Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Childress, TX

This is my favorite place to camp in Texas, second only to BiBe (though I haven’t been to Palo Duro yet). A truly beautiful site. We hiked out at 11pm and the moon was so bright we almost didn’t need headlamps. Lots of bison poop, and lots of coyote howling. The sites were pretty spread out, and the central area had a decent pit toilet. Completely surrounded by red rocks - loved it. Close access to some of the park’s major trails, and an easy hike out to the site.

I took my daughters out since we had a four day weekend. It took a little over 4 hours to reach. Check-in was easy since they assign you to a spot before you get there. We were placed in Lake Theo. The first complaint is you don't park anywhere near your site. You have to cart your gear about 1000 feet. I didn't see anything on the website about this. Next, we were placed in spot 9. This is possibly the worst spot they have. It is a very narrow space right on the trail to the toilet. Given these two things, we had people walking right by our heads while we tried to get to sleep. Finally, there are no dumpsters anywhere near the sight.

On the plus side, the views are amazing as is the history. We had a lot of fun exploring the canyon and dry creeks. We did see a bison roaming around and the night sky was spectacular. We wanted to see the bats, but it's a five mile hike surrounded by private land. The closest town with anything resembling civilization is Childress, so make sure you stock up there before heading in.

The Rolling Plains has been home to my family for a long long time and it’s always wonderful to be back. Copper Breaks is a beautiful, wild place perfectly managed by Texas Parks and Wildlife. A light touch all around with simple, compact campgrounds to keep a small footprint on the terrain. This is a place where campsites are best used to live out of... not in.

TPW has done a great job keeping light to a minimum. If you don’t like the dark or need a bunch of exterior lights on your camper, please choose another site. There are no street lamps, no canopy lights and thankfully most campers respect the dark here and keep the blinds pulled and exterior lights off. Still... bring your red flashlights and take a hike to see the best views.

The trails are great day or night. Winter or summer. Use your feet, horse or your MTB to explore the backcountry and there is even primitive camping on some of the trials. Beware of snakes and although they are very rare, I would keep your little ones in sight as cats are very very occasionally seen in the Rolling Plains.

The little museum is great and I don’t just say that because my great grandfather’s photo hangs there.

The tent sites are decently spaced and occupy the low areas to serve as wind blocks. The Comanche RV site sits up on a ridge with a greater than 180 degree view of the night sky.

This brings us to why you should really be here. Though the trails are beautiful and the terrain rough and untamed... it’s the skies that draw people here. With the Comanche Springs observatory just around the corner and the dark sky designation... the views here in the after hours are simply astounding. Stars, planets, satellites and shooting stars galore. Set your calendar for the next new moon and head out west for a show you won’t forget.

The park has a free roaming bison herd (ancestral to the original bison that once roamed Texas in the 1800's) and a large prairie dog colony. They have hiking trails for all levels. Campsites are not stacked on top of one another, so there's a bit of privacy. Lots of different camping areas depending if you want to tent, backpack or RV. The scenery is different than we'd experienced prior, but it's a breathtaking beauty. Our girls, 5 and 7, begged to have a few extra days at the park. We cannot wait to get back in the fall to do more hiking! Also, we took a day trip on the Texas Plains Trail up to Amarillo, to Cadillac Ranch and ended up at Palo Duro State Park for their TEXAS! show. It was a big day, but a great way to see more of the region.

This is a beautiful, undervalued State Park In Texas. I spent only one night here on my way to another TX State Park. It was fantastic!! This park has great facilities, spacious campsites and talk about animals. Bison & Prarie Dogs are the tow most popular animals at the park. Very unique to any park that I have visited in TX. The canyon views are spectacular as is the hiking in the park. I'm a photographer and got some beautiful Sunset and Sunrise photos. The park personnel were great and very helpful in pointing out some of he best photo opportunities in the park.

Caprock Canyons not only looks like it fell out of a John Wayne classic but is also home to the Texas State Bison Herd! The Bison roam free throughout the park so keep an eye out for them when you’re exploring. There are also prairie dogs everywhere! Enjoy them! They’re funny and cool. You can hike around or into the canyon and both are AWESOME! The sites were good sizes and most had shade in the RV loop. One of the cleanest bathrooms I’ve used in a state park was here as well! There is plenty of history within the park as well as ranger programs and wildlife. Seriously worth the drIve!

Caprock Canyon South Prong primitive camping area

The Caprock Canyon South Prong primitive camping site is about a 1 mile hike from the South Prong Tent camping area and the trailhead.

You’ll hike up and down some ravines and up a hill to reach it. If you’re able to camp at this site you’ll be rewarded with great views of the mountains and the valley. The red rock formations in this park are amazing.

I highly recommend hiking the Upper South Prong trail to the Fern Cave and then returning via the Haynes Ridge Overlook Trail.

Other highlights at this park include watching the prairie dogs and bison roam freely on the plains.

