Best Glamping near Bandera, TX

We were I. Town visiting family and stayed on the river side - sit 201. Didn’t get a chance to explore the other side. It was quiet aside from Bandera Rd. noice. It is noticeable, though it didn’t bother us for the short time we were there. Camp sites are spread out but not very private. We chose this side to be near the river. Good fishing spots. The swim/floating area is a bit deep in parts. I wouldn’t want to take little kids swimming there without a life jacket. Definitely bring some tubes (or you can rent). On a Tuesday afternoon the swimming area was very quiet and it was easy to stay distanced from others. I wouldn’t say this is a destination park but it’s perfectly fine place for home base if you’re visiting the area. And it has some nice bonuses for the price: pull through sites and campsite sewage. Also, cabin 6 had two unique features: rope swing and waterside stone picnic table tucked away.

SKYLINE RANCH RV PARK- BANDERA, TX 

Type of Park: Private-owned 

Check In: 12p Check Out: 11a 

Site#33- Pull-Thru

$38 per night for 30 amp 

Discounts: Good Sam 10%, TACO, AAA• 

Water• 20/30 amp• Sewer• Cable TV• Picnic Table• Site Pad: Gravel. Mostly level

👍🏻 Pros:• This site has a couple large Live Oak shade trees• On the end, so the front of the camper has a large area for the"yard"

👎🏻 Cons:• No grill or fire ring• The end of the site drops down a little, so it was hard to back UP the incline on the gravel when hitching up

More info at https://www.denisevajdak.com/2021/04/banderahill-country-trip.html

📝 Park Notes:• Restrooms/ Bath House• Wifi• Propane sold onsite(weekly delivery)• Laundry facility• Park Store• 3 Rec Rooms• Less than 1/2 mile walk to Medina River• Gazebo on trail to river• Walking distance to Wild Horse Saloon•

🐦 Wildlife:• Birds: Several kinds. Heard turkeys, but couldn't spot them• Deer, squirrels

This location is a great find especially in the Texas heat! This use to be a KOA but now an adult resort I really like the changes they are making including some spots will have grill with patio seating. Most spots they have are fully shaded with trees and the area is kept immaculate for the next person arriving. Several RV parks in the area did not offer any shade I cannot imagine the heat especially the day I left it was 100 degrees. There are two wineries in walking distance which are not only convenient for safety but allow no hassle trying to park. There is also a gas station right across the street making filling up east. Another amenity they added is an actual park spot next you site making parking convenient. Lastly, I love animals and the ones within and surrounding were so cute.

Pros Just 3 miles from the popular downtown shopping district 

Level gravel site with mini picnic table and fire ring 

Very nice rally hall, group fire pit and group pavilion 

Very nice and very clean shower and toilet facilities 

Combo code required to access toilets and showers 

Majority of sites are pull thru

$1.50 on-site laundry 

Residential size hot tub 

Small pool 

Volleyball net 

Small Playground 

100% occupancy during our 2 night stay 

Park WiFi 

4 bars Verizon signal 

Cons 

Just an open field. No shade. This is not even a vineyard! 

Very tight check in parking 

Lots and lots of tall speed bumps throughout park 

Small tree between site prevent our awning deployment 

Sites tightly packed together; Our sewer connection was inches from next site’s picnic table! 

Most of the time during our stay in site 80, there was a horrific odor from the sewer lift station 100 ft away 

Not dark sky friendly. 

Street lights and utility pedestal lights. 

Initially assigned site was changed without any notice so our request to be sited away from a street light not honored 

Significant traffic noise from Hwy 87 (even at night) and we were half way down the park Unable to access all 24 cable TV channels; could only connect to 6 channels.

This is an X-State Park that the City of Kerrville assumed operation in 2004. Very popular, nice park, but it’s really beginning to show its heavy use. Bandera Highway splits this park with check-in on the Guadalupe riverside of Bandera Highway. FHU sites in Deer Field Loop, which require a gate access code for access, are a good distance from the next site, with the site across the road are closer. Asphalt parking pad fairly level. Wooden picnic table, metal fire pit with cooking grate. Utility hook-ups in good condition at our campsite. The picnic table is at least 50 feet from the camper parking pad, which is chained to the concrete pad it sits on. Noise from Highway 173 and the approach pattern for the Kerrville Municipal Airport, so lots of low flying aircraft. Otherwise, campers were quiet and respectful. Deer came very close to us while sitting at the fire pit. Toilet/shower facility clean; women had 2 sinks, 2 toilets and 3 showers. There are two washers and two dryers on the backside of the Deer Field Loop toilet/shower facility, but the washer lids were ripped off, but lying there. Easy day trips to Hill Country towns from this park to include Fredericksburg, Austin, New Braunfels and San Antonio. In Kerrville, don’t miss Grape Juice Restaurant, brand new HEB open November 2020, Belks and Gibson’s Store.  Camp Verde General Store and Restaurant is only a 20-minute drive.

Everyone loves Lost Maples State Natural Area, whether you are a RV camper, car camper, backcountry camper or just visiting for the day and day hiking. There's a little something for everyone. 

Perhaps the best time of the year to visit Lost Maples is in the Autumn when the fall foliage is occurring - it is often during the first three weeks of November. However, during fall foliage it can be very difficult to reserve a campsite, so I recommend booking a campsite 6 months in advance. Or do what I did and show up on a really cold weekday when no one else is interested in being outside in 25 degree weather and there will be plenty of space to car camp or backcountry camp.

If you camp at the established drive-up campground there are assigned campsites with space for cars, vans and RVs. At each campsite there is a sunshade shelter, picnic table, lantern pole, water, electricity and campfire pit with a grill. There is also a restroom nearby with sinks, toilets, showers and a water fountain. There is even a little free library where you can take a book to read or leave a book to share. 

If you camp in the backcountry there are designated and marked zones where you just set up your tent. There are no facilities in the backcountry campsites so leave no trace practices should be applied. Near some of the backcountry campsites there are latrines.

The park has well maintained hiking trails that will lead you by pastures, through forest, alongside creeks and up some hills. It is possible to hike the 8 to 10 miles of trails in one day, but it is more fun to go slow and enjoy the sights. There is an East Trail Loop and a West Trail Loop and some spur trails. Pick up a map at the Ranger Station and enjoy the trails. Some of the trails have steep rock ascents which are indicated on the park map.

If you need supplies there is a small store with basics in the nearby town of Vanderpool.

While you are in the area, you may as well stop by Bandera, Texas known as the cowboy capital of the world. It is a small Texas town and every weekend they celebrate cowboy culture with some performances and events.

Nice small campground a bit off the beaten path. Our tent site was surrounded by a low pipe fence. We parked in our designated parking spot (2 vehicles allowed) and had to walk about 30 yards to our site. It wasn’t horrible but the fence meant we couldn’t roll from the car straight there. We had a beautiful view of the lake! I loved the covered table and surrounding pad. Nice fire pit.  I also liked that we saw the sheriff and a host drive through the campground a few times. The bathhouse was functional but poorly maintained. It would have benefited from a daily sweep and counter wipe down at minimum. There was one bathhouse for the whole campground so it is a fairly long walk from the peninsula end to the toilet. A bike would be a good accessory. The boat ramp was closed and gated on our trip we weren’t sure why. This was disappointing because we weren’t able to get our kayaks in the water. I’m not sure if the closure is temporary.