Looking for the best tent campgrounds near Bowie? Find the best information on tent camping near Bowie, including sites, reviews, and tips for getting the most out of your camping experience. Would you prefer a quiet dispersed site or an established camgpround with amenities? Either way, The Dyrt makes it easy to find the perfect place to pitch your tent.
Located on the north shore of the 35-acre Black Creek Lake, Black Creek Recreation Area has a picnic area and boat launch facility. The area also has walk-in camping sites available.
The U.S. Forest Service conducts controlled burns in the National Forests and Grasslands in Texas from early spring to summer. Maps for planned burns and completed burns may be viewed on the Fire Information page. Knowing where the burned areas are before visiting the forest may be helpful in planning an enjoyable outing.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/texas/home/?cid=STELPRDB5355005
Located south of Cottonwood Lake along FS Road 900, TADRA Point Trailhead is at the confluence of the five loops that comprise the 75-mile LBJ Multi-Use Trail System. The trailhead was constructed through the volunteer efforts of local equestrian groups and is used throughout the year as headquarters for various non-commercial group events, including equestrian endurance rides.
It's about a 2-mile hike to campgrounds. These sites do not have water, restrooms nearby, fire rings or grills. Sites are only reservable at park headquarters. You must arrive during office hours and at least two hours before dusk to purchase a permit.
$10 / night
ScoutAbsolutely no tent camping. Read this.... NO TENT camping.
Legend
A few times a year, the City of Jacksboro opens its arms to an influx of campers and schools from around the state eager to see one of the unique reinactments at the historic location of Fort Richardson.
While you can visit during other times of the year, these times make for some of the most popular and thus most busy camping experiences.
7 different types of campsites are available including group sites, equestrian sites, full hook up and primitive sites for RV and tent campers. Sites range from $10-$25 depending on the area and amenities.
For someone like myself who prefers primitive tent camping or less amenities I found $10 tent sites were about a 3/4 mile hike in and $20 limited amenity campsites were my best options. The benefits to the $20 North Loop site was pretty obvious in restrooms and typical state park fire rings and picnic tables. Primitive sites include only fire rings and because of their remote location in warmer months can be more of a questionable location as taller grass can Harbor more snakes, specifically in this area Rattlesnakes and Copperheads.
These fees were in addition to standard park admission which is $3 per day for adults. All of these fees are due upon entrance at the entry station where you will be greeted by a park ranger and given a map.
While there is a lake, hiking and areas for horseback riding my focus upon my visit was one of the reinactments events held near Christmas. “Ghosts of Christmas Past” is an event set to showcase the period of the fort days and tell the story of how soldiers spent the time, what it might have been like on those cold winter nights and create a vision of fort life. It was a great educational visit and a great way to see a bit more of the State Park.
With this being a short drive for me from my home, I find this campsite and full facilities to be very exciting to return for other events. Well maintained and with friendly staff it is well worth the trip.
Traveler
Lots of good tent sites both on the water or a short hike to it.
Scout
This is s great campground. Lots of well manicured spaces. Mainly pull though but some back in spots, primitive and tent camping spaces. It has. Great pool, great covered picnic area, horseshoe pit, basketball court and play area. WiFi is better in certain streams. Just ask during registration. There is a seated area at the casino shuttle bus stop. All and all, a nice safe campground.
Scout
Large RV park with many amenities and activities. I tent camped and cooked out the back of the Jeep at a back-in RV site that sure seemed to be the best spot of them all. The site itself was really large with huge old trees for hammocks. We had our own private access to the lake that was secluded by trees at our site. Picnic table and fire ring. The tent only sites was basically a big field with a parking lot nearby. I prefer to park next to my tent since my kitchen is part of the Jeep so the tent only site didn’t work for me.
RangerI tent camped here in December at the Hawthorn campground site 8. One thing I wasn’t expecting was that this was a walk in site. It was about 100 yards from the parking lot to site 8. Kind of a pain when setting up camp but it makes for a very quiet camping experience once you’re done. Water spigots are close by. The bathrooms were really clean and there are hiking and biking trails nearby. Unfortunately I didn’t get to explore the park much but it seems there is lots to do. There is a marina where you can rent boats and a swim beach nearby. I’ll definitely be going back for a longer stay.
