Inks Lake State Park Campground
What a beautiful place
Wow this was one thing f the most beautiful places I’ve been. We walked the trails. We watched the sun come up on devils back bone and it was amazing
184 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Campgrounds near Copperas Cove, Texas range from waterfront RV sites with electric hookups to tent-only lakeside spots, giving campers several practical options depending on their setup. The area features sites like Dana Peak on Stillhouse Hollow Lake and Union Grove Park, both offering waterfront camping with RV hookups and tent sites. Military Park Fort Hood Belton Lake Outdoor Recreation Area provides camping access primarily for military personnel. Most developed campgrounds in the region offer electric hookups and water access, with several accommodating both tent and RV campers.
Road conditions throughout the camping areas generally permit standard vehicle access, with most established sites featuring paved or gravel roads suitable for RVs and passenger vehicles. Summer temperatures frequently exceed 90°F, making spring and fall the most comfortable camping seasons. "We were a little concerned about camping here in July with no shade. The breeze off the lake really helped make the 100 degree days better," noted one Dana Peak visitor. Many campgrounds require reservations, particularly during peak summer months when waterfront sites fill quickly. Cell service varies throughout the region but remains generally accessible near established campgrounds.
Waterfront camping represents a significant draw in the Copperas Cove area, with multiple campgrounds situated on lakes like Belton Lake and Stillhouse Hollow Lake. Campers consistently mention the clear water and shoreline access as highlights. Union Grove Park receives particularly strong reviews for its lakeside setting, with one camper noting "Great visit to Union Grove and Stillhouse hollow lake. Inexpensive, great campsites along the lake. Clean bathrooms. Quiet. Awesome sunrise and sunsets." Most established campgrounds provide basic amenities like picnic tables and fire rings, though shade can be limited at certain sites. Wildlife viewing opportunities include deer sightings at several campgrounds. While the region lacks extensive dispersed camping options, the variety of developed campgrounds provides accessibility for different camping preferences from tent sites to full RV hookups.
"Wonderful time with the family walking the trails enjoying the views"
"This is a nice campground with spacious sites right on the lake with covered picnic tables. The park has many miles of mountain bike and hiking trails."
from $20 - $120 / night
Check Availability"An hour and a half away from Austin, we found Inks Lake to be a quiet and relaxing camp area away from the hustle and bustle of the city. There are several sites set up across the state park."
"It was a small drive from our camp to the devil's waterhole. It was a slippery climb in and out but a beautiful swim with people cliff jumping nearby and a view of some falls."
from $16 - $55 / night
Check Availability"The lake is gorgeous, with wildlife all around. A must stop by and enjoy what central Texas has to offer."
"Asphalt with grass all around. The roads are one way, so it’s a hike to the dumpster. The sites sit on the lake but there is really limited lake access due to the craggy nature of the shore line."
from $24 - $60 / night
Check Availability"We ended up near the entrance with full hookups for our Trailer. The spot are decent didn’t mind the area we were at. My only thing is the area could be better maintained."
"The lake was nice to canoe on and had a beautiful view of the sunset. The bathrooms were to far to walk so we had to drive to them ever time and there were no showers so this was a negative."
from $6 - $18 / night
Check Availability"Beautiful property people are nice and it's close to everything. Owner spoke with me about new washroom old ones are great but new ones sound wonderful."
from $35 - $55 / night
Check Availability"Texas Parks & Wildlife (TPW) goes BIG with this sweet little park! In 2015, a new Visitors Center and 20-site campground were built among the remnants of the old CCC structures."
"Great park (first one in Texas) that has some interesting history. So well maintained. Site 007 has some great shade and a cute feral kitty that comes begging for food."
from $12 - $160 / night
Check Availability"Lake Georgetown is a great destination with very good camping facilities. The campground is very peaceful and the prime spots on the Lake make for some excellent photo ops."
"Close to Austin, Lake Georgetown will never disappoint. The campsites are clean, ours was next to the lake."
from $26 - $48 / night
Check Availability"It is located on Belton Lake. It is a gated entrance and the gates locked at 11:00pm. Our site was situated at the end of the loop and it was very spacious. It had water/electric with a dump station."
"Large sites with ample vehicle parking that offer substantial distance from the neighboring sites give room to bring multiple vehicles or a boat along with the RV. "
from $24 - $30 / night
Check Availability"We had site 1, far away from anyone and couldn't even see the site 2 camper. Peaceful and relaxing with good amenities"
"We were in site #1 off by ourselves, yet had easy access to the bathrooms and laundry facilities. The staff were friendly and responsive to all our questions. Ground was level and roads well kept."
from $40 / night
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Wow this was one thing f the most beautiful places I’ve been. We walked the trails. We watched the sun come up on devils back bone and it was amazing
Nice camping spot. No showers. One restroom in laundry. Hookups are good. Have to pay for decent wifi plan.
