Best RV Parks & Resorts near Big Thicket National Preserve, TX

If you are a full tie RVer you have probably heard of the Escapees. The Escapees is the largest mail forwarding service and the clyb caters to full time RVers. Livingston TX is their main Headquarters, they do have 2 other semi Headquarters in FL and SD. If you are a full timer you now you need a domicile address and a mailing address for many things, this is how we do it. They have over 17,000 subscribers to their mail forwarding service, we are one of them. We stopped by this July to get our domicile done, vehicle registration, drivers license, voter registration etc. It was hot we will not come back in July again.

The campground is split into 2 main areas. They have a lot of deeded lots for you to buy which has houses, motor homes, park trailer or just roof for your RV. They have long term areas, overnighter, short long term, weekly or daily. You do not need to be a member of the Escapees to camp here, but we hear in the winter it does get full.

Camping full hook ups, electric and water, or just dry camping. They have just got some new internet on the area we were camping in and it was good enough to stream. They have a pool, clb house, activity center, 2 laundries, meeting rooms and a lot to do even in the summer. Most site are fairly level most gravel but do have some concrete pads. If it wasn't so hot I am sure we would have enjoyed it even more. One nice thing is they have a care center, areas that you can set up your RV and if you have something wrong with you they will help you out, take you to Drs, provide meals, help you. This is nice for us older folks that we worry about what happens if we need long stay for treatments and we have no home base.

TLDR:  Dirty, overpriced, bait n switch offerings, NOT an RV Resort.

This was the most disappointing RV park I've ever been to. It is marketed and priced as an "RV resort"....It is not. We had a good time because we had good company but this place was the butt of a joke...We went for Memorial Day weekend. (A holiday weekend) The kids couldn't play in the grass because it was so tall. One of the permanent campers (there are many permanent RVs) came by and asked if we wanted to borrow a mower..not kidding. It was sweet of him to offer, but we paid $73/night!  Just yikes.

We were also warned not to go down to the beach area because it was destroyed by waves and there were water snakes everywhere.  We were taken aback at the overall "resort" and could only laugh at how absurd it was lol.

The pool was packed with locals (It was a holiday weekend though, so I'll give them that one).  The lady at the check in was super rude and was put out by us checking in. Overall, I would NEVER come back here. We camp at expensive places and state parks and everything in between. I've never written a bad review for a campsite, because I've never found a place that was this terrible. Had it been priced accordingly, I would've been ok with it, but this is NOT a resort and shouldn't be a resort price! Yikes.

There was more that I'm probably forgetting...but some other highlights: The splash pad didnt work. The kiddos said the playground was gross and sketchily creaking.  There is no clubhouse. Oh, also, the infinity pool pictured on the website is 100% not the same pool that is there.  There are many other campsites on the lake...go to any other one!

PICS SHOW THINGS FROM THEIR WEBSITE THAT DON'T EXIST OR ARE VERY MISREPRESENTED...In short...Book something else. I hope they get their act together, but their website is bait n switch.

This is really now the Lufkin KOA Journey. I'll try to get the name changed for this listing. This RV park is one of the nicest we've seen. We arrived here on a Saturday and we plan to leave to go further south the following Saturday. The pads appear to be newly poured concrete. All very level. The hookups are in good working order. This is a very clean RV park.

These are full hook up sites only no tent sites

Sandy Creek ACE, TX: To Do: Great location to visit the Big Thicket National Preserve. Boat launch is in the park. Fishing. Gorgeous sunsets.

(Scale 1- bad, 5-Very good

(71 yr olds in 17’ trailer. )

Overall Rating: 3.5. Great price, large sites , but showers need updating and better water heaters.
Price 2023: $9 w interagency pass. Not a lot of privacy in most sites. Security: No Usage during visit: 1/3 full on Saturday. Site Privacy: No shrubbery between sites Site Spacing: Most sites have great spacing Site surface: Blacktop Reservations: Yes Campground Noise: Very quiet Road Noise: No public roads nearby Through Traffic in campground: None Electric Hookup: Yes Sewer Hookup: No Dump Station: Yes Potable Water Available: At sites Bathroom: Flush toilets. Clean, but in major need of updating. Showers: Yes. Common dressing area - needs updating. Water heated not adequate every morning. Pull Throughs: Some Cell Service (AT&T): 3 bars Setting: Sites are in what is mostly a pine forest.
Recent Weather: Cool. Typical for this time of year I am told Host: At entrance Rig Size: Largest of rigs are accommodated Sites: 32 has great shade. 51 and 35 doorside towards trees as opposed to another trailer.v

We had a wedding to attend in the area and Woodsy Hollow worked out well. Nice and quite with a small lake. It seems on the left side of the campground is for long term sites so make sure you pick a site on the right side as you drive in. Check-in was quick and easy and the lady checking us in was super nice.

ATT service was good.

We loved this campground. Stayed one night on our way to Houston. Then We stayed one more night on our way back home. Site 18 was pretty level and had full hook ups. The campground overall was really very quiet and peaceful. Was approx 2 miles off highway 59. Had a great playground area for kids and we loved walking down to the lake. The lady running the office was super kind and very helpful. If we ever get back to this area again we will be sure to stay for more than one night.

