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09-16-2016, 08:12 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Stevens Point, WI
Posts: 323
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Texas trip
My wife and I are starting to make plans for a Spring trip to Texas. I've seen numerous posts by folks who rave about various State parks and campgrounds in Texas. If you're willing to take the time, I would welcome suggestions of places that are a must-see in the Lone Star State. I will locate them on my map and work out an itinerary for a 4 to 6-week trip. Thanks in advance!
kdot
__________________
Location: Wisconsin
2019 Flagstaff E-Pro 19FBS
2017 Honda Pilot
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09-16-2016, 08:33 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Texas
Posts: 214
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Just got back from Garner State park. Nice place. If you don't like being in the crowd suggest you start in the Live Oak section. Water was cool but it was great. Have fun
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09-16-2016, 09:27 AM
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#3
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Site Team
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Grayson County, Texas
Posts: 21,475
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Texas trip
__________________
2015 FR Wildcat 295RSX / GMC Sierra
Nights Camped: '13 = 49/'14 = 74/'15 = 74/'16 = 85/'17 = 110/'18 = 111/'19 = 86/'20 =108/'21 = 115/'22 = 135/'23 = 78; Booked for 2024 = 69
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09-16-2016, 11:54 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Brazoria County, Texas
Posts: 1,460
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The good thing about Texas is that you can drive for five hours and it's like being in a different country. Everything from pine forest to canyons to hills to coastline.
We do almost exclusively state parks here and find them fairly nice and inexpensive compared to some private campgrounds...MUCH better than KOA and the like. What you get varies by size and location but a little research on google will usually get you a good idea of how it looks. Also, check out the park website for pricing and site specifics.
Texas State Parks - TPWD
Our favorites are Tyler, Pedernales, Martin Dies Jr., Huntsville, and Brazos Bend. We haven't really been very far west or north, so I can't say much about those areas. We like Garner, but hate people....went there for a few days this year because my dad was park hosting for a few months. Just too many people for me (around 400 RV sites + 175 car day use limit). Of course, that was the first of summer.
To keep in mind...reserve online. It'll guarantee you a spot, just not a particular spot. If you find an empty spot that you like better, just call the office and let them know and 95% of the time you can change right there. They'll tell you to stop back by the office after you set up. They'll say that check in/out is 2PM for most places, but I have yet to see them turn anyone away for coming early. You can generally get a spot if one is available any time during the day..I usually come in around 9AM. Also, depending on your needs, not all parks have 50A but most do.
If I were you, I'd also look into getting a State Park Pass since you're looking at several weeks. I can't remember off hand, but it's less than $90 for the year. It'll waive the daily entrance fee (anywhere from $2 - $7 per person depending on the park ) and give you half off the second night campsite four times...so if you visit four different parks on your trip, that's another $40-ish there).
Looks like the uploader might have turned the pics sideways, but the trailer pic is Palmetto over by San Antonio, the rocky/hilly one is Pedernales to the west of there by a few hours and the other is Martin Dies east of Houston nearly to Louisiana.
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2015 Chevy Silverado LTZ - HD tow package
2017 Rockwood 2703WS Emerald Edition
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09-16-2016, 03:17 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 3,081
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Palo Duro State Park - 15 miles south of Amarillo - is amazing. Unless you are hiking the canyon rim, the sites furthest in are the nicest and are usually avoided by the big boys.
I hope to post pics tonight.
Bring in your food, or at least buy it outside the park before you go in. The store/restaurant inside the park had/has next to nothing in the way of groceries, and the burgers were pretty bad, too.