The only downside for this park is that to see some of the attractions you might need to drive because they are located far apart. The bison tend to gather on the open plains. The prairie dogs are located near the Honey Flat campground. Both of these attractions are far from the South Prong Camping Area. 

This park is located in the panhandle of Texas so it’s likely that you will have to drive a long distance to reach this park. if you would like to breakup the drive consider stopping over in Abilene to grab a bite to eat, see the worlds largest buffalo skull, or see the worlds largest paper airplane.

Facilities and surrounding area were real nice. Just a one nighter but took the dog on a long hike.

We stayed one night on our road but the park is worth to stay longer. You also camp with bisons and prairie dogs.

great place to hike, lots of bison and prairie dogs to see and great view while hiking. just be careful on the hikes some rocks are unstable and narrow walk ways.

Located in Briscoe County, TX, this park is over 15,000 acres and the third largest state park in Texas. There is hiking, biking, and an equestrian rail trail extending through three counties. The canyons and ridges, carved out by erosion, are beautiful. The area is home to sheep, deer, coyotes, opossums, raccoons, bobcats, foxes, porcupines, prairie dogs, over 175 various birds, golden eagles, numerous snakes and lizards. The animal that stands out is the plains bison herd. There is also Lake Theo here, which has bass, catfish and rainbow trout. Temperatures average from 19F to 91F. There are cabins for rent and camping sites. Great staff and clean bathrooms. It was very windy and hot in May. Advisories were to have plenty of water on hand at all times. We stopped here on our way back from a trip and wished we could have camped there after seeing the area. They were all booked, so we just napped in hammocks by the water. We awoke to the awesome sight of bison coming down to the lake to drink. It does not get any better than this park.

Checkin was so easy and super friendly. The campsites are very spacious and well kept. The most magnificent part are the views and there’s a scenic route you can drive… just beautiful! The prairie dogs are super cute and entertaining as well as the magnificence of the wild bison roaming about.

Clean, quiet, cozy. Stayed 5 nights. You can hear owls and coyotes at night. A great hiking/mountain biking park. Buffaloes are easy to find in the park. There is a prairie dog town close to the camping area. I have knee trouble, and my wife uses a power chair. We still loved our stay.

This campground is absolutely beautiful, and was excruciatingly hot. Given I was there one of the warmest days of the year. But no breeze, little shade.

The views are amazing and it's easy to get checked in. My dog loved hiking early hours when the sun just peeked up. Tons of views and wildlife.

We preferred the less modern camping areas to the ones that have water and electric available. The more primitive sites were more isolated and offered better views of the park. There are toilets available at all campgrounds except for the hike in sites. Each camp site offers a type of shading, tables, and fire pits. This area is subject to burn bans early in the camping season that generally last through the summer and into the fall. Dogs are welcome and are permitted to access the trails. There is a wild bison herd within the park boundaries, you can also view prairie dogs. Hiking and mountain biking are available, although I believe the trails are more appropriate for hiking and trail running rather than MTB. Not far from the park is an old rails to trails trail which allows for some interesting features. The local town is very small and does not offer much for shopping, try to have everything you need before getting into the area because it is very isolated.

So many options for camping here- tent only, walk in, RV, numerous campground areas! We stopped enroute to Palo Duro State Park for lunch and decided to have a look around. Lots of prairie dogs to see and we even saw a bison. We did a cool little hike which was great. We wished we had mountain bikes to check out their trails.

Caprock Canyons provides an excellent opportunity to see Bison wandering about pretty freely! There are also plenty of prairie dogs to keep you amused. I love the way each campsite is shielded from the others by space and natural trees and scrub.

We only stayed one night, but we are so glad we did! Beautiful canyons, many opportunities to climb, bike and swim.

I spend a couple days here, camping in a primitive / hike-in site, and hiking during the day. It’s a very cool park and a must-visit for anyone in the DFW area since it’s an easy weekend trip. The primitive sites could be farther apart - they were close enough that I frequently unintentionally distracted the neighbors dog. That was the only downside though. Nice park, great staff, and beautiful landscape.

I’ve camped here by myself for 8 years as a small single female. always felt absolutely safe. the park rangers are really on it. they keep track of everyone on the trail and make sure you’ve got enough water.

some of these trails are particularly difficult in terms of drastic elevation change in a short time. the trails can be a bit tricky to follow and after significant rains parts of the trails can be washed out on the backside of the south prong/canyon rim trail.

I usually camp in the south prong primitive tent camping area. there a “primitive bathroom” which is fine. if you camp up closer to the showers there are a ton more people and children.

best to camp here in the fall and even winter. I try to shoot for day lights savings weekends. then it’s not too hot or cold but it can be brutal in the summer. if you’re prepared for it and you can rent camp during a good storm though, it’s pretty awesome.

dogs welcome. watch out for the buffalo. they are not to be messed with. they will jack you up, especially the pack of single bulls haha for obvious reasons. but give them a wide birth and don’t let your dogs bark at them and you should be ok.

