Best Tent Camping near Brackettville, TX

Tent campers visiting the Brackettville area can access several established campgrounds within driving distance, including Rio Frio at Garner State Park and The Camping Spot. Garner State Park, located near Concan along the Frio River, offers numerous tent sites with varying levels of shade and proximity to the water. The Camping Spot provides a more primitive tent camping experience with opportunities for both drive-in and walk-in tent sites in a natural setting.

Most tent campgrounds near Brackettville feature basic amenities such as picnic tables and fire rings, though availability varies by location. Garner State Park provides drinking water, showers, and restroom facilities for tent campers, while more primitive sites like The Camping Spot may require campers to bring their own water supply. Sites at Garner are typically set on packed dirt or gravel surfaces with some offering shade from oak trees. Walk-in tent sites are available at several locations, providing more seclusion for backcountry camping enthusiasts who prefer to carry their gear a short distance from parking areas.

The tent camping experience in this region offers access to clear rivers, hiking trails, and stargazing opportunities. Garner State Park features multiple hiking trails accessible directly from tent camping areas, with some sites positioned close enough to the Frio River that campers can easily walk to swimming areas. A visitor commented that "the balance of sun and shade is perfect" at Rio Frio campsites. The Camping Spot provides a more secluded backcountry tent camping experience where wildlife viewing is common. According to one review, the property is "chocked so full of wildlife we could hear the deer breathing next to our tent as the sun was coming up." Summer months bring larger crowds to the popular river areas, so spring and fall offer more solitude for tent campers seeking quieter backcountry experiences.

Best Tent Sites Near Brackettville, Texas (4)

    1. The Camping Spot

    2 Reviews
    Uvalde, TX
    23 miles

    $40 - $100 / night

    "We really wanted to be far from everything we knew, we wanted it to be beautiful, we wanted to get away from the city and close to the stars, we found “the camping spot”. Ms."

    2. Rio Frio — Garner State Park

    36 Reviews
    Concan, TX
    44 miles
    Website
    +1 (830) 232-6132

    $15 - $26 / night

    "This site was 2 sites away from a wide road to the river. We took our kayak down this path on wheels (would’ve been a hassle without the kayak carrier)."

    "This site was located 2 sites away from a wide road to the river. We took our kayak down this path on wheels (would’ve been a hassle without the kayak carrier)."

    3. Rock Quarry — Amistad National Recreation Area

    1 Review
    Amistad National Recreation Area, TX
    40 miles
    Website
    +1 (830) 775-7491

    "Also hiking trails. Visitor Center worth checking out too. Some camp sites are very private. Clean and well maintained as I’d expect from a national land site."

    4. Concan Adventure Trails

    1 Review
    Concan, TX
    45 miles
    Website
    +1 (830) 333-4488
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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Brackettville, TX

11 Photos of 4 Brackettville Campgrounds


Tent Camping Reviews near Brackettville, TX

133 Reviews of 4 Brackettville Campgrounds


  • P
    May. 18, 2021

    San Pedro Campground — Amistad National Recreation Area

    Quiet and cheap

    Just $6 ($3/night with senior or access pass). Only one other camper during our stay. Dry camping only. Vault toilets. Nice covered picnic tables and grills. No ground fires allowed. No dump station (but free dump station 4 miles away at devils river day use)

  • Alexandra
    Jul. 16, 2021

    Rio Frio — Garner State Park

    Great campsite with awesome starry nights

    This site was 2 sites away from a wide road to the river. We took our kayak down this path on wheels (would’ve been a hassle without the kayak carrier). The site also has a narrow game trail to the water. The bathroom is a short hike away through the shortcut up the nearby hill. Slept with our rain fly off and saw beautiful stars. Truly wonderful. Would come back here if it wasn’t for the river being too low to really kayak in (at least for our 2-person kayak). Campsite has a picnic table, lantern pole, one tree that provided a bit of shade, and water on the other side of the driveway. Would highly recommend hiking crystal cave at the park!

  • M
    Jun. 8, 2020

    San Pedro Campground — Amistad National Recreation Area

    Decent Place to Stay at the Lake

    We stayed two nights on our way south to Big Bend National Park. Because it was winter we were not interested in the lake (it was cold) but we appreciated the ample space between each campsite. We had a covered picnic table and fire ring.  Overwise there is no water, sewer or electric.  They do have vault toilets conveniently located throughout the campground.  It's a self-serve place. We just paid our $6 fee at the entry kiosk and that was it.  There was quite a bit of traffic in and around the campground as it appeared some people stay quite awhile.