Sunset Ranch RV Park in Leander is an absolute gem! From the moment we arrived, we were impressed by how beautiful, peaceful, and well-maintained the property is. The spacious sites provide plenty of room, and the entire park has a welcoming atmosphere that immediately makes you feel at home. One of the standout features is the brand-new bathroom facilities. They are spotless, modern, and thoughtfully designed, making our stay even more comfortable. It's clear that ownership is continually investing in improvements and truly cares about providing a top-notch experience for guests. The staff and management are outstanding—friendly, responsive, and always willing to help. The grounds are impeccably maintained, and the quiet country setting offers the perfect balance of relaxation while still being conveniently located near everything you need in Leander and the surrounding area. Whether you're staying for a few nights or several months, Sunset Ranch RV Park delivers exceptional value, comfort, and customer service. We couldn't have asked for a better experience and highly recommend this park to anyone looking for a clean, peaceful, and well-managed RV community.⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Austin RV Park exceeded every expectation we had! From the moment we arrived, we could tell this was a place that takes pride in providing an outstanding experience for its guests. The park is exceptionally clean, well-maintained, and offers spacious sites that make it easy to relax and enjoy your stay. The staff is absolutely phenomenal—friendly, professional, and always willing to help with anything you need. They go above and beyond to ensure guests feel welcome, and their dedication to customer service truly sets this park apart from others. One of our favorite things about Austin RV Park is the peaceful atmosphere. Despite being conveniently located near everything Austin has to offer, the park provides a quiet and comfortable retreat at the end of the day. The amenities are well-kept, the grounds are beautiful, and the sense of community is second to none. Whether you're staying for a weekend, a month, or longer, Austin RV Park offers incredible value, outstanding service, and a welcoming environment that makes you feel right at home. We highly recommend it to anyone traveling through or staying in the Austin area. We can't wait to come back!
This State Park is beautiful and worth the drive out to the middle of nowhere. This is not Lake Ray Roberts or Eisenhower where the park is a short drive off main roads. Going to this park is a commitment: and worth it. Hiking to the waterfall, mountain biking along the river, kayaking the leisurely Colorado River, it's all great. Vault toilets are clean. Just know it's a low maintenance park which they very clearly state everywhere. Trails are well maintained which is what I cared about. Nice to have a bench, ample parking and restroom at trailhead for the Falls.
Deciphering what's going on with these campsites, however, is a deal. I spent hours before I went trying to figure out what's going on, and still did not "get it right" so I thought I'd try and help out some.
First of all, in the south area, those campsites 1-15, yes, you definitely need a wagon. You park above, go down some stairs and a hill and the sites are in big meadows along the river. I'm not sure why anyone would camp there unless they didn't know, or really wanted to be on the river or had a huge group. It looks very hassle-ish to me and not worth being on the river.
Then you've got 17-21. I read reviews for 17, 18, 19 and 20 and was still unclear. Although in retrospect I did remember reading that 19 was an accessible site which should have tipped me off. I was debating between 19 and 20 and went with 19 for the reviewer who said it had good tree coverage (which it does, over the picnic table. Not the tent space btw, which is in direct sun.)
Pros to 19: you park right next to your campsite. And you're next to the showerhead and water. Cons to 19: Everyone else is also parked right next to your campsite. 19 is directly adjacent to the parking area - and showering area - for Sites 17-21. So when the big group of dads was leaving they powered up their noisy diesel trucks (to charge their phones I guess?) and left them running for 20 minutes while I'm right there in my little campsite 19, which at that point, feels like I'm basically camping in the parking lot!! :) I had bought a wagon - you don't need it here, it's basically a drive up. So, if you need an accessible site and can't get 36-39 or one of the 40s, this is an appropriate option. I am attaching photos.
17, 18, 20 and 21 are down the hill e.g. down the stairs (which are kind of next to the tent area for 19) to a different meadow than 1-15. 17 and 18 are in their own little meadow area, and 20 is nice, kind of in the middle and has some trees, and 21 over a way from 20. When I was there the group of four dads and four sons were camping in 18 and they had their cornhole, tents, it's a great site for a big group - e.g. as long as you're up for the walk down, preferably with a wagon or many hands, as they had. (Also, you potential 19 campers, visitors over the years have carved a path directly from 18 up the hill - in the photo in those bushes behind the picnic table-that goes through your campsite to the parking area - instead of using the stairs. So all of the boys did this and most of the dads, for convenience, right through my site. I didn't care that much, I've got a teen boy myself - the running trucks were more annoying- but if that's an issue for you, be warned.) 18 is right alongside the river. 17 is fine too, just more of a hike as it's a little farther then 18. If you had a group of like 15 people, 17 and 18 would be nice.
Then you have 40-47. Those are drive up sites with the advantage of a picnic table awning (all except 44, no awning.) Nice BUT be warned (which was a problem with my site, too, 19) from 4-8 PM - which is when you want to be relaxing at your campsite after a big day - you are directly in the sun, which means it is hot and it is buggy. Very hot, very very buggy.
In my opinion, if you're planning ahead, the BEST sites to camp here at this park back up to a cliff-face, 36-39. If you can snag one of those, for sure, do that, is my recommendation. In the late afternoon Texas sun, the cliffs block that sunlight and I sat over there (after the campsites had cleared out) it was breezy, shady, not hot and NOT BUGGY, I guess because of the wind blowing through because of the cliff-face. Very nice. AND drive up. So this is my take. Prime real estate here at CB is these four sites.
