The best camping near Fort Richardson State Park & Historic Site

Discover the most magical spots to pitch your tent or park your rig on your next Fort Richardson State Park & Historic Site adventure.

100% (4 reviews)
100% (4 reviews)

Wade in the creek and get a glimpse of Texas frontier life at this historic Army outpost.  

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Community favorites near Fort Richardson State Park & Historic Site

Top-rated campgrounds reviewed by the Hipcamp community.

Top-rated campgrounds near Fort Richardson State Park & Historic Site

99%
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Lake Godstone™ Lodging and Camping

25 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.
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$24
 / night
100%
(3)

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.
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$2.50
 / night

The best camping near Fort Richardson State Park & Historic Site guide

Overview

About

Located where prairies and plains meet, this historic park and National Historic Landmark once served as the US Army’s northernmost and largest frontier outpost in Texas. Visitors can explore seven restored original buildings, including the post hospital, officers quarters, and bakery, as well as replicas of the barracks (which now holds an interpretive center). History aside, the park is also popular for birdwatching and offers 12 miles of hiking, biking, and horseback riding trails, while the scenic Lost Creek and nearby Lake Jacksboro and Quarry Lake are popular for swimming, boating, and fishing. The main park and north park offer several campgrounds with space and accommodation spanning tent camping, RV sites, cabins, large group sites, and an equestrian site.

Notable campgrounds

  • Best for RVs: Four sites in the West Camping Loop of the Fort Richardson Campground include full hookups, picnic tables, and fire rings.
  • Best for water access: Ten tent-only sites at the North Park location offer easy access to a swimming beach and fishing pier.
  • Best for families: Eleven cabins feature bunk beds, air conditioning and heat, and full RV hookups outside, but no bathrooms, linens, or pillows.

Tips for snagging a campsite

  1. For stays during peak season, plan to make a reservation as soon as you know your dates. Campsites and cabins can be reserved up to five months in advance. 
  2. If your plans are flexible, visit during the week, during non-holiday periods, or in summer to beat the crowds. The park is open year-round.
  3. If visiting as part of a group, consider the group site, which can be reserved up to 12 months in advance.

When to go

Spring and fall are the busiest times with the biggest crowds and the best months to see migratory birds. It can get unbearably hot in summer. The park offers numerous seasonal events, including historical reenactments in April and November. Quarry Lake is stocked with trout from December to February, and catfish and bass the rest of the year. Ranger-led tours are available Tuesdays through Fridays, while the historic buildings are open for self-guided tours on Saturdays and Sundays.

Know before you go

  • A camp store sells ice, firewood, and souvenirs.
  • Fishing from the shore or pier doesn’t require a fishing permit, but fishing from a boat does. The park loans out fishing equipment.
  • Fires are permitted in fire rings only; bring your own firewood or purchase from the camp store, as gathering firewood is prohibited in the park.
  • Pets are allowed in the park but not inside any buildings, including camping cabins.

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