Easily one of the most exciting and wonderful sites I've stayed at. Although I had to cut my visit short (combination of uncooperative dog and being underprepared for the weather), I genuinely enjoyed my time at this site and would strongly recommend it to anyone seeking to immerse themselves in such a striking and beautiful environment.

The distance from the parking area to the campsites - even 65, which I believe is the farthest away - is a short walk on level terrain. It was no problem for me to make a few quick trips to the car to grab my supplies.

Each site has a lovely little shelter area with a picnic table, a fire pit, and a grill. My shelter had a number of screws and nails left by previous campers and served as an excellent place to hang a trash bag, a lantern, and my clothesline. Perhaps the only complaint I had about 65 was trying to figure out which section of flattened ground was designated for my use and which belonged to site 64.

As for the area, it's a short walk to the composting toilets (a pair, designated male/female). Each toilet has a boot scraper out front, hand sanitizer and toilet paper inside, and enough standing room to comfortably bring a dog or young child into the bathroom should you need to keep an eye on them.

At least in 65, there's a decent amount of space between the nearby 63 and 64 campsites, although they are within line of sight if that bothers you. Only one other group was camping at this area at the time I was there, and while I could occasionally hear their chatter, it was unobtrusive and actually kind of reassuring to hear other people in the vicinity.

All sorts of wildlife roam free across the entire park, and this area is no exception. It is surreal and awe inspiring to watch the Bison wander through the sites in this area as they migrate through the park, and I also observed deer and a coyote during my stay.

All in all, this was a great park and an excellent campsite, and I hope to come back when I'm better prepared and I teach my dog to stop challenging Bison.

• Burn Ban in Effect - No firewood or charcoal - Only Propane
• Night sky is awesome
• If you are expecting shade…forget it
• Bison roam free and they are bigger than you
• Horse flies are everywhere and according to my wife they do like gray leggings
• Watch out for critters, large and small
• Watch where you step..land mines (Bison poop is everywhere)
• Fishing at Lake Theo - No license needed
• Really nice park store
• Ranger led Bat Tours in the summer

We went with some friends who also pulled their camper. We picked Sites #22 and #24 because they were connected and the kids could roam between the two sites. The park has a lot of wildlife…in addition to the Bison and the Prairie Dogs we saw Road Runners, Jack Rabbits, Horned Lizards. If you are a first time visitor going hiking in the summer, plan and heed the warnings of the park rangers. The park has very limited cell service (AT&T works better than Verizon) and canyon floor is much warmer than up top. We hiked early in the mornings and the kids were awed by the red rock and the quartz. After sunset it is very comfortable outside and the night sky will leave you breathless. Quitaque is the closest town 3 miles away and has a gas station. Amarillo is a hour away and we went for a day trip taking TX 207 N through Mackenzie Lake. It is a scenic drive. We stopped at the Cadillac Ranch, had lunch at Tyler's BBQ and made a trip to Palo Duro Canyon State Park to watch "TEXAS". Next time we pull a camper, I will definitely carry a tent and go primitive for a couple of nights. Also, take a telescope if you own one. You won't regret it.

My family stayed in the Caprock Canyon state park Honey Flats loop. Stunning views of the canyon are within a short walk from the campground. The paved pad at our site was level, and there was also a sheltered picnic table at the site. All sites were very spacious and felt private. A herd of bison along with their calves wandered through our campsite in the morning. We also spotted tons of prairie dogs, a coyote, a road runner, and rabbits. The playground was just okay, and the showers were unavailable when we visited due to plumbing problems, but the hiking and mountain biking trails along with the wildlife made it one of the best campgrounds we’ve stayed at.

We’ve stayed at Honey Flats a couple of times over the past year and it’s worth a stop if you’re in the area and have never been. The Buffalo herd and prairie dog town are big hits with the kids and there’s good hiking trails in the canyon. Cell service is basically non-existent for both Verizon and AT&T. Honey Flats is a basic state park campground with power and water and pretty decent spacing between sites. If you visit in late Spring, the weather in this part of the state can get dicey in a hurry, we experienced several hail storms and wild thunderstorms in the few days we’ve spent at the park in the month of May.

Campgrounds are modern with electricity, water, tables, and facilities nearby. The park is subject to being under a burn ban for a significant portion of the year. I forgot my shoes (this sounds crazy but it happens when you pack for five people and a dog), I really recommend having shoes at this campground. There are a lot of biting bugs and the trails are not easy to hike in flip flops. Trails are listed as being accessible for mountain biking, however they are not necessarily maintained for mountain biking. There is also a swimming area which makes the kids very happy.

Copper breaks is acknowledged as an International Dark Sky Park meaning that stargazing is spectacular. Kids can also catch fireflies, which are abundant in the evening and after dark.