Lake Whitney offers recreational vehicle camping within 90 minutes of both Dallas and Waco. The reservoir features over 225 miles of shoreline with limestone cliffs and wooded coves at an elevation of 533 feet above sea level. Summer temperatures regularly exceed 95°F from June through August, with cooler camping conditions available in spring and fall.
What to do
River exploration: Access the Paluxy River directly from Dinosaur Valley RV Park where "guests can access the river by following a small trail at one corner of the park by the entrance of DVSP. Our family spent a whole day in the river a minute walk from our camper."
Fossil viewing: Visit Dinosaur Valley RV Park for easy access to dinosaur tracks. "The Paluxy river runs through a few trails and there are Dino tracks. Gorgeous rock face above the River. Bring waterproof shoes or prepare to have wet shoes crossing the River."
Fishing opportunities: Thousand Trails Lake Whitney offers productive fishing spots. "I had to walk about 1/2 mile to get to the water! It was so worth it! Got there just in time to go fishing while there were Sand Bass schooling! I ended up catching 15 and could have caught more but it was getting dark."
What campers like
Shaded sites: North Crest RV Park stands out for its tree cover. "One thing that is missing from many RV Parks are trees and North Crest has many of them to provide wonderful shade. The RV Pad was concrete and level."
Swimming options: Oakdale RV Resort offers an exceptional pool. "The kids had a great time in the expansive pool and enjoyed the snow cone stand across the street. The adult enjoyed the well-stocked pool bar!"
Trail access: Thousand Trails shows hiking potential despite trail maintenance issues. "They show they have many walking trails but they are not well marked. The road in is in need of repair badly. Lots of potholes, so take it slow."
What you should know
Site allocation systems: First-come systems can create challenges at certain parks. "It is first come first serve so no reserving sites even if you have a group. We were kind of disappointed our group of 4 campers couldn't get spots together."
Road conditions: Blue Sky I-35 RV Park offers good internal roads compared to other area campgrounds. "Nice driveway, easy to navigate campground, two dog parks, lots of open land to go roam, pool."
Campfire regulations: Restrictions vary between parks. At Thousand Trails Lake Whitney: "No open fires - only propane or charcoal."
Tips for camping with families
Children's activities: Dinosaur Valley RV Park schedules regular events. "Staff hosts several family friendly activities for guests throughout the day, everyday."
Kid-friendly amenities: The park provides multiple recreation options. "They have separate adult and kids pools + a pretty good playground with great umbrellas for shade at the kids pool, plus a nice little water feature that the kids loved."
Entertainment options: Limited activities at some parks require planning. "This was a very fun experience but they did not have too many things to do. The main thing we did was go fishing because there wasn't much more to do."
Tips from RVers
Site dimensions: American Legion Post 522 RV Park accommodates larger vehicles with its big rig friendly sites featuring full hookups including 50-amp service, water, and sewer connections.
Free breakfast: Blue Sky I-35 RV Park offers a unique perk. "They also offered a free made to order breakfast which was great!! We keep a noise machine in our camper when traveling so the road noise was not a problem for us."
Level conditions: North Crest provides well-maintained spots. "Gravel Sites are mostly level, but park and gravel are new, so there is some settling expected in near term, so minor leveling may be expected. Very nice country setting."
