Best Glamping near Abilene, TX

We stayed in a tent only spot for 8 days in Dec. Really quiet even with a trail behind us. Lots of winding beautiful trails. One of the cheaper Texas State Parks so the trails aren't very long.

BUT the real hidden gem was in the bathroom by the yurts. They have a disabled shower. So it's within reach and the showerhead is lower. Awesome to use to clean my toddler without getting drenched.

Felt very safe, even walking around past dark. We saw feral hogs a few times at dusk. Really loved it.

The playground isn't very good but you are 20 minutes from Abilene with oodles of great parks and a small zoo.

We stayed here twice 10 days apart in December since it was convenient incident to a longer trip. Our first site was in Oak Grove which I thought was much superior to Pecan Grove, site-wise. Pecan Grove 66 was by some nice warm clean bathrooms and showers but the site was up a steep slant and was just barely long enough for our 24 foot trailer. The park host came by and checked on us which was kind. Both sites had oak tree shade and picnic tables and were paved with asphalt.

Sites are electric and have water and 50/30 but no sewer. There’s a simple dump station.

There was a burn ban on but you could definitely smell wood fires both nights.

Small playground, easy hiking trails, and plenty of birds and nature walks. In the summer they have a pool which looked like it would be really nice. Not far from Abilene, we visited the zoo there.

Smaller state park with lots of shade in the Texas heat. The areas has plenty of place to picnic and walk around. A few trails with a small pond that connects a few together. There is also a pool area this must be booked along with your site reservations. There are also place to tent camp, cabins and yurts with electricity to rent. The sites vary from full hookups to water and electricity. Each site is private and not to close each with plenty of privacy. There is also a lake that’s outside of campsite area that can be busted up the road.

Two things I love:

1. Shade and privacy
2. Picnic table and fire pit at full site hook up.

One thing I didn’t like:

1. Road is currently damaged for easier exit so their is a detour.

This trip was an odd one for us because we had additional family members who aren't outdoorsy joining us. Tent camping did not appeal to them so we reserved one of the yurts that Abilene State Park boasts. The yurt had electricity, a mini fridge, fan, and a small air conditioner. Even with the AC on it was well over 90° in the yurt, which we weren't thrilled about, especially since we had an elderly family member with some health issues in our group. Otherwise, the park is fine. It has a nice pool, easy walking trails, and access to a lake that is strangely located outside of the park a few miles down the road. The facilities were nice and the staff memebers werw mostly polite and helpful. I wouldn't recommend the yurts, but then again that's not really my thing to begin with.

The sites are located close to the water with full-hook ups available. Most spots are gravel but depending on lake level some spots now have grass. The better sites have their own covered picnic tables. Some sites have tree with shade closer spot to the water do not any trees or picnic tables. There is store on site however the nearest gas station is a few miles out. There is also mobile home to rent out and they do allow for rent camping. Pets allowed but there is no designated area so must be picked up after. It’s really busy during holiday peak times when we went but it wasn’t as bad as most lakes in the area. Pull through spots are available and some spots are park as you choose. This place isn’t a resort has all amenities but it is right by the water and if you have a boat it’s not a short distance to dock.

Two things I love:

1. It is right by the water
2. The store was pretty well stocked

One thing I didn’t love: Some areas are park as you can fit and not paved or gravel.

Abilene State Park is an interesting park to visit in the middle of Texas. The park is a short drive from the City of Abilene so it receives quite a few visitors on the weekend. During the weekday, you'll find considerably more peace and quiet. 

You can pick up supplies in the city and there is also a small store within the park office with some snacks and souvenirs.

The park has a nice grove of trees scattered around the open spaces and the campsites which can provide sanctuary shade from the summer sun. The campsites have clearings for tents, picnic tables, fire pits and water. There are restrooms nearby which have sinks, toilets and shower, all of which could stand some updating. There's a swimming pool which is often the main attraction of this park. 

When I was planning a visit to the park I thought that it would be nice to be right on the shores of Lake Abilene. However, I discovered that the main park area and campsites are in one area and the access point to the lake is in another area. You actually need to drive outside of the park, down the road and enter into another part of the park. There's a dirt road to access the lakefront and once you are at the lakefront there is a little beach. I guess that this is one reason why so many people appear to prefer hanging out at the swimming pool. 

The arrangement of the facilities is a little strange and many of the facilities could use an update. For this reason I only rate this park 3 out of 5.

General: Approximately 140 sites (plus 12 cabins) spread out all around Hords Creek Lake in two areas: Lakeside Park and Flat Rock Park. According to the map, two of the four gatehouses are closed – not sure if this is a permanent closure (and don’t know if these campsites are also closed). There was no attendant at the gate when we arrived.

Site Quality: Paved/gravel driveways, some are pull-through, some have sewer hookups, and some have 50 amp electric. A bonus for us that we did not know when we reserved is that several sites have screened-in shelters with electricity and a generous-sized concrete picnic table. There are many trees throughout the campground and although we didn’t need the shade when we were there, I imagine it would be nice during the hot summer. There is also a fire ring but there was a strict fire ban when we were there (In fact, there was a large wildfire about 8 miles from the campground and we had been warned to stay ready to evacuate if the wind changed direction).

Bathhouse: There seem to be more than adequate bathhouses located throughout, however, the one closest to our site was small and somewhat inadequate: one shower, one sink, and two toilets. If the campground was completely full, this may pose a problem. There was no hot water, even in the shower and the shower door did not have a latch for privacy. Also, no hooks or shelves, or soap dispensers. Make sure you bring a towel if you do not want to use the air dryer. 

Activities/Amenities: There are several boat ramps, fishing docks, and swimming areas at different points of the lake. There was a nice, covered playground in the Lakeside Park campground. It is a bit of a hike to the dumpsters. 

This was an overnight stay for us as we continued to travel through Texas, but we appreciated some of the amenities offered at this campground

The name is a little bit of a misnomer, because if you are from Texas…camping in Abilene doesn't sound that great.

The park is closer to Buffalo Gap, south of Abilene proper and well off of I-20.

Tent and RV camping options are available as well as yurts and screened shelters. All RV spots have water and electric, and a few spots have sewer.

This is not a place to do hardcore hiking or biking or back country camping. This is a developed park and not super big.

The pros though are easy trails that kids and all levels can hike and bike. The sites are well developed and make for easy camping. In the summer it is extremely hot but the pool is fabulous and you can even rent kayaks/canoes to take on Lake Abilene.

It is a chill campground, a great way to spend a long weekend in the summer hitting the pool and cruising around on your bike. A place you can let your kids roam free and explore.