Guide
Very well kept area. Two restrooms. Each little camp site has its own picnic table and grill. On a Monday night there was only one person using the lake for fishing and one person camping in the shaded part. There is a little slide. Not very private at most of the tent sites. Although, I did see a fire ring out alone in the grass on the other side of the parking lot but it was in direct sun with no trees or shade nearby. There were two men working on the site. Its also pretty close (12 minute drive) the trails over at the lbj grasslands spot which is where we were staying for the night. We just popped over to black creek lake to check out the day usage and restrooms.
Legend
I know I am a bit biased because I do only tent camping. But I never turn away a good RV park to check out for friends or followers who ask me for advice on their travels. This one is right in my backyard so I wanted to make sure everyone knew it was out there!!
The facility itself has a lot of sites for rigs both small and large. The owners are extremely nice and are very welcoming. As a result of their great attitudes and welcoming demeanor they do have a lot of people who call this place home long term. This place has a sense of community because people are neighbors instead of just all passers through.
It offers a laundry and shower facility mid camp and a propane station just in front of the office on the road toward the community of Sunset. There is another entrance on the opposite side along the highway access road but you will have to pull all the way through the camp to get to the office.
I noticed that for the most part the grounds are even for RVs however there are a few areas where it does dip off a bit. Some of the long term campers do not maintain their rigs to the same standards as the travelers so those areas look a little less kept, but that is very similar to a lot of RV areas which offer long term stay.
There is a store very close, although the camp itself doesn't have one but everything else appears to be in place. There are not as many amenities for the kiddos although there is a small playground here.
The campground host and the easy access to the highway makes this one a good stop when passing though this area, you can easily access it from both sides and it is easy to locate on GPS.
(Photos were taken in July so it is a bit more dry than it is during most months as we have been experiencing a heat wave)
TIPS:
Book ahead of time and take advantage of any specials they might have. They currently are offering a discount on services when you stay a month.
Check out the proximity to the LBJ Grasslands which have hiking, fishing and boating only a short distance from the campground.
Closest chain grocery store is about 8 miles north in Bowie or 7 miles south in Alvord so if you aren't wanting to pull in and then have to leave you might want to get your supply stop in before you arrive.
Legend
I have seen this place a million times living in the community nearby and never thought to check to see if they all tent campers. I was shocked to find out they do accommodate them so I passed through and checked out the grounds and wanted to let people know it exists!
There are two entries at the front of the property each easily accessed from the highway. Though they are gravel they are easy to navigate but do hold a little water in the rain. As you drive into the camp there are 4 main rows of camping, mostly in use by RVs however they do also accommodate tent campers. These sites can be picked up nightly or for more long term use so many people at this park have called this their home for a bit. Despite obvious signs of the long term dwellers, the grounds are clean and well maintained and don't look cluttered like some long term campgrounds will begin to look.
The site offers nice restrooms with showers, a bbq for general use, a rec room perfect for having your breakfast or dinner or perhaps a game of cards with friends and has connections for RVs up to 50 amp as well as a dump station.
For the tent camper sites are wide enough to be comfortable to move around and have scattered picnic tables. The tent camping sites are located on a grassy area next to the pond so they are not squished between big rigs and have a bit more privacy.
This site might not look as elaborate as some, but it more than makes up for the few things you do not have by its friendly staff and on site mechanic.
TIPS:
Call in advance if looking for an RV site, they do have several spaces available but during certain times of the year they do fill up as they are centrally located to many things.
Check out the LBJ Grasslands which are nearby when visiting this location, a great get away for some outdoor activities.
Guide68 year-old solo camper getting ready to travel around the country, car/tent camping primarily. Haven't really camped since 1973, so I drove out to Lake Ray Roberts for a one-night trial for some new gear and knock off the rust.
This was a terrific choice – Hawthorn Area #9, wooded area, 4th on the path from the Hawthorn parking lot to the other nine campsites on this loop (150 steps from campsite to car and restrooms, a little over 100 yards). As most (maybe all) of the campsites here, this was walk-in to the campsite from a common parking lot.
I walked around the rest of this loop and the adjoining one (16-40). Each campsite had a tent pad, picnic table, fire pit and lantern post. Mine was one of the more private in that I couldn't see another picnic table. However, with the trees and in some places tall grass, I would rate most of the sites as private.
The next morning there were about half-dozen deer roaming around the area between my camp and the parking lot. There was only one other car in the parking lot overnight and they camped in one of the other areas. One of the lots (I think it was #13) actually had lake front. Others had views of the water.