  • Napunani
    Mar. 29, 2021

    Kickapoo Cavern State Park Campground

    Camp With the Bats

    This park is a great escape to disconnect, view the DARK SKY and witness Mexican free-tailed bat emergence! Park campground is 25 miles after the turn off of US90. We stayed Friday and Saturday nights in mid-March. Few bats emerged during our stay; much better emergence in April as experienced in previous visits to Stuart Cave. 

    Pros:

    • Excellent DARK SKY campground

    • Stuart Cave bat emergence nightly from a very nice viewing deck

    • Small park

    • Extremely quiet park during March Spring Break

    • Good campsite privacy due to good brush coverage

    • Most sites had a nice distance from neighbor sites

    • Clean campsite

    • Picnic table in good condition, especially eating surface

    • Our site had aluminum picnic table on a concrete slab under a metal shelter; not all sites had metal shelter

    • Clean restroom/shower facility

    •  Campsite hook-ups in good condition.

    • Level gravel campsite.  

    • Pedestal BBQ grill, fire pit with grilling grate, double hook lantern pole and aluminum picnic table at each site.   

    • Park roadways in good condition. 

    • Park Ranger patrolled campground numerous times throughout day/evening 

    Cons:

    • No AT&T signal; no park WIFI, so completely without phone service and no public phone available for emergerncies. Had to drive outside of Park about 3 miles for AT&T signal.

    • County burn ban prohibited wood campfires and ban posted on Park’s website. Park Ranger stopped by our campsite to tell us to put out our campfire, but we showed him it was a propane firebowl.

    • Limited shade in campsites

    • Must pack out all personally generated trash. Absolutely NO dumpsters; no garbage cans in park

    • No campground host

    •.  No entrance gate locked at night

    • One and only restroom used by entire Park, so campers and day users. Women’s restroom had 2 toilets, 2 sinks and one shower stall

    • Women’s restroom lacked consistent supply of TP and wall dispenser soap• Wildlife sightings limited to squirrels and armadillos

    • No park store, so come prepared with all necessary supplies as Brackettville is closest small town which is 25 miles away with only a grocery store and couple fuel stations. Ulvade and Del Rio have the typical box stores.

  • Alexandra
    Jul. 15, 2021

    Rio Frio — Garner State Park

    Rio Frio 460

    This site was located 2 sites away from a wide road to the river. We took our kayak down this path on wheels (would’ve been a hassle without the kayak carrier). The site also has a narrow game trail to the water. The bathroom is a short hike away through the shortcut up the nearby hill. Slept with our rain fly off and saw beautiful stars. Truly wonderful. Would come back here if it wasn’t for the river being too low to really kayak in (at least for our 2-person kayak). Campsite has a picnic table, lantern pile, one tree that provided a bit of shade, and water on the other side of the driveway.

  • Shari  G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jan. 31, 2021

    San Pedro Campground — Amistad National Recreation Area

    $6 a night...a real steal for this place!

    Just 5 miles outside of Del Rio, Texas lies the limestone lined Amistad Reservoir which gathers the waters of the Rio Grande river on its journey to the gulf. Amistad means friendship, and as a dam project, was co-sponsored by the US and Mexico.  This park is a confluence of three distinct ecosystems, which makes the flora extra special.

    There are many developed campgrounds throughout the Recreation Area, the San Pedro campground has a few sites that offer more privacy away from the main campground, and dozens in the larger, more open area.  Each is set up with a grill, picnic table and shade shelter. A large group campsite is available for reservation, but not during COVID. There are no electrical hook-ups (bring your solar!), and no water available at this campground.  Pit toilets were clean and hopefully they'll fix the lock on the doors soon (in the meantime, just use a stick).  Whaddya want for 6 bucks a night?  The stay limit is 2 weeks, and the rangers do check.

    San Pedro is further away from the water than some of the other camping areas, but it was quiet, comfortable and lovely. Since the Verizon signal was super strong we were able to get a ton of things accomplished while also squeezing in some hikes, bikes, paddles, and runs. There are a few trails around, but lots of quiet dirt roads to stay active.  The boat launch was a short 2 mile drive away. And of course the crystal blue lake offers everything from swimming, fishing, paddling, and powerboating.

    Del Rio is one of the larger cities along the border between Loredo and El Paso, so there really isn't much you can't get in town just a short drive away. We even got some work done on our truck and were able to just bike back to the campground whiel it was in the shop.  Drinking water can be filled at the Diablo East Campground dump station, about 4 miles away for no charge, and of course the town is full of water filling kiosks like all southern desert towns.

  • Denise V.
    Jul. 28, 2022

    Camp Riverview

    The Frio Is Still Flowing

    Type of Park: Private- book with them through Campspot. 