Fred W
2014 Rockwood A122 A-frame
2008 Hyundai Entourage minivan
last trip: Waco and Palo Duro State Park, Texas
next trip: Mt Rushmore and Custer State Park, SD
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09-16-2016, 11:36 PM
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#6
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A-Frame Accessory Manufacturer
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Colleyville, Texas
Posts: 21
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Your Texas Trip
If you are going to be here you may want to attend this technical rally. Also the campground at Lajitas is awesome if you want to see Big Bend National Park. The RV sites in the park are not near as nice. If you are a golfer be sure to play the golf course at Lajitas Resort. Info on the Technical Rally
2017 AFRAME TECH RALLY BELTON, TEXAS
DATES; MARCH 28 TO APRIL 2, 2017
BELTON LAKE, Live Oak Campground, BELTON TEXAS
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09-17-2016, 06:28 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 1,770
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Here is a map of all the places I know of to camp. It includes a number of "hunter camp" type places that are rarely used, some places that require a Texas Public Land Use permit and excludes RV parks that do not accept tents. Do double check the location as conditions sometimes change.
https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?m...iWxt2vrISUNGNU
Guadalupe Mountains NP is my favorite place. Dry camping only and the RV area is just a parking lot. But the scenery and hiking is spectacular. It's close to Carlsbad Caverns NP,, which you might as well visit if you are in the area.
__________________
Tom
2012 Rockwood A122S
2008 Toyota Tundra Double Cab 4X4
Former owner of a 2002 Coleman Niagara GTE
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09-17-2016, 07:41 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 194
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Palo Duro Canyon is Great. Also Caprock Canyon, where the State Bison herd live.
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MK Clark
2819VS Windjammer
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09-17-2016, 11:16 AM
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#9
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kdot
My wife and I are starting to make plans for a Spring trip to Texas. I've seen numerous posts by folks who rave about various State parks and campgrounds in Texas. If you're willing to take the time, I would welcome suggestions of places that are a must-see in the Lone Star State. I will locate them on my map and work out an itinerary for a 4 to 6-week trip. Thanks in advance!
kdot
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What are you looking to do? We have lots of different activities but knowing what you are after will help narrow it down.
Lockhart BBQ! (Blacks, Smitty's,Kreuz Market)
Austin....Music,golf or sightseeing?
San Antonio- The Alamo
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09-17-2016, 04:43 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 1,770
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Just remember that the eastern and costal parts of Texas are flat and forested or wooded. Much of the rest is flat agricultural land or prairie and desert.
The hill country (east of I-35) and the mountains in the west are the more visited camping tourist places. Texas state parks tend to book up early. Make sure to try the CoE and other federal campgrounds if you can't get a site in a state park you want to visit.
If you want to go to Enchanted Rock natural area, and I do recommend that, the campground there has walk in sites only. Stay at the Oxford Camp Ranch near Llano (RV sites or primitive camping all over the ranch). Get to E-Rock early on the weekends because it fill up. Lost Maples state natural area, another great place, has good camping but also fills up on the weekend.
Since you have some flexibility, do the opposite of what the locals do and hit the parks on the weekdays and the cities on the weekend.
__________________
Tom
2012 Rockwood A122S
2008 Toyota Tundra Double Cab 4X4
Former owner of a 2002 Coleman Niagara GTE
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09-17-2016, 04:54 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 1,770
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Here are a few other interesting local attractions.
The Painted Churches. A number of churches that mark the settlements founded by German and Central European immigrants to Texas.
Minor league baseball: Sugarland and Round Rock have minor league teams. Probably some other cities too.
If you get to Houston, here is my map of both normally interesting and somewhat unusual things for visitors.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1aj...Wo&usp=sharing
__________________
Tom
2012 Rockwood A122S
2008 Toyota Tundra Double Cab 4X4
Former owner of a 2002 Coleman Niagara GTE
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09-17-2016, 05:00 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 1,770
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Finally, you are invited to check out my meetup group. We do local Houston hiking and hiking camping trips. One event may fit with your schedule and perhaps we could offer you a friendly campfire on a Saturday night if nothing else.
Houston Area Trails & More (Houston, TX) - Meetup
__________________
Tom
2012 Rockwood A122S
2008 Toyota Tundra Double Cab 4X4
Former owner of a 2002 Coleman Niagara GTE
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09-17-2016, 11:36 PM
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#13
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Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 11
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We just spent a night at Palo Duro Canyon SP - definitely a must see.
