Best Glamping near Big Thicket National Preserve

This park is a great option for those looking for a spot not too far from Houston, but less busy than other parks such as Huntsville State Park, etc. that are a little closer to Houston. It’s also a nice option for those wanting to visit Big Thicket, but seeking a less primative camping experience (the Big Thicket National Preserve has primitive camping only).

Most of the campsites have enough trees to set up a hammock. If you get there while the office is open, they will give you the choice of picking your own campsite (of those still available).

Canoe and kayak rentals are dirt cheap. You might see an alligator while canoeing, but per the park workers they don’t bother people.

Bring bug spray! Especially in the hotter months.

This is one of my top favorite State Parks in Texas. It a bonus that it's reasonably close to home.

This may very well be the cheapest lakefront real estate in Texas. You simply cannot beat $15/night right on the water! Very quiet, and never crowded (in November). Decent cell signal, and great reception on my Transistor/Weather radio.

Its a classic east Texas state park. The restrooms arent hotel quality but they are for sure better than a hole in the ground. The park itself is pretty and situated on a lake, providing scenic trails and water craft activities

Thia camp ground is owned and managed by Texas Parks and Wildlife. It is well maintained and kept. The RV camp sites are plenty big and the tent sites are big enough to pitch the large multi person cabin tents. The fishing is a amazing and the store is cool.

We stayed in a tent at site 124. It was crazy windy when we were setting up our tent. This part of the park was really windy for two of the three days, but we still had a great time. Typical, nice Texas State Park. Nice sites. Enjoyed the hiking on wide trails. They did not rent canoes or kayaks because of the winds.

Ok it's August it Texas so it was hot and the mosquitos were in full force. We knew that was. coming so we were prepared. The fishing was great and this State Park is one of those hidden gems. There was no crowd, it was like we had the whole place to ourselves. the deer walked by every night and the fireflies put on a show.

Lake Livingston State Park is one of our regular visits. During the school year it is hard to head out on a Friday, drive 2-3 hours and then setup in the dark for a weekend camping trip. Lake Livingston is just over an hour from our house and has lots to offer. They recently rebuilt one of the camping loops to where now this is one of the few state parks in Texas that have Full Hookups. Not all loops have Full Hookups but a couple do.

Like most state parks in Texas the sites here are large and offer a lot of shade. Each site will have a table and a fire ring. There are tons of hiking trails and geocaches throughout the park. It is also close to shops in town so that if you forget something you are only about 15 minutes from a Walmart. There is a shop on site that has most of the essentials.

We have stayed here several times with family, some in tents and some in pop up trailers. The bathrooms are old, Texas is supposed to be getting new bathrooms in all state park facilities but had not gotten to this one as of our last visit. Park is larger, best to do with bikes if possible. Limited lake access but good fishing spots abound. Tower to climb, trails to hike, firewood to burn...

Lake Livingston State Park is a fantastic state park for water activities. The fishing, boating, canoeing, kayaking and paddle boarding is all fantastic.

Campsites: The sites were all well maintained with the best spots being in Piney Shores & Red Oak. We were in spot #69. It had a great view but lacked in flat playing space for young children and hammock trees.

Trails: There were a few trails in the park, none of which were all that long. The main Trinity Trace Trail was flat dirt, good for young bikers. Though trails are short, they connect so you could do a few trails for a longer run/hike if you so desired.

Bathrooms: Each campground loop has one bathroom and shower. They can be a bit of a walk if you don’t have a close site. They appear to be older but maintained and cleaned well enough.

Park Specific Activities: Getting on the water was awesome, it’s the largest lake in Texas, so lots to explore. Fishing was fantastic. We caught bass, perch and catfish and lots of them! Getting in the lake left some to be desired. The bottom has many large rocks, tree stumps and is very mossy. Swimming can be fun but a little dangerous and slippery. The duck pond and frog pond are nothing to get excited about. We saw no birds in the bird blind and the frog pond is so small you almost can’t see it. We did hear a frog though.

Other: Connected to the park store they had a small educational space for young kids with a functioning beehive. The kids (ages 2-6) loved it. The park store is not open Mondays and Tuesdays. Kayak, canoe and paddle board rentals were only Thursday to Sunday 8:30-3:30. $10-20/rental. The pool was not functioning when we went in August 2018. They have a small amphitheater and near by a room available for rent which can have 50 guests. It was air conditioned and had nice hardwood floors.

In Summary: We would absolutely recommend it for water activities and relaxation. It’s a beautiful spot! We wouldn’t recommend it for just birding or hiking but the park as a whole is great.

Everything about this place is amazing

Went for the weekend last month now we are coming back for the whole month of October! Very clean maintained small campgrounds! Bathrooms fair enough for low traffic and close enough for convenience. Although everything was amazing clean restrooms and showers we wish it was more clear where the showers were they were not on the map trying to find them at night was interesting

This campground has been a favorite of ours for a few years. The large pine trees are picturesque against the backdrop of the reservoir. There are plenty of trails and lots of opportunities for fishing, even without using the paddle trails. I would recommend for anyone looking for a relaxing weekend close not too far from the greater houston area.

Stayed at site 333. Wonderful experience with the family. Lots to do and pet friendly.

We have passed this place several times on trips to other places and finally decided to check it out the first of Nov. We rented a small rustic shelter / cabin. Essentially a slab walls roof with a heater and ac. It did also have a picnic table inside. It was actually perfect for my family of 3. This park was very quiet and was abundant with wildlife. We seen dear, armadillo, racoon, and a fox all close to our site. There were many trails to hike and the park a tally spans two sides of the highway be sure to explore both. This was a great camp for us and we will definitely visit again.

Park was very clean, staff was friendly, and the trails were well kept

The park is big and wherever you go is really nice with great things to see and nice hike trails bathrooms clean. Great park

My new favorite park. The variety of trees is so beautiful. There’s huge magnolias , pines , maples and of course the bald cypress trees in the water are amazing. Some of the sites are huge, our pad was a little tight but we managed to angle in so we could still be on solid ground and pull out the slide out. The loop we were in does not have a bathroom but in my opinion was the best in the park. The trails are really nice and the kids had a great time scaring each other in the dark (it was really dark!!)

What a pleasant surprise. This hidden gem is gorgeous. Camped in site 102 along the water. Neat, clean, well-maintained. Staff were very helpful. Wish I could stay longer.

This is my home park. Camped here last weekend. Always enjoy it . Staff very friendly and bathrooms are always clean. Come give it a visit you won’t be disappointed.