Depending on exact location you could see the dam and except for a few hours of the deepest night you could faintly hear the drone of road noise. But the near-full moon lit the area so well I walked to my car about 4:30 in the morning without a light and could see very well – it was really nice and bright.
The Isle du Bois unit is at the far southeast corner of the lake, near the eastern end of the dam. The Hawthorn area is one of the first sites from the entrance, maybe a 5-minute drive.
Legend
When getting ready for summer fun, one of the most simplistic adventures you can go on is a trip to the lake. We loaded up the car on a random Tuesday with intention of hitting the lake and taking some time to sleep under the stars once again as we traveled to Amon G. Carter Lake in North Texas and found Selma Park.
Nestled just outside of Bowie, TX the camping area services both the night camper and also the day use explorer. Facilities offer a boat ramp, camping, swimming pier and beach area as well as fishing areas. Public toilets are located on property that include flush toilets and public showers and throughout the facility are awnings with picnic tables for those using camp facilities. Partial hook ups are available for rvs as well making the campground assessable to adventurers of all kinds.
When we arrived friends were already at the facility and had found a location perfect for our night of camping on a peninsula jutting out into the lake. The area was well maintained and with the exception of a few broken glasses that were present the area was clear. We just made sure to steer clear of these during our stay as the pieces were to small to be picked up.
The camp host drove to our site after we began assembling our tent, as we had missed his location on the way into the facility and made sure to collect our fees for the night. Only $5 for the night on a lake front property is more than reasonable.
Our location was a short drive from the public restrooms that are centralized on the property. Bathrooms were a bit dim but overall served the purpose. Gates to through traffic closed at 10 p.m. in the attempt to keep late night traffic away from the facility and provide additional safety, which was a nice touch for those camping.
There were both shaded sites as well as those more open to the elements. Ours being on the peninsula was more open, great for lakeside views but unfortunately a bit windy at night without additional cover. Still the sites were nice and pleasant and well patrolled.
We enjoyed swimming in the lake, grilling and even a campfire by night at this location, which was not busy on the quiet Tuesday evening.
🐰🐰🐰🐰⚪️
I would give this site 4 of 5 Bunnies for its easy access, variety of campsites and overall conditions of the facilities. The only areas of improvement I could see would be additional maintenance to bathrooms including additional lighting for safety. Otherwise price point was great for a simple outing and will for sure be going back!
GuideWent here for a week and it was okay. If you have a boat or love to fish it’s the perfect place. My tent was right by the water which was great but during the weekend too many kids were getting near my tent and too close to my personal belongings. I still had a good time but I would definitely go again when it’s not so busy
Traveler
If you are looking for a primitive site then this is the spot. If your looking for a camping area set up for tents then you can find it here. I love coming out to LBJ
LegendFacility is nice however is not equipped for tent campers. I called in advance to see if I could camp here and was told at this time it was not offered. They were polite and said it is being considered.
RangerFirst come first serve dispersed, lots of neighbors in a tight space in April. If you know what you're getting into, it's totally fine. We ended up leaving at midnight because of some drunk campers blasting music and pointing spotlights at tents.
Other than that, a pretty cute site. Fairly well-kept with some trails around Black Creek Lake. Great for kids - there's a playground and barefootable grassy areas. A few trees suitable for hammocking.
Legend
This campground on paper is a great idea, plenty of sites and right by the lake. That seems like a great idea, but on a recent trip to Lawton I stopped to check it out for future camping and found that paper was a bit deceiving. I was greeted by a park attendant which let me drive in and check it out. I noticed this person was here most of the day so people could arrive late and still check in accordingly.
Because of its location it is a popular spot for those wanting to launch onto the lake. I don’t have any issue with sharing space, but when people park in the road it becomes a little bit of an issue. I have a small car so if I can barely fit around these parked vehicles I know it would be near impossible for an RV or even a van.
With that being said, I looked around at the sites themselves. They are advertised for their amenities which include electrical hook ups (various types) and water. It appeared they did indeed have these, but they did have any primitive site options for tent campers. While I do like to stay in improved sites it is nice to have the more affordable option for those which do not need or require these services. Many times when I stay in a tent, I have no reason to hook up to any of these services. In addition, there were no pad sites for tents so while they do allow tents the do not make special concessions for them in any way.
I went to check out the facilities which include showers and it seemed to be heavily used though there were not any real campers there I could find nearby. I assume this was from the traffic of those using the ramps. I did not check other restrooms to see if their quality was better than the one by the ramp area.