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09-18-2016, 08:11 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Stevens Point, WI
Posts: 323
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Texas Trip
Thanks everybody! Keep those suggestions coming; I'm taking notes. We're not real keen on flat lands. We like hills, mountains, and desert. We like Big Bend a lot.
kdot
__________________
Location: Wisconsin
2019 Flagstaff E-Pro 19FBS
2017 Honda Pilot
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09-18-2016, 10:55 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 199
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I didnt read the other posts but i list my experience
Big bend national park is a must.
Guadalupe mountains are nice too. I prefer big bend because their trails are more remote.
Palo duro canyon is great. Good hiking and mountain biking.
Caprock is underestimted but a great place too. Usually quieter compared to palo duro.
Inks lake is okay. Usually you can never get a campsite during the weekends
A lot of the state parks that have water are usually booked up during the weekends
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16' T21DMHW - Gone solar - 3/4ton truck to pull it with
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09-19-2016, 07:08 AM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Brazoria County, Texas
Posts: 1,460
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I'd like to add to that, you can normally get your pick of sites if you come in on Monday or Tuesday on every park I've ever been to. Most of them are fairly empty during the early part of the week. I was at Palmetto last month..small park with only 19 RV sites...there were only four of us there for the three nights I booked and one of those was a park host.
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2015 Chevy Silverado LTZ - HD tow package
2017 Rockwood 2703WS Emerald Edition
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09-19-2016, 07:24 AM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Franklin County, MO
Posts: 2,652
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If you are in the Hill Country, stay at Buckhorn Lake RV Park at Kerrville. Beautiful park, and lots to see and do around the Hill Country, including a visit to LBJ's Ranch and the little town of Fredericksburg.
Galveston: a visit to the Bishop's Palace is a must-see. Sandpiper RV resort in Galveston is right on the beach, and is a great place to stay.
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Mike and Yvonne
and Sophie, the little white dog
2017 Columbus 320RSC
2021 Chevy Silverado 3500HD DRW 4X4 Duramax
“It's not how old you are, it's how you are old.” ― Jules Renard
"It's not the years...it's the mileage." - Indiana Jones
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09-19-2016, 04:37 PM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 347
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Capt. Mike
If you are in the Hill Country, stay at Buckhorn Lake RV Park at Kerrville. Beautiful park, and lots to see and do around the Hill Country, including a visit to LBJ's Ranch and the little town of Fredericksburg.
Galveston: a visit to the Bishop's Palace is a must-see. Sandpiper RV resort in Galveston is right on the beach, and is a great place to stay.
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Another excellent RV park is one owned/operated by the City of Galveston. It is named Dellanera. I have not found another quality park as near to the beach. Request spaces 36-38 which are near the boardwalk to the beach. They are listed in the web. GALVESTON.COM: Dellanera RV Park X2 on Bishops Palace!
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09-19-2016, 06:51 PM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 1,770
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Surprisingly to some, Fort Worth has a few wonderful art museums. And a wonderful zoo.
Amon Carter Museum of American Art
Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth
Kimbell Art Museum
Sid Richardson Museum
Great places to while away a rainy couple of days or several hot afternoons.
And don't forget the Fort Worth Stockyards.
While I am am a Houston booster, Fort Worth is also a great place.
Even the Dallas Art Museum is even pretty good if you're stuck there. And Dallas is the only place in Texas with pro hockey, if watching sweaty guys fighting it out on ice is your thing.
(There is a long standing Dallas-Houston rivalry!) But Dallas is a great city.
There are a number of campgrounds located on the region's many CoE lakes. Check out the Texas camping map posted above. So don't forgo the densely inhabited flatlands all together. We are a very sophisticated urban state too.
__________________
Tom
2012 Rockwood A122S
2008 Toyota Tundra Double Cab 4X4
Former owner of a 2002 Coleman Niagara GTE
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10-04-2016, 03:19 PM
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#20
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Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 11
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In North TX you need to go to Eisenhower SP on Lake Texoma. Ray Roberts is another nice one. McKinney Falls in the Austin area is really nice as well.
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2016 Coachman Clipper C12RBST A-Frame Camper
2015 Chevy Silverado 1500
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