Texas RV Camping

Great Texas RV camping opportunities can be found throughout the “Lone Star State.” Texas hospitality is famous… By requesting camping information at most small-town offices or police departments, you likely will be given directions to RV camping spots at the town park or fairgrounds. Texas has numerous rest areas great for free overnight RV camping. There are National Forest and National Grassland camping opportunities. There are National Park camping locations, and the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has several water containment projects with RV camping available. The following links provide official Texas RV camping information.

• Texas RV Parks – Research tool for finding RV parks and campgrounds in Texas.

• National Park Service – NPS information about Texas RV camping at National Park Service administered lands.
• US Forest Service – USFS information about free dispersed RV camping (boondocking) and developed campgrounds in the USDA National Forests and Grasslands in Texas.
• US Army Corps of Engineers – USACE/COE information about camping at Corps lakes in Texas
• US Fish and Wildlife Service – FWS information about National Wildlife Refuges in Texas. Not all refuges allow camping.

• State Parks – Information about RV camping in the many state parks in Texas.
• Texas Parks and Wildlife – 23 Wildlife Management Areas offer RV camping locations.
• Texas State Tourism Website – Where to go and what to do. Includes Texas RV camping suggestions and trip planning ideas.

• Camping Reservations – Texas State and Federal Campground Reservations

• RVDumps.com – Places to dump your RV in Texas.
• Sanidumps.com – Texas RV dump stations listed by town.

Our Public Lands has information about finding remote free RV camping locations, and our Free RV Camping Section has ideas about free camping and overnight parking places you may not have thought about.

Abilene

On Lake Fort Phantom Hill in Johnson Park, offering dispersed RV camping with no facilities. Boat ramps available only when the lake is low.

Amarillo

A short distance north of Amarillo is the Lake Meredith National Recreation Area has information on the following 11 free RV camping locations with limited facilities.

• Blue Creek Bridge offers undesignated campsites with chemical toilets.
• Blue West campground has designated campsites with tables, grills, and vault toilets.
• Un-designated campsites with “outback toilet” are available at the Bugbee campground.
• Cedar Canyon offers a no alcohol allowed camping environment.
• A wonderful view and individual campsites are available from the bluffs of the Fritch Fortress campground.
• Harbor Bay offers shoreline camping. Camping availability varies with lake level.
• Non designated RV campsites are available at McBride Canyon.
• Mullinaw camping area has non designated sites, including a horse corral.
• Shaded undeveloped RV camping sites are available at Plum Creek.
• The Rosita area offers OHV (Off-Highway Vehicle) area and undesignated campsites.
• Sanford-Yake is a more NPS (National Park Service) type campground, but still free!

Anahuac

Chambers County offers several parks with RV camping opportunities…

• Cedar Hill Park
• Double Bayou Park
• Fort Anahuac Park
• Hugo Point Park
• Job Beason Park
• McCollum Park
• Whites Park

Andrews

• The Chamber of Commerce offers free full hookup RV camping with a 3-day limit.
• Florey Park, located 8 miles north of town, has $5 no hookup sites and $10 hookup sites.

Belton

3 miles north of Belton is the USACE (US Army Corps of Engineers) Belton Lake, with free RV camping offered at several campgrounds surrounding the lake. Click on the “Printer Friendly Version” of Recreation Areas located at the top left of their website to get more information about free RV camping at the following sites.

• McGregor
• Iron Bridge
• Owl Creek

Big Lake

The Reagan County Park right in town offers 4 RV hookup sites with a 3-day limit. Other sites are available by reservation.

Bowie

Free RV camping is available at the city-run Selma Park Public Camping Area on Amon Carter Lake. The lake is located SW of town. $8 charge for electric hookups if desired.

Breckenridge

• Located 6 miles south off Hwy 183 and home of the Summer Nationals Drag Boat Race, Lake Daniel offers free RV camping without hookups.
• Hubbard Creek Lake is located 4 miles west of town and offers free camping.

Claude

A rest area suitable for overnight RV parking is located a few miles south of Claude on highway 207. Large flat area for any size RV.

