Tent camping near Alvord, Texas centers around the 20,000-acre Lyndon B. Johnson National Grassland. The area features primarily sandy loam soils with oak-hickory woodlands interspersed with open prairie land. Summer temperatures regularly exceed 95°F between June and September, with winter overnight lows dropping below freezing from December through February. Spring camping offers moderate temperatures along with wildflower displays across the grassland's varied terrain.
What to do
Kayaking and fishing: 15 minutes from Alvord, Black Creek Lake NF Campground offers water recreation options. A camper shared: "There are two areas at Black Creek Lake that you can camp: this side, the improved side with amenities, and the back side, which does not have any amenities... This site has restrooms and a gravel drive to access the grounds. You will find a small playground and picnic tables at this site as well as a public boat launch."
Rock climbing: 40 miles southwest, Lake Mineral Wells State Park offers unique rock formations. A visitor noted: "The rock climbing is so fun to watch! Really unique rocks for Texas. Worth going to this park just to check that out, but then the kayaking is top notch too. I didn't find it, but apparently there's a little creek you can paddle up off the far left side of the lake."
Hiking trail systems: Multiple trail lengths from 2-10 miles throughout the area. At Tadra Point Trailhead & Campground, a camper mentioned: "We enjoyed our overnight stay near the trailhead. We weren't sure about the accessibility to the trailhead road with our 23 foot travel trailer so we opted to stay off road 904, where the horse trailers park, since there were some nice flat spots."
What campers like
Solitude in dispersed camping areas: Throughout Lyndon B. Johnson National Grassland Dispersed Camping, campers appreciate the quiet camping spots. One reviewer shared: "We stumbled upon this dispersed camping area after driving forest service roads for a while. They said that they had been coming to this spot for 30+ years and rarely saw anyone else there."
Lakeside views for sunset watching: Several campgrounds offer direct lake access. A camper at LBJ Grasslands noted: "Once inside you could tell there'd been recent rain but the wet areas were easily avoided. Sites are spacious and we soon found a pretty great vista view from which the spectacular sunset was just a great bonus."
Wildlife viewing opportunities: Multiple reviewers report seeing deer, raccoons, and various birds. In the primitive area of Lake Mineral Wells State Park, a camper shared: "This was the perfect place for my first solo hiking/camping trip! I saw some wildlife- deer, an armadillo, and a rabbit."
What you should know
Facility limitations: Most tent camping areas near Alvord have minimal amenities. A visitor to Tadra Point Trailhead & Campground reported: "The campsites here are pretty primitive. Seems like you can set up just about anywhere. There are two non flushing restroom. Plenty of poles for tying horses and there is water trofts for them but the water looked pretty disgusting."
Cash-only payment systems: Several campgrounds require exact cash for payment. At Black Creek Lake, a $2 per night fee includes basic amenities while Tadra Point requires $10 per car.
Limited privacy between sites: Many established campgrounds feature open layouts. A camper described Tadra Point: "Not a lot of area to get privacy from other campers as the area is pretty open. There are trails that I didn't take to know if there were other areas that you could potentially set up at least a hammock camp at."
Tips for camping with families
Start with shorter hiking trails: Begin with the 2-mile Cross Timbers trail at Lake Mineral Wells. A visitor noted: "We took the designated 'primitive campsites' trail hiking in. The trails were well marked, but pretty overgrown at parts with a TON of spider webs. The next morning we took the Cross Timbers trail back, which despite being a little longer was faster because of how much better maintained it was."
Bring entertainment for kids: Pack games and activities, especially during mid-week stays when fewer families are present. A reviewer at Black Creek Lake observed: "Last time I went was mid-week. The temperature was soaring but a nice breeze off the lake coupled with the shady trees made for a very nice experience. The occasional local popping in for fishing or grilling sorta dampens the 'out-in-the-woods' feel but overall quite nice."
Consider alternatives to primitive camping: For families with young children, Meadowmere Park & Campground offers more amenities. A camper shared: "We really enjoyed this camp space. Peaceful, open, spacious and super nice management and staff. Porta potties were incredibly clean and a main bathroom area featured showers and very clean as well."
Tips from RVers
Check road conditions before arrival: Forest service roads can be challenging after rain. An RVer traveling through the grasslands advised: "Was transiting between central Texas toward Colorado in an off-grid TT and didn't want to venture far off 287 for a comfortable, quiet & safe place to stay for the night. Taking the Trinity exit north off the loop around Decatur and using the navigation to the LBJ Grasslands to Park Rd 904 access was easy (& scenic)."
Consider trailer size limitations: Many sites are not suitable for larger RVs. A visitor to LBJ Grassland Dispersed Camping cautioned: "I would NOT recommend taking any kind of trailer or motorhome down these roads and to this spot. To give you an idea- we drove a Toyota 4Runner and a small utility trailer with a roof top tent on it."
Look for established campgrounds with level sites: Most dispersed areas have uneven terrain. RVers report better experiences at designated campgrounds with more level ground for parking and setup.
