Best Glamping near College Station, TX

While the camp spots are few, this area gets extra points for its walking/running/biking trails. The park is open 365 days of the year and is first-come, first-serve on sites. Only $10 for the night. Check out the Lakeside Icehouse for events and live music throughout the year. Now the trails: ~20 miles through the trees with well-marked signs to guide you. Maps can be found here: https://brazosvalleymountainbikeassociation.wordpress.com/lake-bryan-trail-maps. Several local triathletes train in open water here as well. Outside of peak concert/event times, this is an ideal area for a quiet getaway.

I’m reviewing the hike in site on the Lake Somerville trail way, entering at the Birch Creek Unit (northern side of the lake). It’s around a three mile hike to the campground area. The hike has a few nice views of the lake and a few nice fields here and there. Once you make it to the camping area, you’ll find an outhouse, some benches, a fire pit and even a little well. Footsteps and a few coyotes can be heard in the evening. The campsite is close to a little meandering river if you’re willing to do a little bit of bushwhacking , just be careful as it’s easy to get turned around. Plus there are probably some crocodiles around, who knows. Anyway, I’d recommend this trail/campground, I didn’t see anyone once I got a few miles in and really enjoyed being close to a little river, plus the wildlife.

• Water

• 20/30 amp(had 50 amp outlet, but only 20& 30 breakers)

• Grill

• Fire Ring with adjustable height grate

• Picnic Table

• Site Pad: asphalt. Site was just long enough for my 24' camper and my truck and not much room between.

👍🏻 Pros:

• Near the water with a trail to get there

• Green space between the site and neighbors

• Good kayaking area

👎🏻 Cons:

• The spot is tight getting in. My 10' high camper had low hanging branches on it(but they were soft, not stiff). Lots of vines/shrubs across from the site, so no extra room there. 

📝 Park Notes:

• Park does not have a gate, so it doesn't close

• Dump Station for each camping loop

• Restrooms/ Bath House

• Boat ramp

• Fishing jetty (pier is closed)

• This campground is better for winter camping. Great buffer from wind and neighbors. Only a handful of sites have direct access to the water.

• Lots of trails

• There are Munzees and Geocaches here

• Group pavilion/kitchen available

• 2 group shelters available

🐦 Wildlife:• Birds: Shore birds, egrets, herons, cardinals, mockingbirds

• Deer

• Raccoons(I saw their tracks, but not the critters)

More info an video at https://www.denisevajdak.com/2021/08/my-birthday-weekend-2021.html

Site 23 was better (stayed in this one twice). Wider, nice view of lake. Not very long, but easier to get into.

We camped here for a long weekend getaway, and wanted to see what a Thousand Trails campground was like.  The campground is huge, and you cannot reserve a specific site.  You drive around and pick a site, then call and let them know which one you're in.  This is fine, but we were looking for a quiet, private site and there are very few of those.  We enjoyed our time here in our full hookup site, but the campground was just too busy for our taste.  There were vehicles constantly driving up and down the road in front of our site, and lots of children running around.  We don't have kids, so this was a little annoying to us.  The campground has a lot of amenities such as swimming pool, lake, playgrounds, etc... that would be fantastic for a family.  We like to camp for the relaxation and serenity of it, and this campground just isn't that type of place.

Lake Conroe is located In a rural setting but close enough to Willis and Conroe services. Spaces are large and the landscape is well managed although I was taken aback by the application of herbicides that we try to avoid. Golf cart traffic was an interesting nuance for us, seems like everyone has one. People that we met were friendly. One couple had an incident where someone had gone into their motorhome and stolen their dog. After highly publicizing it in the campground and alerting them of the measures they were taking to finding their fur baby, the dog mysteriously reappeared back in their motorhome days later. 

We were here in mid August when temps & humidity were high. The lake and pool are well managed and the time and effort put into their property is apparent. The bathrooms, showers and laundry were pristine. 

We camped in site 31 which was nice for view and privacy but when rain came down, the soil from the above sites washed down hill. We were basically sitting in a pool of mud. Our bench was almost unusable due to age and warping. I probably should have but didn't report that to staff. Because of the heat, we spent very little time out there. Although we like to walk, I would recommend they put dumpsters at that lower end of the campground. Aside from these shortcomings, we would return there again.

Well spaced spots.  Fairly level pads with table, fire ring, 30/50 amp electrical, water.  We didn't see any covered tables, but all usable spots had concrete pads for tables.  Like a lot of east-Texas camping areas, LSSP was also devastated by Hurricane Harvey and is still recovering, but don't let that stop you, but instead level-set your expectations.  Sites are well dispersed, but some appear to be no longer in use.  In July 2020, there were very few folks in the park, partly, I'm sure due to Covid-19 and well, its July in Texas!  Typically, and as expected, gnats were really bad at night, but mosquitos were tolerable.  Just be prepared and you'll be fine.  Great kayaking and very little motorized boat traffic, but likely due to current situation.  Trails are numerous, but not well marked.  We didn't see a lot of hog damage on the trails, so maybe the staff has been working on that.  Good amount of wildlife  Equestrian area looked like it was restored and  back-in-business.   Will be returning.  While the Birch Creek and Nails Creek sections are visible across the lake from each other, there is a long drive (15 minutes in a vehicle around the lake) to get between them, so plan your time accordingly.

Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park™ Camp-Resort in Waller, Texas, offers an outstanding blend of family fun and relaxation just 35 miles northwest of Houston. The friendly and clean atmosphere is immediately welcoming, making it an ideal spot for one of the most memorable camping vacations of the year. The park is brimming with activities— from swimming and splashing in the outdoor pools and water playground to experiencing the thrill of water slides or unwinding in the lazy river. There's no shortage of attractions for the whole family to enjoy. With comprehensive facilities, the resort caters to every need, offering a range of accommodations with daily, weekly, and monthly rates.

Regards

James