The setting itself was relatedly flat and though there were some trees, it didn’t seem very shady at all. I can only imagine this makes for quite the hot summer camping.
TIPS:
Legend
I mean, a bad day camping is still better than a good day at work. We stayed in the Walnut camping circle and got site 62. The site was actually pretty nice. It had the most trees over the sites around us, to give us a “in the woods” feel. One thing wasn’t great about the site was the the fire ring is pretty close to the street, and sits in front of the parking bump (this was an rv site). We brought our Bonfire Solo Stove, so we were able to have a fire pit further off the road for a little privacy. Another thing that wasn’t my favorite was a paved walkway came right past the back of our site. People couldn’t really see us, but we could hear them as the walked/talked/yelled down the walkway. The last “con” I have to say it that on the Johnson Branch I didn’t see a store on the map. We didn’t need to buy anything, but other places we’ve been have stores and that’s where we’ve gotten the 411 on good hiking and places to see on the grounds. One of the nice thing was the tree coverage, like I said. We had a lot of trees so we could but up some lights and a slack line for the kids to play on. The tent pad was big enough for a 6 man tent and a four man tent, with room to spare, which was nice. The other nice thing from our site, was that we were about 1/4 mile from a little playground for the kids. The playground wasn’t anything grand, but it broke up the days for the kids some, which as all parents know is a gift.
Guide
We LOVE MW State Park! The lake is awesome and great for fishing and kayaking. We stayed at the Post Oak Campground over Valentine's Weekend 2019. The campsites are really nice and include water, fire ring, picnic table, grill, parking for 2 vehicles, lots of trees. Campsites on the south side of the loop back up to the lake. There is a bathroom (no showers) at one end. Showers are available at other campgrounds within the park. We tucked our tent into the trees and had a very nice time. The first night, we did hear coyotes chattering super close to our tent. There are many trails to hike and several to ride bikes or horses on. Staff at the park are great! The only negative: The Boy Scouts love this campground! Late into our first night, 4 Boy Scout troops rolled in. We were awakened the next morning to lots of kids yelling and 1 even playing a bugle. By the end of the weekend, we knew all the kids names just from hearing them yell to each other.
LegendIn the hot month of July 2020 I loaded up Little Red and headed out to spend several days camping at the Isle Du Bois Unit of Ray Roberts Lake. Located north of the greater DFW Metroplex Isle Du Bois is one of the busiest Texas State Parks in North Texas. Ray Roberts Lake is situated in the Cross Timbers region of Texas as a result there are plenty of big oak trees to provide shade and there is an abundance of wildlife as well. The Isle Du Bois unit features well over 2 miles of concrete hike and bike trails as well as one of the nicest beaches found in North Texas. Isle Du Bois State Park on Ray Roberts Lake is an excellent place to catch a whole lot of fish! A five lane boat ramp means there is very little wait time to launch and recover. No boat? No worries! Isle Du Bois features an excellent fishing pier and plenty of easy to access bank. Come along with me as I explore the Isle Du Bois Unit of Ray Roberts Lake State Park!
Legend
This is mainly an RV site however they do have a few sites for tents. Tents and vans are only $20 per night with full access to amenities. RVs are $35 per night and they do make concessions for long term stay as well.
Something that sets this apart from other locations in the area is it provides a small store for those staying and also access to storage for recreational vehicles. It also has on site propane sales so if you happen to be in an RV you do not have to worry about finding supplies elsewhere.
I enjoy the pool at this stop perhaps the most. It is rare that it is busy despite also allowing non campers to for a small fee swim.
Bathrooms and showers are available in the main building however they also have a clubhouse which can be used for a fee that includes a kitchen which makes it feel like a more complete campground experience.
This is one of the most popular roadside stops in this area because of its amenities.
Tips:
Call ahead for long term camping sites - also available are campers available to rent when available
Each site is metered for long term campers so they will have direct feed to electricity and is pay by the month by the meter
Store here offers a variety of household items as well as food items. If you aren't fully prepared when you arrive this store is very helpful but a little higher than marketstores
Legend
This site is well removed from civilization. I would advise not trying to stay here during summer months because it is very hot and dry but during spring or fall it is a great place to catch a sunset in solitude.
RVs and Tents are welcome however sites are harder to maneuver for rigs because of the roadways. I would recommend a tent for access with more room to spread out. There are no improvements at this facility in way of electricity. RVs are able to park on the large parking area comfortably but getting removed from the heat of the asphalt is a bit difficult at this campground.
