Best Tent Camping near Bastrop, TX

Tent Camping Reviews near Bastrop, TX

559 Reviews of 16 Bastrop Campgrounds

• 

  Hannah B.

  Guide

  Nov. 27, 2017

  Lake Somerville State Park Nails Creek Unit Campground

  Reserve Campsite 34!

  Had a great night camping at Lake Somerville SP-Nails Creek. It was really quite with only 2 other sites occupied. Lots of coyotes and owls calling throughout the night. The site was not too far from the bathroom and had great privacy. Didn’t use the horse corral, but each site has 1-2.

  Tested out our klymit static v2 sleeping pads and LOVED them. It was a bit cold as hadn’t thought to bring an extra blanket and slept without the rain fly—but not too bad.

  Tried the Backpackers Pantry Pad Thai and Mountain Home Biscuits and Gravy and all were terrific.

• 

  Napunani

  Legend

  Jan. 24, 2022

  Lake Bastrop North Shore Park

  10 Site Campground w/1 for Host

  Reserved 157 days prior to arrival. 

  PRO 

  Site 65 area on trailer door side extra large. 

  Wide open view of Lake Bastrop. 

  Small park with 10 campsites and one is for the camp host. 

  Campsite had a picnic table that could be moved! 

  Campsite had smoker grill, charcoal grill and grilling grate on fire ring. 

  Campsite lantern post. 

  Asphalt pad surrounded by crushed granite. I

  ndividual room toilet, sink and shower. 

  Trash barrels at every other campsite. 

  Lots of birds. 

  CON

  $6 reservation fee for self-reserved via website. 

  Campsites are being reutilized for GLAT units. 

  Site 65 campsite asphalt pad slopes towards lake causing difficulties to level front to back. 

  Absolutely NO shade site 65. 

  No privacy from site-to-site. 

  Site 65 sewer connection was inches from next site's picnic table! 

  Not dark sky friendly. Nice view of power plant especially at night. Large strings of lights at 5 permanent Airstream sites burning overnight, even when unoccupied. Illuminated the entire campground! 

  4 private toilet/shower rooms for 15 campsites and 10 GLAT units. There were lines of people waiting...

  No camp host.

  No wildlife sightings.

  Some highway noise and approach pattern to Austin IAP.

  No firewood for sale.

  2 bar AT&T.

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• 

  Steve & Ashley G.

  Legend

  Jun. 16, 2019

  Buescher State Park Campground

  Nice Fishing Spot

  Buescher State Park is about 40 miles outside of Austin and a short drive from Bastrop Texas. The park is great for campers who like to fish. The 25 acre park lake offers some great shoreline and kayak or canoe fishing. You can rent a canoe or bring your own. You can use the boat launch or enter the lake from the Lakeview Campsite. The campsite have flat concrete pads for campers and RVs. The sites have good tree cover and a nice level of privacy which can be rare at state sites. They have all the facilities you need from group recreation facilities to new cabins on the lake. The campground was less than half full in June. They have a tackle loaner site and a small camp store.

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• 

  Troy W.

  Legend

  May. 2, 2018

  Pace Bend Park - Lake Travis

  Pace Bend Park + Lake Travis

  Pace Bend Park is conveniently located a short distance from the city of Austin and on the shores of Lake Travis. The park is managed by the Travis County Parks Department. The entrance fee is $10 per car and the campsites are all first come first served. There are almost always campsites available, but the best campsites do get taken early. On the east side of the park there is easy beach access to the lakeshore and water. On the west side of the park there are a number of coves. Access to the water is possible by scrambling over and down rocks to the waters edge. Many people cliff jump off the cove cliffs, but be sure to test the depth of the water before jumping. Many people get injured every year jumping off the cliffs. Some of the campsites have developed pads to set up your tent. Other campsites just have clearing to set up your tent. There are ample trees available for hammock hanging. Because the park is located so close to the city many people visit the park for day use. The day time crowd can be a bit overwhelming and loud at times. At night the atmosphere generally calms down a bit. Many of the campsites have picnic tables and some have grills. A few have fire rings for campfires, but the park is removing many of the rings. Depending on the time of the year and the dryness, there is often a county fire banned in the area and park. My favorite campsites are along the west side of the park and the coves (N. Gracey Cove).

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• 

  Denise V.

  Ranger

  Feb. 25, 2022

  Bastrop State Park Campground

  Last Minute Trip

  The weather and the calendar aligned and there happened to be an open spot, so I took it, loaded up and headed out. 

