscape of the lesser-known Piney Woods of East Texas. Step back in time at Mission Tejas State Park, straddle the state line in Texarkana, pitch a tent among the gargantuan pines of Daingerfield, or make the 835-mile camping trip along the Texas Forest Trail. If you want to get out on the water, it's hard to beat a kayak in Caddo Lake State Park.
Prairies and Lakes
This region sweeps down through the center of the state from the Dallas-Fort Worth area to Waco, Bryan, and College Station (home of Texas A&M University). You don’t have to drive far to find a lakeside campground or on-the-water activity, thanks to the area’s 17 Texas state parks and one national wildlife refuge.
Safety at Hipcamp
Hipcamp is created with ❤️ and hope for our future.