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Best Tent Camping near Bossier City, LA

166 Reviews

Lakes and forests surrounding Bossier City, Louisiana offer several tent camping options within an hour's drive. Earl Williamson Park in Oil City provides primitive tent camping areas on grassy sites near Caddo Lake, while South Abutment East in Benton offers walk-in tent-only sites. For more secluded backcountry tent camping, Teague Lake Primitive and Highway 157 Primitive sites near Springhill provide basic accommodations approximately 45 minutes north of Bossier City. Ivan Lake in Cotton Valley features tent campsites with walk-in access options for those seeking waterfront locations.

Tent camping facilities vary significantly across these locations. Earl Williamson Park charges $6 for primitive tent sites and provides basic amenities including toilets, though campers report bathrooms are functional but dated. Water access points are available but not always conveniently located at individual tent sites. Wenks Landing Recreation Area offers designated tent camping at sites 1-5, which feature flat grassy areas suitable for tent setup, with flush toilets and running water available. Sites at Teague Lake and Highway 157 are truly primitive with no amenities, requiring campers to bring all necessary supplies including water. Most locations permit campfires, though seasonal restrictions may apply during dry periods.

Waterfront tent sites at Earl Williamson Park provide natural soundscapes at night. According to reviews, the primitive camping area offers "quiet and peaceful sounds off the lake at night." Tent campers at Wenks Landing Recreation Area should select sites 1-5 for the flattest terrain, with one visitor noting, "Site 1 is set off from others and has a large flat grassy area." Insect activity can be significant, particularly in spring and early summer. Campers report using campfire smoke to help manage bugs. Most primitive tent campgrounds in the region remain relatively uncrowded, with visitors frequently reporting having entire camping areas to themselves. Star gazing opportunities are excellent at lakeside locations, particularly at Earl Williamson Park where light pollution is minimal.

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Best Tent Sites Near Bossier City, Louisiana (10)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Bossier City, LA

2 Photos of 10 Bossier City Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near Bossier City, LA

166 Reviews of 10 Bossier City Campgrounds

  • Fred S.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 2, 2022

    Caddo Lake State Park Campground

    Magical state park

    Camped at site #63 in the Mill Pond Camping Area - tent area. This site backed up onto Saw Mill Pond - beautiful cypress swamp. Bugs were not too bad. Gravel drive on site. Level tent pad. Water only; no electric. Clean fire ring. Lantern post. Large site, good separation from other sites. Campground is heavily wooded, lots of shade. Campground is clean & nicely maintained. One restroom is at the entrance to the Mill Pond camping area, just off of a day use parking lot. No shower in this restroom. A newer, nicer restroom/shower house is located in the Woodpecker camping area. Quiet campground; no issues. Good AT&T service. Despite saying it's allowed in the campground features list, alcohol is prohibited. Excellent T-Mobile 5G service.

  • Napunani
    Jun. 9, 2023

    Caddo Lake State Park Campground

    Poison Oak and Tall Weeds

    PROS 

    Saved $42 With TX STATE PARK PASS 

    No fee to reserve online. 

    No sales tax. U

    pon arriving at Site 23, we had no power at the pedestal. Called Park Headquarters and 2 park personnel were at our site in 10 minutes and resolved problem 

    Site 23 level asphalt 

    Site 23 partial shade 

    Aluminum picnic table, 2 hook lantern pole and metal fire pit with cooking grate 

    Donation firewood available 

    Soap and hand dryer in toilet/shower facility 

    3 bars TMOBILE when not storming 

    CONS 

    No overnight security gate closure 

    Site 23 was 1/3 covered with poison oak and remaining living area covered with tall weeds. 

    Some highway noises. 

    Two PARK HOSTS occupy sites in Woodpecker Hollow. That reduces full hook up sites to 6. One of those sites were used as a temporary dump station due to out-of-service park dump station 

    Woodpecker Hollow toilet/shower facility needs some deep cleaning 

    11 windows in Woodpecker Hollow women’s toilet/shower and only 4 were open. Camp host said rest of windows were painted shut.  Floors were continuously wet and slippery. What a mess! This place needs a fan or two.

    Most pets we saw were NOT on leash 

    No privacy from surrounding campsites 

    No ranger drive thru Woodpecker Hollow 

    No park WIFI

  • D
    Nov. 24, 2022

    Lake Bistineau State Park Campground

    Beautiful state park

    Lake Bistineau is a great state park park near Shreveport, LA. We stayed 2 nights. The sites are very shady. The park streets and sites are asphalt. Some roads need repaving. The park was clean and quiet, and the staff was friendly. Unfortunately, the lake was drawn down to eradicate an invasive water plant. But, this presented a unique opportunity. We could walk on the dry lake bottom and see the parts of cypress trees that are normally under water. 

    Stayed in back-in campsite#14 which was level side to side, but the front was higher. The site has a nice view of the lake and a large wooden deck. There was just enough parking for my 34 ft TT and truck. Neighbors are nearby, but not too close. The site included: picnic table on concrete, BBQ pit, trash pole, and fire ring. Utilities: 20/30/50A electric in back. Water in back, good pressure. No sewer, but a dump station is available. 

    AT&T had 2 bars of LTE and Verizon 2 bars of LTE service. AT&T Speedtest: 5.1 Mbps down, 0.7 Mbps up. Verizon Speedtest: 7.4 Mbps down, 0.1 Mbps up. No WiFi. 

    Would stay here again. We camped at Lake Bistineau State Park in a Travel Trailer.