Coleman

• Free RV camping with full hookups with a 4-day limit is available at the Coleman RV Park. City-run park first come, first serve campground.
• Just 1/2 mile out of town on US 84 is a nice large picnic area with room for RV size.

Corpus Christi

Near Corpus Christi is the Padre Island National Seashore. Offering free RV camping at 3 designated locations. No facilities. NPS (National Park Service) entrance fee applies.

Dallas/Ft Worth

Caddo and Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ) National Grasslands offer limited free RV camping. Contact the local ranger district for recommended locations.

Del Rio

Just north of town is the Amistat National Recreation Area. Improved RV campsites are available for a nominal rate, and free dispersed camping is allowed around the lake shoreline.

Early

Approximately 2 miles east of town is a nice picnic area for overnight RV parking on highway 84. Room for any size RV.

Hillsboro

Southwest of Hillsboro is Lake Whitney State Park. RV camping reservations are available. Whitney Lake – Recreation.gov has more information about federal RV camping sites.

Jasper

North of Jasper 15 miles is the Sam Rayburn Reservoir and Dam administered by USACE (US Army Corps of Engineers). Click on the “Printer Friendly Version” of Recreation Areas located at the top left of their website to get more information about free RV camping at the following RV camping areas…

• Etoile
• Jackson Hill

Paducah

About 8 miles north of Paducah is a nice picnic area that allows overnight RV parking. A large area is suitable for any size RV with tables and grill grates.

Texarkana

9 miles south of Texarkana on highway 59 is USACE (US Army Corps of Engineers) Wright Patman Lake. The Jackson Creek campground offers free RV camping on the lake. From SR-77, go north on FM-96 2.7 miles to FM-2791. Head west 1.6 miles to local road N. Go west 3.3 miles to the campground.

Texas has a wide variety of public campgrounds available for RV camping. National Parks and Recreation Areas, State Parks, County Parks, City Parks, and even Texas State Wildlife Management Areas offer RV camping. Campground facilities range from full hookup pull-thru RV campsites to primitive locations along lakes, rivers, and beaches. This is only a partial listing of Texas RV camping opportunities at public campgrounds.

Amarillo

Free camping…that’s right free, is the only type of public camping you will find at Lake Meredith NRA (National Recreation Area). No facility designated camping areas surround the lake, with RV dump and water facilities near camping areas.

Alpine

Along the Rio Grande River is the Black Gap WMA (Wildlife Management Area). With over 100,000 acres, there are numerous outdoor recreation opportunities for RV camping.

Alpine – Big Bend National Park

Remotely located, Big Bend National Park is a great RV camping destination. Developed campgrounds have backcountry roadside RV camping allowed, but we suggest you contact Park officials for road conditions before heading into unfamiliar areas. A 25 site full hookup RV campground is available.

Artesia Wells

The Chaparral WMA (Wildlife Management Area) offers primitive RV camping. Check local road conditions.

Blanco

Electric and water campsites are available at Blanco State Park. Activities include swimming, picnicking, hiking, nature study, boating (electric motors only), and fishing.

Corpus Christi

The Texas Gulf Coast is home to the National Park Service Padre Island. Primitive dispersed camping (boondocking) is available at several different designated areas. There’s also a 50 site developed campground available with water and gray water dump.

El Paso

In extreme west Texas, limited RV camping is allowed in the Franklin Mountains State Park. Only 5 self-contained RV campsites with no facilities are available.

Houston

RV camping in a more primitive setting is available in the USDA Sam Houston National Forest. Several developed campgrounds offer basic facilities to electric hookup sites.

Karnack

Electric and water campsites are available at Caddo Lake State Park. A great fishing area with hiking, swimming, picnicking, wildlife viewing, birding, and boating.

Pine Springs

West Texas has a great RV camping destination at Guadalupe Mountains National Park. The main campground has water and flush toilets. There’s also a developed primitive campground with 4 RV spaces. Activities include hiking, birding, wildlife viewing, and if you have a horse and trailer to pull behind your RV, horseback riding.