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.

Nice campground with nice amenities, but i think it's really too geared towards RVs and daily use. I'd call it an RV park more than a campground

You have your standard sites, but they're all powered and hookups so whatever you get is going to have an RV near you.

There are your standard table and fire rings, but you also have decent bathrooms (with some vault toilets mixed in for surprises) and showers...

Great location if you want to use the boat ramps and head out onto the water.

This camp ground pretty much checks every box for us. There’s full hook ups for a low price. The sites are spaced apart with lots of trees. The trails are wide and well kept. The lake is huge. There’s even “self service” kayak rentals. And a swing set and slide built well enough for adults! We were here in February and it was maybe half full or less. Very quiet. Dog friendly. Mild weather. Really nice place!

There is a “board walk trail” that is quite literally a board walk through the forest. It’s just a 1 mile loop and has a few benches and attractions, and this would be an excellent handicap option. It was a beautiful walk, even in the winter.

We love this state park and it's one of our favorites! This was our third time camping here in the Piney Shores Loop. We arrived on Memorial Day for four nights with reservations made 54 days prior. We weren’t loving Piney Shores#52 back-in campsite much due to: Steep drop-off of the concert pad and the narrow roadway making backing in challenging, but not impossible for our 27ft trailer.  Any larger rigs might not be able to swing it.

The dirt area around the picnic table, fire pit and lantern pole was a huge MUD hole! What a mess due to daily rains. 

No concrete pad under the picnic table, so your feet were in the MUD hole! HINT– Park Maintenance needs to apply some medium size gravel around the table and fire pit. 

Picnic table (chained to the ground) and fire pit were right next to each other. WHO DESIGNS THESES CAMPSITES?? 

Power interruptions, albeit short. Very glad we had our power surge protector. 

We loved: 

Very level concrete pad requiring no additional leveling efforts. 

Huge campsite along the lakefront with access to launch kayak/canoe or even swim(which we didn’t). 

Gorgeous sunsets over the lake. It was wonderful to sit at the fire facing the lake and watch the sunsets. 

The squirrels that ate from our fingertips! It was also really amusing to find the squirrels VERY friendly. They just hoped up onto our laps and took peanuts in the shell from our fingertips! 

Super quiet as only 6 full hook up campsites were occupied due to COVID operating restrictions.

We enjoyed Christmas in this quiet park, kinda chilly and pretty deserted. As per normal for RV parks, WiFi sucks but cell signal was adequate (fairly strong with WeBoost) close proximity to shops and restaurants (loved Tia Juanitas Fish camp). Walks, bike tracks, river for kayaking all add to enjoyment.

For those who have showered in an RV, let me say that the high pressure, hot shower is great. Nicely maintained public facilities were great. Level campsites (some look a tad shorter than most) Friendly staff. We did find 7 nights a bit long, but we will be back in the future

There are only around 9 full hookup sites and they are very close together in the group camping section. Very little privacy. All waterfront sites are nice and big, but no utilities. One section of the campground has a lot of private RV sites but only water and electric. There are 3 restrooms but only one has shower facilities. The group camp restrooms do not have showers even though the campground map indicates showers.

The sites with utilities are paved, and most slope, so need those levelers. All sites have fire rings and covered picnic tables.

Beautiful lake views and a boat ramp. Good fishing from shore. Lots of woods and birds. We saw a couple of eagles.

All the RV pads are nice concrete pads, with ample space between sites. Piney Shores is the best loop with full hookups and nice view of the lake.

There are only 43 sites at this park, but most have no hookups. Only 9 full hookups, which is what I prefer if staying more than a couple days. The FHU sites are really close together and not private at all. Our picnic table and fire ring were at our neighbors sewer connection. The water and electric sites are more spacious and private, but some were a long way from the restrooms. There are many beautiful sites at waterfront, but that is all dry camping.

The sites are all paved, and all seem pretty sloped, so make sure you have levelers. All picnic tables have shade covers, and most sites have good shade. The grounds are well kept and the park very quiet and tidy. If you like to fish, there are plenty of spots for shore fishing. There is also a boat ramp. The lake is clean and beautiful, also huge.

There is only one hiking trail, but it is not paved and seemed a bit overgrown so we did not hike it for fear of encountering a snake.

This is a nice park, but not a “do over” for us because of the lack of space and privacy at the full hookup sites. Also you can hear some road noise at times, which is really a distraction, especially if you are a person who enjoys the peacefulness of a nature setting.

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.

If you like quiet, fishing, and trees this campground is for you. Full hookups, friendly staff, laundry, and showers.

This is a cool site. They have plenty of full hookups available. Pavilions and buildings for gathering to enjoy jam sessions, whether playing or listening. Kids love dancing to the music. Wifi available, too.

Jake from the Dyrt here! Enjoy the small town feel with full hookups and a river and an ATV Park nearby.  Check them out and leave a review about your stay on the Dyrt!