Suggestions for a camping location

[asphaltjunkie]

Beaver's Bend/Hochatown State Park, just north of Broken Bow, Ok.

[black50]

If you want to do some cave exploration then go here. Colorado Bend State Park in the Hill Country

http://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/colorado-bend

[UserX]

Yosemite

[Scott Mc]

There are some good places around the San Antonio / Austin / Fredricksburg area but I can't remember the park names. Try here; it will have all the state parks listed for you and has pictures of most. My kid is finally getting old enough to do some short weekend camping trips this year.

http://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/pa...-to-do/camping

ANYTHING in hill country. Canyon lake, The Comal, Guadalupe etc are fun and not too rustic.

Check out Lake Mineral Wells State Park.

One of my favorites! But if you want the best of Texas you need to go to Big Bend IMO.

[TeeShock]

Aren't the campsites so far spread out at Big bend that you don't have to worry about making some noise?

I'm going at the end of march to stay in the Cienega Mountain area at the furthest NW section of the park on the 4wd only trails. I was hoping being at such a remote site would allow a little looser supervision from the rangers.

Last year at Tyler we had a group of 10 making moderate noise. We kept the music low and when the ranger would drive by we would just wave. Everything was kept in plastic cups and they never hassled us about boozing. Both nights we were up til 4am.

[Jimbo]

Might be a bit of a drive, but...
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[Jose]

Jimbo, where exactly is that? New Mexico? Colorado?

Lots of good suggestions posted here. Some are what I'm looking for while others are not. I've been to some of those suggested and others I've been wanting to visit for sometime. The picture that HECDOGGIE shared is exactly what I'm looking for. I haven't checked out any of the parks that way and this is the perfect excuse to do so now. So this weekend I'm going to do a day trip and check out Lake Bob Sandlin State Park as well as Cooper Lake State Park since they are so close to each other and scout out for some good camping sites. Thanks again for all the suggestions everybody.

[Jose]

Tyler State Park is beautiful, but the campsites are small and almost all very close together. You have to get very lucky to get a spot with any privacy. You cannot choose your spots in advance - you can only make reservations that guarantee that you'll have a spot. You and actually pick one until you get there and see what's available. All State parks are this way unless they are really slow and get lax on the rules. Tyler stays pretty full,so it's a gamble on getting one of the good spots.

State Parks aren't the best for getting rowdy, because they don't allow alcohol. As you know, everyone brings and drinks alcohol anyway, and they know that, but I think the law is in place to make sure things stay fairly quiet and peaceful. I actually like this. There are other camping places for partying - if I go to a state park I usually count on it being quiet and peaceful so I can enjoy the wildlife and stuff (while I get drunk, lol). I have been to Tyler State Park when there are a bunch of Boy Scouts running around being loud, and it's annoying as fuck. If you have a bunch of adults getting rowdy, the cops are likely to come bust you for the booze.

If you want seclusion, ability to get loud and rowdy without bothering anyone, lakes and trails, then check out LBJ Grasslands in Decatur or Caddo Grasslands up by Bonham. Thousands of acres of open, public land. It's free. You can fish, hunt, shoot guns (within reason), etc. And you can just trek around the dirt roads until you find a spot you like and make camp wherever. I think I sent you some GPS coordinates last year, in fact, to a couple of the spots I like at LBJ. The only downside to LBJ is that it's not kept as pristine as the state parks. Scumbags leave little pieces of litter everywhere. I usually spend an hour or so picking up the place around my campsite just to help out. Oh, and there are tons of ponds and creeks and small lakes out there, but most of them are very low right now. I've been out there when it was crowded at almost every turn, and I've been out there and not seen another person for days.

I haven't been to Caddo Grasslands yet, but I've heard that it's used less and you have an even higher chance of not seeing another person while you're out there. I can't recommend any specific spots there, but finding your own is part of the fun.

Oh, and no showers, running water, electricity, etc at the Grasslands, either, unless you go to one of the pay areas with designated camping spots. That defeats the purpose of going out there though, in my opinion.