24-28 are like 40-47 except not drive up. You park and then take your (hopefully) wagon across a little grassy area to your site.
I cannot really say much about the river backpack sites. I was confused by the map which shows a parking area close to the sites. I did see a parking area at the end, near Grey Fox group, but I never saw any tents set up when I biked the River Trail. But mysteriously, later when I kayaked I DID see a couple tents set up, near the cliffs, along the river, so I really don't know how they got there. Maybe when the River Trail is up in the meadow (there's a section through the meadow, maybe a mile) then that's where the tents are down below on the river? But I didn't see signs from the trail there saying "this way to River Backpack sites." I'm sure I missed the signs bc clearly there's a way to get there that I did not see.
I hope this is helpful. Enjoy this beautiful mecca of wilderness in the middle of the hill country!
Oh, one final reminder although its said many places and I started with it, this really is not like most of the state parks us North Texans camp at up here where there's at least one shop not too far from the park entrance. There's nothing. Take EVERYTHING you need. The nearest civilization to the campground is a good 45-minute drive. At least. Really about an hour. (which is what makes it so nice and peaceful.) The park store has emergency stuff but that's it.
Iron Bridge is no longer a camping park. It is great for a day use area.
Very nice spot. Clean and well maintained. We will be returning.
Quiet place outside of town. Has Gated entrance and exit. Gravel roads. Has spring that runs in park with adequate elevation to prevent floods. Favorite spots are 1-3. My go to place visiting the area.
Very nice, quiet place, on the Colorado river. Tent camp sites have a great distance in between. Could be mowed a little better but overall very nice. Will definitely be back. T-mobile’s service was in “sos” the whole time (which we liked) but good wifi at the restroom/showers.
Campgrounds near Copperas Cove, Texas offer varied terrain from riverfront settings to lake-adjacent spaces, typically at elevations between 700-1,200 feet. Summer temperatures regularly exceed 100°F with limited natural shade at many lakeside campgrounds. Water access represents a significant draw, but sites fill quickly during holiday weekends, particularly those with electric hookups and river proximity.
Cave exploration: 15-minute drive: Colorado Bend State Park offers accessible cave tours for beginners. "Love going to this place, camping, the hiking is good, lots of boulders and rocks, the river to get in, and a beautiful waterfall," notes Jill R. The park features both guided cave tours and one self-guided cave option.
Hiking and biking trails: Various difficulty levels: Lake Georgetown's Jim Hogg Park provides access to the 26-mile Goodwater loop trail circling the entire lake. "The trail is very rugged for bikes," explains Laura F., who recommends proper mountain bikes rather than casual cruisers. The park connects to multiple trail sections suitable for day hikes.
Water activities: Kayaking and fishing: Live Oak Ridge on Belton Lake features a private boat ramp for campers, making equipment launching convenient. "We managed to get kayaks down that way over a few boulders to the water and back up again," mentions one visitor who found unofficial water access behind site 11, though official access requires using the boat ramp.
Waterfront access: Multiple options: Dana Peak offers direct waterfront camping with clear water for swimming. "All of the campsites are directly on the water. The lake is beautiful and there are usually very few people there," reports Marci W. The park features multiple access points for kayak launching and swimming.
Wildlife viewing: Abundant deer sightings: Colorado Bend State Park Campground provides consistent wildlife encounters. "First 20 minutes at this park we had deer walking through our camp site," writes Andrea P., who also mentions overcoming her "fear of daddy long legs, and little creepy crawlers" during cave exploration. Price T. adds seeing "deer and hogs while out hiking on this property. Armadillo are all over the place as well."
Clean facilities: Well-maintained restrooms: Mother Neff State Park maintains excellent facilities after recent renovations. "Super clean restrooms and the park is very well maintained," writes Tammie L., praising the large level sites with tables, lantern poles and fire pits. Another camper notes the "beautiful new visitor center" following park remodeling after flooding.
Limited cellular service: Plan ahead: Coverage varies significantly between providers. "Forget about cell service. Curiously enough, I had WiFi because my RV spot was closest to the office. But neither my son nor I had cell service for some miles before arriving at the office area," reports Larry D. about Colorado Bend. Price T. confirms "cell service is pretty much nonexistent down at the campsites."
Wind exposure: Protect your equipment: Lakeside sites offer minimal wind protection. "The only draw back was the winds, they were so strong they shattered our tent poles," warns Janese W. about Dana Peak. Multiple reviews recommend checking weather forecasts before selecting dates, particularly at exposed waterfront sites.
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Copperas Cove, TX?
According to TheDyrt.com, Copperas Cove, TX offers a wide range of camping options, with 184 campgrounds and RV parks near Copperas Cove, TX and 4 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Copperas Cove, TX?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Copperas Cove, TX is Dana Peak with a 4.1-star rating from 13 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Copperas Cove, TX?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 4 free dispersed camping spots near Copperas Cove, TX.
What parks are near Copperas Cove, TX?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 15 parks near Copperas Cove, TX that allow camping, notably Cordell Hull Lake and Belton Lake.
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