    Check In: 2 pm for RV sites, 4 pm for cabins Check Out: 12 pm

    • 🚻 Restrooms
    • 🚿 Showers
    • 📶 Wifi(did not use)
    • 🧺 Laundry facility
    • 🐕 Off-leash dog park
    • 🛒 Store has RV supplies, necessities, few groceries, souvenirs, ice
    • 🚶🏻‍♀️ Trails
    • 🌊 Water access- Frio was very low but still had some water from the springs
    • 🏚 Cabins
    • 🦌 Wildlife: Scarlet Tanager, bats, woodpeckers
    • 📆 Nightly activities- mostly geared towards kids Volleyball, tetherball, gaga ball, horseshoes, playground
    • 📡 AT&T had good signal. Verizon was non-existent
    • 👩🏻‍💼 Staff was friendly and helpful 
    • Can bring golf carts or rent them here 
    • Recycling bins for cans
    • ❗ Note: CP 3 is directly across from the dumpsters, but has a good shade tree

    📋 Site#CP 06, Central Park 

    Premium site, Central Park sites have a patio area looking toward the river with pergola top

    • 🔙 Back In
    • 🅿 Site Pad: Raised in the back to be level(watch small children), river rock base, level, long enough for camper and truck when unhitched, wide enough for another vehicle
    • 💧 Water- low to the ground so hose and filter come off to the side along the ground
    • ⚡ Electric max 50 amp
    • 💩 Sewer connection in good condition
    • 🔥 Fire Ring- but in a burn ban 
    • Picnic Table: wooden with metal legs 
    • Close to restrooms/showers 
    • Shade in the afternoon 
    • Full sun in the mornings 
    • A little green space between the next campsite and lower campsites 
    • Next to a road that leads to lower level and river- so a little extra traffic(but no campers on the front side of camper)

    In the Area:

    🛒 Several small stores, tube/kayak rentals

    🍽🍺 Bar& grills on the way to and in Leakey(15 minutes) 

    Garner State Park is very close- a Texas Parks Pass is very handy

  • Shari  G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Mar. 9, 2021

    Governors Landing Campground — Amistad National Recreation Area

    Nice Campground, but Loud Traffic

    This small campground sits high above the banks of the Amistad Reservoir, but unfortunately, a little too close to HWY 90. The campsites enjoy a stunning view of the Chihuahuan Desert landscape and the water. The sites are spacious with lots of room for bigger rigs, and enjoy a shade structure over the picnic table area. 

    With potable water and clean pit toilets this campsite is worth the inexpensive fee.  Bring your solar panel because there are no electrical hookups.  With water recreation opportunities just a stone’s throw away, the boat launch is just below the campground, you can escape the heat of the day. There are just a few hiking trails nearby for more land-based recreation. 

    We spent just one night at the campground and it was an easy drive in and park situation. But we found the numerous trucks along the highway a little disruptive of our sleep starting around 4 am, when they begin to hit the road. There are other campgrounds along the Amistad Reservoir that are not as impacted by the road, and they are definitely worth a look. 

    The city of Del Rio, TX is a short drive away where you can get anything, including a Starbuck’s coffee – which has become, for us, the indicator of modern suburbia. Be sure to check out some of the amazing Mexican Food of this well-integrated, bi-lingual, boarder town.

  • Jacob  W.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 4, 2020

    Spur 406 Campground — Amistad National Recreation Area

    On the far side of Amistad

    My son and I tent camped at Spur 406 at Lake Amistad circa 2010 when the lake was high before the drought of 2011 and the low lake levels afterward. Simple campground with several sites. Great place near Highway 90 to camp. There wasn’t anyone else camping there that night. It’s on the opposite side of the lake from Del Rio and it gets very dark. There were lots of stars. We went wading in the lake at night where the old highway enters the lake and it’s easy to walk in the water or swim there farther out. The next day we caught a yellow scorpion in a jar and later released it. Good times. There was a simple bathroom. The sites have grills and maybe metal shade structures and picnic tables. There are no RV hook-ups but the road and sites might be conducive to RVs and trailers. The spur is a good 2-lane paved road but I don’t remember how big all the sites are. Per 2020 official website, camping fee was $6/night. Great place.


Guide to Brackettville

Brackettville's surrounding area offers tent camping opportunities within the semi-arid landscape of southwest Texas. Located approximately 30 miles from the Mexican border at an elevation of around 1,100 feet, this region experiences hot summers with temperatures frequently exceeding 95°F and mild winters. The terrain transitions between scrubland and oak-juniper hills, creating diverse camping conditions within short driving distances.