  Length of Stay: 2 Nights

  Type of Park: State 

  Check In: 2p Check Out: 12p

  💲 Cost per night$25+$5 entry fee per person per day 
  Discounts: Texas Parks Pass Total Cost$25

  📝 Site#24 Notes:

  Pull Thru
  Water
  Max amp: 50 
  Sewer
  Grill
  Fire Ring w/Grate
  Hook for hanging lantern or other items
  Picnic Table: concrete Site Pad: level, asphalt, long enough for truck and trailer and extra space

  👍🏻 Pros:
  • Full hookups
  • Overlooking hillside
  • No one was camping on one side of me
  • A little shade in the afternoon
  • A couple tall Loblolly Pines still stand at this site

  👎🏻 Cons:
  • Because so many of the trees are missing, you hear more of the road noise from Highway 21 and 95
  • No privacy between spots
  • Spot is barely off main road

  📝 Park Notes:
  • Restrooms
  • Showers
  • Dump Station
  • Munzees and Geocaches in the Park
  • Trails- some are pretty challenging, steep
  • Pool
  • Pavilion
  • Cabins
  • Structures built by CCC(Civilian Conservation Corps)
  • When you enter Bastrop or Buescher, You can drive or bike between the parks(11 miles@ 30 mph max), but I would not tow/drive an RV.

  🐦 Wildlife:
  • Birds: Woodpeckers, Cardinals, Bluejays, Mockingbirds, Misc small birds

  💜 Highlights of this trip:
  • Drove around this park and to Buescher State Park
  • Made a run through Buc-ee's
  •🍕 Neighbors Kitchen& Yard- I definitely recommend the Pepperoni Rolls and the Prickly Pear Margarita! Great view overlooking the Colorado River. Live music sometimes.
  • Camping alone
  • Glad I went when I did. The very next day, a "controlled" burn got out of control and burned over 800 acres!

  More info at my blog: https://www.denisevajdak.com/2022/01/mlk-weekend-camping.html

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• 

  Crystal C.

  Legend

  Apr. 9, 2019

  McKinney Falls State Park Campground

  Retreat Just 15 Minutes From Downtown Austin

  With summer rapidly approaching for Texas I wanted to cruise down to Austin before the heat waves made it a bit unbearable. In doing so I elected to check out McKinney Falls Park. I will say that going into my stay I had only seen a couple of videos about the park which were less than descriptive as to what to expect from the park. Typically I would pine over reviews in advance but this time I decided to instead let the park surprise me and report the full initial reaction.

  I did not book in advance, something I would not advise you to do unless it is winter season at the park. When I arrived there were only 2 campsites left on a Thursday just after noon. Needless to say this park fills quickly when the weather is pleasant. These two sites were literally only available for a single night as the campground was fully booked for the weekend.

  I can see why quickly from pulling into the park why it is so popular, the grounds are well maintained, the wildflowers are in bloom making for a wonderful retreat for some amazing hiking and a scenic area for family photos and being only 15 minutes from downtown Austin easily makes this the best retreat away from the city for those wanting a quick weekend get away.

  When selecting a campsite I often times like to find an area near the restroom without being directly across from them, having access to this amenity can be useful however proximity to avoid cross traffic is key when using a large campground. This location has restrooms scattered through the various loops with a centralized shower house. Our site was site 69, it backed up to one of the restrooms on our loop and actually had a small private path to the facility which made it unique from other sites and very convenient.

  While the spring has brought in recent rains, the site was a it more overgrown than I would have liked considering this area is noted for a variety of snakes, however the tent pad and picnic area itself was cleared so with hesitation we went ahead and set up our overnight home.

  The tent pad was a right pebble base, this made sleeping in just a sleeping bag impossible. We had to pad the base with several layers due to the sharp texture of the rocks below. I noticed later when packing the tent we also ended with a small tear at the lip of the tent because of these rocks. I would advise on this surface potentially laying a tarp barrier before placing your tent fo this reason.

  Sites were standardly equipped with a picnic table and fire ring. Our site had both water and electricity, which actually were quite handy considering we were having some charging issues with my in car charger. This particular site was located directly beside the camp host.

  We used the site as a basecamp for exploring the city in the evening and the following morning before checking out of the park we took a drive to the showers and explored the park fully. The showers had pretty hard water and lower pressure than some but definitely got the job done for bringing us back to life from the muggy day, nearly 75% humidity.

  We visited both the upper and lower falls areas as well as the wildflower field. I can easily see after visiting these just why the park stays so busy! The beauty is astounding, but more so the water offers a retreat for those looking to take a dip in the cool flowing pools. While both were down from normal account, we still saw many people diving in and enjoying the day. Others fished along the banks, hiked the many trails surrounding the waters and enjoyed picnics in the designated areas.

  My friend wade into the water to see what it felt like and it was still a bit cool for her liking at this time of April, but give it a couple months and that cool temp would be more than welcomed!

