Best Tent Camping near Ruston, LA

The park was very quiet and clean. The shower house and bathrooms were clean too. We camped in a tent and they have sand pits for the tents to sit in. The park is beautiful, especially right now with a the changing colors of the trees.

The locals and park rangers are also very nice. I locked my keys in my car and the park ranger helped me get ahold to a person to unlock it. He also gave us some camping tips and helped us build a fire and gather firewood.

We tent camp here in early Spring in the camping area #2 and comeback weekend after weekend. Many wonderfully marked hiking trails, two of the best frisbe golf courses in Louisiana. There's a nice little beach where the kids can play and a playground area as well. The bathrooms are clean and warm (welcome in the winter and spring). The pavement is well kept and great for kids to ride bikes or scooters. The King of the Moutain Trail is my favorite becaues of it's wooden bridge and tiny waterfall.

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.

This lakeside state park has RV and tent camping, cabins, lodges and YURTS available. There are also day use pavilions available for family reunions, employee barbecues or birthday celebrations. You can also rent a meeting room in the visitors center.

There are lots of recreational opportunities which include hiking, biking, fishing, canoe and kayak rentals, tennis courts and an 18-hole disc golf course. They also have a large hiking trail system. Closed right now but available Memorial Day through Labor Day weekend they also have a really large swimming pool. A tornado hit the park in March 2021 and there’s still some trees down and a brief section of the trail I walked on today that wasn’t accessible but it is an easy detour amazing how much they have restored.

Old campground along pretty lake in a national forest. Clean; the grounds are well maintained. The campground is confusing. Campsites are not marked. Looks like it was initially developed as a tent campground. There are shared vehicle parking pads; sites are not actually next to these - need to walkin a little. RV campers can probably park on the parking pads and walk to nearby picnic tables. Some sites have metal fire rings and lantern poles near picnic tables. Otherwise, it appears that previous campers had open campfires. Hammock camping is possible in a few areas. Clean his/hers vault toilet with tp and hand sanitizer. Water pumps scattered throughout campground; water was turned on duirng my stay. Sites in the middle of the campground are level; others slope down a little toward the lake. Sites are grass surfaces. No tent pads. No RV driveways to individual sites. Quiet, peaceful. No fee. Day Use area with fishing pier nearby. Partial shade; solar charging and Starlink access may be a challenge. Sporadic AT&T and T-Mobile service. Overall, this is a nice campground. I was the only camper during the nights I camped hare. A local resident stopped by to check up on me.

Bath house, water, electric, lake, pavement bike/walking path, playground, nationally recognized mountain bike course, group pavilions, primitive camping, beautiful rv spots, great place! City of Ruston is right down the road. Gas station a few ministers from the park. Gated and need a code to get in after closing.

My nephew was playing in a baseball tournament in Ruston so we decided to stay for the weekend. It was nice to have a gate that closed at 6pm so you don’t have to worry about random people showing up. The park was very nice and clean. We had a pull through site that was nice but not a lot of room in any place for the pull throughs. Probably going to try a Premium back in next trip. We didn’t get to enjoy the trails or see the waterfall but we plan on going back so we can enjoy all of that.

A taste of the swamps in north Louisiana. Spanish moss clad Bald Cypress trees in a stereotypical Louisiana lake. Two great boat ramps, cabins and picnic tables. Keep your small dogs on a leash or you may feed the gators. Mosquitoes big enough to land at Barksdale AFB.

Great fishing with all the amenities. Family friendly, Louisiana hospitality.

Secluded in the North Louisiana Farms, on Lake D’arbonne, with large forest trails. Immense campground with back to forest or lake front and all have RV hookup. RV pumping station available. Campsites bear beach and trails. Cabins near the group pavillians and building. Renovated bathrooms and laundry. Kayak and canoe for rent for day. Boat dock and fishing pier.

Lake Darbonne is our first experience with camping. I really didn’t know what to expect but we really loved it : the staff is really helpful, the campsite is really cosy (and not crowded during week days), the view on the lake is beautiful, etc.

We already planned to go back there on our way home to Louisiana.

Nice hilly trails for hiking, huge/nice pool, nice cabins, fishing piers, plenty of tent and RV spots. I've never seen it overly crowded. Really one of the state's nicer parks.

Whitetail deer, owls, fish/gar, butterflies, dragonflies, fireflies, and much more! Sites right on the Lake. Two Disc Golf Courses and hiking trails. Nice facilities with all lodging options from primitive tent, yurt, RV hookups, and cabins.

Great primitive camping right by the lake. A few good spots to park boats/boards on the bank steps away from the campsite. Restroom with no sink or showers. Running water on site. Boat ramp is large concrete. Free to camp. Great spot to pitch a tent and get away from it all

This is not my first time to visit but rapidly becoming a favorite. Each trip is different and I find different ways to get more out of the park. They have great hiking trails, sites by the lake, and now I’ve discovered the biking trails too. There’s disc golf, a tennis center and multiple playgrounds. You can camp out in the campground or stay in a cabin or lodge. They also have canvas tents on wooden decks that are super cute. I stayed in the RV for my visit and have both water and electric at my site.

Breston was an amazing host!!! DEFINITELY call or text him to reserve a site. The historic plantation is absolutely gorgeous. We got the grand tour of the land, and Breston’s impressive herb farm. The love and passion Breston has for horticulture really shines through his work here. I’m a house plant nerd, and I loved learning about the ins and outs(and scientific names!) of outdoor plants! He’s got some for sale as well. We were going to pick up a patchouli plant, but I am spacey and completely forgot to ask by the time we left. 

Breston made us drinks with mint fresh from his garden, and offered a local beer(both delicious! He makes a mean julep!) His homemade gumbo was*chef’s kiss*. We walked back to our tent in the clearing behind the house with full bellies and good spirits. 

There are lots of spots to pitch your tent on property. We chose the clearing in the back, surrounded by towering trees, next to the levee. We brought bare minimum sleeping pads(just Nemo switchbacks and bags) and it was like sleeping on a cloud. The ground was soft and cushy, perfect if you’re light car-campers like we are. Just gingerly drive over a 110 year old sidewalk to get there! Southern hospitality is abundant here. We can’t thank Breston enough for such a memorable experience!

This campground has some pull through sites which are very convenient. Nice lake with a walking path. Quiet, spacious lots. Really enjoyed our stay here.