  • Jaye C.
    Apr. 4, 2021

    Earl Williamson Park

    Beautiful and simple site

    Stayed 1 night for rooftop camping on car. Chose to set up in the primitive camping area on the grass near the boat docking area. Quiet and peaceful with beautiful sounds off the lake at night. Bathrooms are not the best.

  • Cat R.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 21, 2019

    Lake Claiborne State Park Campground

    BEAUTIFUL LAKE

    Very pretty camping area. We stayed here at site 14. Had a long pier over the water, and plenty of space between campers. Not level ground, but we managed with enough blocks to get it level. This was a back in site. Water and electric, no sewer, but had a dump station. Absolutely no cell service. Lake Claiborne was a gorgeous lake yo kayak on.

  • Cat R.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 21, 2020

    Beaver Dam Campground

    Peace and Quiet

    This is a very beautiful Federal campground. Sites are scattered. Lots of shade, large trees. We were in site 16, which has water access and views. Level concrete pads. Electric and water. Dump station only. Many beautiful hiking and bike trails. Kayaking, swimming , boating and fishing. Showers are restrooms were very old. Camp host was super nice and friendly. Picnic tables and large firepits on sites.

  • Amie M.
    Jan. 21, 2021

    Caddo Lake State Park Campground

    Awesome! Be picky with tent sites

    Another great Texas State Park. I didn't see as much security as I usually do but the whole area is clean and well kept.

    The bathrooms are amazing with fully enclosed toilet/shower/changing station for family bathrooms. As someone traveling with a toddler it is a HUGE relief to lock him inside while I shower.

    We tent camp and while our site was perfect (#32) others were awful. It's very common for tent pads to be placed far away from the electrical box, so that's not a big deal... but after a rain storm it was apparent that a lot of tent pads need attention. The pads are dirt and many were uneven enough that 50% were well under water. Our pad was right next to the electrical box and someone had evened it out so while it rained and rained, we were good. So if you are tent camping pay close attention to the location and evenness of your tent pad. No amount of tarps would have saved some of these sites!

    The trails are good and it's a very unique location. Reminds me of South Florida!

    Lastly, the Armadillo circle is right next to the road. Okay maybe not right next to but you will hear traffic all night.

    Great for $15/night!

  • Lea B.
    Jun. 19, 2021

    Earl Williamson Park

    Unexpected Find

    Overnight stay at this park on our way home from Galveston. $12 for full hookups. $6 for primitive. We paid for full hookups since the primitive area was overgrown and VERY primitive. We were able to just pull in and find a lovely, level, shady spot. We had electricity and a covered pavilion, but no water spigot at our site. Other sites had water but some were set up for RV connections not for filling up jugs. We simply used a spigot that happened to be at an empty site nearby. The camp host chatted up my husband while he was getting water and didn’t seem to mind. This park has a day use area that includes playgrounds, disc golf, fishing piers, and a swim beach (that we made good use of). We were disappointed because the shower in the bathhouse didn’t seem to work. It wasn’t until the next morning that another camper clued us in about the “private” shower for campers (get the code from the host). That made a world of difference! We found the park to be quiet (mostly retirees there), clean, and quaint. The local sheriff’s office sits at the entrance so we felt very safe there too. Also don’t miss the little Mexican restaurant down the road!

  • Jacob W.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 2, 2023

    Lake Bistineau State Park Campground

    Decent park

    I tent camped here in April 2023. The staff was friendly and the office was still open at 6pm, when I arrived on a Saturday. I don’t know their normal hours. The weather was nice but it had just rained so my campsite was wet with a little mud. Plus it was a little uneven without much clear space for a tent but my tent fit because it is a 2-person tent. Other sites had wooden platforms but mine didn’t. I took an evening walk on the Discovery Trail and saw two deer. There are several other, longer trails. I didn’t explore the lake. The bathroom/shower house was clean. It was a little ways from I-20 but overall decent park.

Guide to Bossier City

Tent camping near Bossier City, Louisiana, offers a variety of scenic spots where nature lovers can enjoy the great outdoors. With options ranging from well-equipped sites to more primitive settings, there's something for every type of camper.

Tent campers should check out Earl Williamson Park

  • This park features a lovely lakeside setting with amenities like drinking water, showers, and picnic tables, making it a comfortable choice for tent campers.
  • With activities such as swimming, disc golf, and fishing, Earl Williamson Park provides plenty of entertainment for families and friends.
  • At just $12 a night, it's an affordable option for those looking to enjoy a weekend getaway.

Some prices for tent camping range from $6 to $12

  • At Ivan Lake, tent camping is available for $12 per night, offering a peaceful environment for those who enjoy fishing and nature.
  • For a more primitive experience, Teague Lake Primitive offers tent sites for $6, perfect for campers seeking solitude and natural beauty.
  • Wenks Landing Recreation Area provides tent camping for $12 a night, featuring access to potable water and clean restrooms.

Tips for tent camping near Bossier City

  • Be prepared for varying amenities; some sites like Turtle Slide Campground may lack basic facilities, so check ahead.
  • Consider visiting during the off-peak season to enjoy a quieter experience, especially at well-reviewed spots like Earl Williamson Park.
  • Always bring your own firewood, as some campgrounds do not provide it, ensuring you can enjoy a cozy campfire under the stars.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Bossier City, LA?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Bossier City, LA is Earl Williamson Park with a 4.4-star rating from 5 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Bossier City, LA?

TheDyrt.com has all 10 tent camping locations near Bossier City, LA, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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