  All in All despite the few small areas for improvement I couldn't see this park being anything less than a 5! The quality of experience when we visited with not impaired by the numerous guests and though it could change later in the season, for early April when the wildflowers bloomed wild, the waters flowed cool and the camping was not in intolerable heat it was a win!

  Tips:

  • Book in advance any time other than Winter.

  • Bring sunscreen there is little shade near the falls so you will want to protect yourself. In the brief time I was out there I got a little burned on my neck and shoulders.

  • Bring drinks, we stopped in the Check In Station and there were only a handful of drinks and supplies. I would suggest bringing a water filter or bringing a cooler of drinks for your visit.

  • Beware of snakes and spiders. On our stay we noticed an influx of spiders, while we personally did not see a snake some others were saying they had seen them basking near the banks and on some of the trails. Always be aware!!

  • Remember do not pull vehicles into the grass, keep all cars in designated drive areas. Each campsite has a parking area for you to use, if you need additional parking there is more parking near restrooms.

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• 

  Troy W.

  Legend

  Jul. 1, 2018

  Lake Bastrop North Shore Park

  Lake Bastrop + Family Activities + Lake Life

  This campground is located a short distance away from the city of Austin, Texas. The park is managed by the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA). At the entrance there is an office where you can pay your admission fee and it has a small store where you can pick up supplies. If you arrive late, there is an after hour station to pay your fee which accepts cash or a credit card.

  This park has car and RV campsites. There are no primitive sites. There is a campground called the Lake Bastrop North Shore Park located 15 minutes away with primitive sites.

  The campsites are all very similar. There is an area to park your car and it will fit a small or midsize RV. There are water and electrical hook-ups which make it very convenient. There are typically plenty of trees for shade. Each site has a picnic table for dining, a grill for outdoor cooking, a pole to hang food or trash and there is a fire ring for a campfire. Of course they also have pad sites where you can place a tent. The pad sites will fit anywhere from a two man tent up to an eight man tent. In addition to the campsites there are a number of small cabins which can hold up to four people. The cabins have some basic amenities and the restrooms are nearby. Most of the campsites and cabins are only a short walk to the lake shore where you can catch a sweet view of Lake Bastrop.

  There is limited hiking with one trail that runs along the lakeshore for about 6 miles. The main attraction of this park is living the lake life. Near the campsites one can launch a canoe or kayak. But there is also a boat ramp and boat dock where you can launch larger sized watercraft. If you don’t have your own watercraft you can rent a canoe or kayak from the office and pick it up near the boat dock. It is possible to fish from a boat or the shore. There are a number of community spaces which are great for picnicking. There is a sand volleyball court. And there’s a special area of the lake that has been roped-off and is designated for swimming.

  I think that the only possible downside about this park might be that there are always lots of families and energetic kids running around. If you’re seeking peace and quiet this might not be your place. If you are seeking some fun activities, this place is great.

  I think that the Lake Bastrop South Shore Park is a 5 star campground for all of the facilities, amenities and considering that the staff are friendly.

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• 

  Denise V.

  Ranger

  Nov. 10, 2021

  Colorado Landing RV & Mobile Home Park

  Nice Quiet Park not far from Fairgrounds

  • Water

  • 20/30/50 amp

  • Sewer

  • Extended Cable TV

  • Grill

  • Picnic Table (each one hand-painted with different design)

  • Site Pad: Gravel, level

  👍🏻 Pros:

  • Pull-thru sites closest to the Colorado River

  👎🏻 Cons:• No direct access to get into the river. It drops off too much.

  • The back portion of the site got a lot of afternoon sun

  📝 Park Notes:

  • Dump Station

  • Wifi

  • Propane sold onsite per pound. Site pickup/dropoff

  • Swimming Pool

  • Community Center with Laundry facility(1 washer/ 1 dryer), kitchen, showers/bathroom with kitchen, games, TV, shower

  • Pets on leash, big dog park

  • Each site had it's own trash can

  🐦 Wildlife:

  • Birds

  • Deer

  • Squirrels

  For more info and a video see https://www.denisevajdak.com/2021/10/colorado-landing-rv-park.html

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• 

  Steve & Ashley G.

  Legend

  Nov. 1, 2019

  Berry Springs Park & Preserve

  Hidden gem near Austin

  Nice park and campground very near Georgetown, Texas. Berry Springs is a local county park and preserve. The Park is located just north of Georgetown Texas about 1 mile off Interstate 35 the main highway between Dallas and Austin. It’s a Great location with loads of open space. They have basic sites with covered picnic tables, fire rings, and hooks for hanging items. The former ranch has a lot of history dating back to the Texas Pioneer days. The park is located next to clear spring fed river for swimming and fishing. This may be a great option for those looking for a location close to Austin or a local family weekend. The camp was nearly empty in October this year which is the peak season for camping in Texas. The sites are best suited for tent camper, vans, and smaller trailers.

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