What to do

Hiking trails: At Rio Frio — Garner State Park, numerous trails provide varying levels of difficulty. "Some of the trails are pretty long and steep, great views. Apparently this fills up like crazy in the summer, but we went in fall and it was fine," notes Harry H. The park's trail system showcases the transition between Edwards Plateau and South Texas Plains ecosystems.

Birding opportunities: The Brackettville region sits within a major migratory pathway. Morning hours at Concan Adventure Trails offer prime bird spotting opportunities, particularly during spring and fall migrations. "Had a blast here can't wait to go back... Wife and I spent the night check things out and definitely bringing the kids/family," reports Eloy V.

Water recreation: During warmer months, the Frio River provides swimming, tubing and fishing opportunities. "We enjoyed the empty but quiet park last winter. It was cold but the long walks warm us up. There was a little leaf colors. We plan to go back this summer," writes Kingrex49 M. about Garner State Park. River depths vary seasonally, with the deepest swimming holes often found at bend points.

What campers like

Privacy between sites: Many tent campers appreciate the spacing at certain campgrounds. At Garner State Park, "the campsites are all far enough apart to have privacy. Hiking trailheads are located close to the campgrounds. Amazing scenery in the fall!" according to Jenna U. Site selection can significantly impact the camping experience, with perimeter sites typically offering more seclusion.

River access: The proximity to water ranks highly among camper reviews. "Pretty Area. About 100 yards from the river. The river is beautiful. Camp sites were clean. Too packed for my taste, but its a popular spot," reports Jerod S. about his experience at Rio Frio. The Frio River maintains cooler temperatures even during summer due to its spring-fed nature.

Wildlife encounters: The natural habitat around The Camping Spot provides opportunities to observe native Texas wildlife. One reviewer noted the property is "chocked so full of wildlife" that at sunrise they "could hear the deer breathing next to our tent." The private location limits light pollution, making wildlife observation more common during early morning and evening hours.

What you should know

Limited connectivity: Cell service is non-existent in many camping areas near Brackettville. According to Red S. at Garner State Park, "There is absolutely no Wi-Fi signal. No TV signal, no telephone signal... So just be aware that you won't have any of this, so bring books and a lot of DVD's." Emergency communications may require driving to higher elevations or back toward town.

Water availability: Most primitive tent sites require bringing your own water supply. The limestone terrain means natural water sources may be seasonal or unsafe for drinking without treatment. Always plan water needs based on summer temperatures that regularly exceed 95°F.

Advanced reservations essential: The best tent camping near Brackettville, Texas fills quickly, especially in peak seasons. As Yasmin S. notes about Garner State Park: "Has endless trails to hike. Home like vibe and stay. Has a store and even dances in summer... Book ahead, most often booked out!!" Reservations typically open 6 months in advance for peak summer dates.

Tips for camping with families

Campsite selection for kids: When tent camping with children near Brackettville, look for sites with natural boundaries. At Rock Quarry — Amistad National Recreation Area, "Some camp sites are very private. Clean and well maintained as I'd expect from a national land site," reports Harry H. Sites near bathroom facilities but away from high-traffic areas provide the best balance for families with young children.

Multi-day planning: For longer stays, consider access to basic supplies. "Not for the unprepared, town is not close!" warns Charles M. about The Camping Spot. Families should plan all meals in advance as the nearest grocery stores may be 30-45 minutes away from many camping locations.

Weather considerations: Summer heat affects family camping experiences significantly. Autumn F. shares about Garner State Park: "We have tent camped at Garner 8 times over the last 3 or 4 years... we actually prefer to camp in the new sites, because you can easily get a spot that is right off the river by just a quick walk, and the bathrooms are newer." River access becomes essential for keeping cool during summer daytime temperatures.

Tips from RVers

Seasonal considerations: RVers find the best tent camping near Brackettville from October through April when temperatures moderate. Peter T. notes about Garner State Park, "From the months of July through August, Garner hosts multiple events and a nightly dance at the dance hall... During the summer months, the campsites get reserved up fairly quickly so maybe a week in advance will do." The shoulder seasons provide more availability and comfortable temperatures for tent camping.

Site limitations: The terrain around Brackettville can challenge vehicle access. Charles M. advises about The Camping Spot: "I wouldn't recommend driving a car out there, you're going to need some clearance getting through rugged dirt roads, for the most part it's very groomed." Many designated tent sites have parking limitations that require high-clearance vehicles or short walks from parking areas.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Brackettville, TX?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Brackettville, TX is The Camping Spot with a 5-star rating from 2 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Brackettville, TX?

TheDyrt.com has all 4 tent camping locations near Brackettville, TX, with real photos and reviews from campers.