Tents can spread out, however the ground is hard packed and so you will want to bring something to give up a little comfort instead of just laying on the ground itself. Air mattress is a great idea but you will for sure want to clear your site before you set up because of the sharp small rocks.
The grounds themselves are in need of a little TLC, the picnic tables haven’t been replaced in some time and are warped. While they can still be used they are not level at all!! Then comes the garbage! I was so upset to come here only to find it looked like someone had a big party and didn’t clean up. There were literally bags of trash scattered everywhere and one site had been tossed with the garbage can thrown toward the water when it was full. There is a large dumpster at the property because it is right next to the boat ramp and it was so full it looked like it had not been emptied in a long time. I was there on a Wednesday, I find it hard to believe that the weekend before had been so busy that it was that full, this lake isn’t that populated.
Camping here is completely free so for someone who has an off grid set up this is ideal, I would suggest staying kind of off the beaten path from the boat ramp area.
This area is known more for their fishing than swimming although you can swim, but there is no beach so you will be hopping into the water from a grassy area. There are two docks which you can fish off of however so this might be more your cup of tea.
Legend
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.
Typically you will find those wanting to camp on this side and those wanting to fish off the shore on the other side which has a gated entrance which is not always open.
This campground 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. A lot of people, depending the on the lakes level will also use this side for swimming.
This site is tent only primitive camping with an honor system at the kiosk for payment. $2 per nIght includes a fIre rIng and pIcnIc table at 14 official sites.
When I have been to thIs locatIon I have noticed a lot of small john boats launchIng especially durIng sprIng. There are birds, squirrels, raccoons and opossums which roam the grounds so I woukd advise against leaving food within reach at night.
During summer rattlesnakes are around in taller grass so avoid unmaintained areas. Most areas are well kept however there are outlying areas and some primitive trails which I would avoid during these times.
As a part of the LBJ Grasslands you will occasionally see someone patrolling the area however it is not as often as a National Park.
A unique marker of LBJ Grasslands is the green gates you will see, if you are entering this area you will notice the green gates and many times cattle guards if you are thinking you are entering this area but do not see one of these you are more than likely in the wrong area and because cell signal can be a little iffy out here this is a great way to have a landmark without access to online directions.
TIPS:
GuideThis is an extremely well maintained TX State Park. They have walk in tent sights near the water with great views and chemical toilet within a reasonable distance . Lake Ray Roberts offers clean water fun with less motorized boat and jet ski activity then other lakes in the area. This is a great place for kayaking and trail hiking they also have a designated beach area for day trippers . Park staff is helpful and well versed on their state park.
LegendRoberts Lake State Park has two main campgrounds, the Isle du Bois unit and Johnson unit. These are what I would call twins. They are very similar in layout, scenery and activities. They are on opposite sides of the lake.
Johnson Branch unit has good camp sites if you have a tent or a camper. There are several walk-in camp sites and several large sites for campers and RV's. The facilities are clean. Make sure that you spend a lot of time in the lake because it gets hot.
TravelerOne of my favorite Texas state parks. Ve RT y nice campground on a lake. But do NOT miss the penitentary. Cliffs forming a prison below used during the civil war. Amazing rock structure with rock climbers.
RangerBig, beautiful Texas State Park. Very clean and nice level camping sites. The beach area was closed due to past flooding and cleaning but all else was open. My rig and I enjoyed site 136 🚐
Scout
BELOW AVERAGE KOA IN sanger/NORTH TEXAS I have a brand new 2020 travel trailer& I stayed at this park for 12 months. Usually the rent and Utility bill was never ready on time especially after Kevin left. Kevin was wonderful but everything went down hill in the las 6 months. The new manager kicked out all of the full timers AKA"the back row group" and kept the favorites on the other side by her camper. She didn't even adhere to the 30 day notice required on KOA SANGER TEXAS website. THE Letter was dated 9-30-20 and I didn't receive until 10-5-2020. The park apparently is dealing with sewer and septic tank problems and had too many residents according to state or local codes. I would not recommend this place except for one or two nights, but why stay here when wal mart parking is free for RV'S IN Gainesville and Denton. Very overpriced/ Glad I left!!
Bowie, Texas, offers a variety of tent camping options that cater to outdoor enthusiasts looking for a peaceful escape in nature.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Bowie, TX?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Bowie, TX is Black Creek Lake NF Campground with a 4.2-star rating from 10 reviews.
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