I've never been to Tyler State Park but from what I've heard is that the campsites are fairly open and lack any cover. And being close to a populated area, I can see it getting crowded on the weekends. I like going to State Parks and have a park pass so I can visit as often as I want for free (although I still have to pay for the camp sites). Most of the other guys get a little rowdy and drunk on the first night and calm down the second. I think they only park we've consistently gotten into trouble is Possum Kingdom Lake State Park. I like to get there a day or two before everybody else (typically middle of the week) so I can grab a good camp site plus enjoy some time enjoying the outdoors whether I'm by myself or with a small group.

Jared could you send me the GPS coordinates again to some of those spots? I lost them a couple of phones ago. I'm down for camping in a Grassland or National Forest area, I got the bug after going to Colorado with you guys a few years back and again last year when I went to New Mexico (which I plan to go to again this summer). Have you ever been to the Davey Crocket or Sam Houston National Forrest?

[War Machine]

Talahina oklahoma

[Jimbo]

Jimbo, where exactly is that? New Mexico? Colorado

Even further, its Idaho.

[jluv]

I've never been to Tyler State Park but from what I've heard is that the campsites are fairly open and lack any cover. And being close to a populated area, I can see it getting crowded on the weekends. I like going to State Parks and have a park pass so I can visit as often as I want for free (although I still have to pay for the camp sites). Most of the other guys get a little rowdy and drunk on the first night and calm down the second. I think they only park we've consistently gotten into trouble is Possum Kingdom Lake State Park. I like to get there a day or two before everybody else (typically middle of the week) so I can grab a good camp site plus enjoy some time enjoying the outdoors whether I'm by myself or with a small group.

Jared could you send me the GPS coordinates again to some of those spots? I lost them a couple of phones ago. I'm down for camping in a Grassland or National Forest area, I got the bug after going to Colorado with you guys a few years back and again last year when I went to New Mexico (which I plan to go to again this summer). Have you ever been to the Davey Crocket or Sam Houston National Forrest?

Fwiw, I've had camping spots at Tyler State Park that look identical to the picture Hecdoggie posted. It's the first thing that came to mind when I saw that pic. But ya, it can be tough to get a spot with any privacy. They are packed in much tighter than other parks.

I've never been to Davey Crockett or Sam Houston.

I'll work on sending you the coordinates again today for LBJ.

[Chili]

I've never been to Tyler State Park but from what I've heard is that the campsites are fairly open and lack any cover. And being close to a populated area, I can see it getting crowded on the weekends. I like going to State Parks and have a park pass so I can visit as often as I want for free (although I still have to pay for the camp sites). Most of the other guys get a little rowdy and drunk on the first night and calm down the second. I think they only park we've consistently gotten into trouble is Possum Kingdom Lake State Park. I like to get there a day or two before everybody else (typically middle of the week) so I can grab a good camp site plus enjoy some time enjoying the outdoors whether I'm by myself or with a small group.

Jared could you send me the GPS coordinates again to some of those spots? I lost them a couple of phones ago. I'm down for camping in a Grassland or National Forest area, I got the bug after going to Colorado with you guys a few years back and again last year when I went to New Mexico (which I plan to go to again this summer). Have you ever been to the Davey Crocket or Sam Houston National Forrest?

We've gone to Tyler SP once, and it was a beautiful spot, but we ended up having to move when a huge boy scout troop rolled in at about 10PM and were up making a shitload of noise at the crack of dawn. We were able to move to a quieter spot, but less optimal as far as treee coverage, which is important to me. I would always prefer to be under the tree canopy rather than out in the open.

After our Colorado trips it has been hard to get motivated to stay at any of the local SP's, but I have been itching to try out the Grasslands that Jluv has mentioned. I hope to have my new tent in before too long, which will allow me to complete my trailer and start getting out more often locally.

I really want to get down to Big Bend for some of the dispersed camping, but that window does not stay open long as I will not get near it during the warmer months.

[Frank]

We used to go hunting at Davy Crockett. While I think there are actual campgrounds, we always camped just where ever we felt like it. Had to carry everything in including water. From what I hear, they have restricted some of it from any overnight camping. I don't see why or how if it is public land.

[01yz2nv]

Its about a 6hr drive, but we really enjoy Kyles Landing up in Arkansas. The campground isnt quite as primitive as we would like, but the hiking is great. Really depends on when you go, we have been there by ourselves, and been there where its hard to find a spot.

Kyles landing Campground
County Road 56, Harrison, AR 72601

[SSMAN]

Mineral wells State Park is very nice