Best Cabin Camping near Cuero, TX

Reserved 89 days prior to arriving. 

PRO 

Extremely nice park registration staff.

Registration info was available outside of gatehouse upon arrival.

Security gate that closes during overnight hours.

Quiet except for Hwy 111 traffic noise.

Campsites along lake with wide open view of lake. VERY NICE.

Nice space between campsites with brush between some sites for privacy

Clean and well stocked toilet/shower facility.

Dark sky friendly.

Brand new Nature Center!

Campsite with picnic table, lantern pole and fire ring.

Campsite 125 partially shade

$35/night camping fee

CON

$3.50 transaction fee Former Texas State Park so most campsites are short in length.

We saw numerous 25ft and bigger rigs struggling to back into sites and then the front of their rig was right on roadway.

Campsite 125 uneven side-to-side.

Alligators in lake!

2 bars AT&T.

No Park WiFi.

The tent camping spots in this somewhat small state were spacious. They had both a grill and a fire pit, picnic table, water spigot, and a "lantern hook" (a giant pipe thing like for a basketball hoop, but with a little hook sticking out of it. Each site is supposed to accommodate 2 cars, but about half of them only had parking for 1. Fortunately we got there early and were able to switch. Try to be nice to the camp hosts, they're volunteers and when I got grumpy at the one who told us we couldn't park with our wheels hanging off the pad, I thought she might cry.

The website doesn't get updated easily, so ignore any reports of tubing. There are no tube rentals there and no convenient, nearby tubing put-ins/take-outs. Don't try to tube the Zedler Mill Paddling Trail. The water is super slow and full of logs and if you suck at tubing it could take you 10 hours.

Campsite Review:

Palmetto State Park is a tranquil campground located in Central Texas. It offers campers the chance to hike, bike, swim, paddle, fish or just lay in a hammock under the shade of trees. The park is located a few minutes drive from the towns of Gonzales and Luling. The park's most unique feature are the dwarf palmetto plants which grow throughout the forest.

When entering the park you are welcomed by a canopy of overhanging trees. At the entrance there is an office where you can pay your admission fee and shop for some basic camping necessities. There are also after-hour pay stations nearby.

At each campsite there is a parking space with water and electrical hookups, a picnic table, barbecue grill and fire pit. Most of the sites will fit small to medium sized RVs. There are plenty of shade trees around the campsites which are welcome during the summers in Texas. The restrooms are near the campsites and all of the restrooms, although somewhat dated, have sinks, flush toilets and showers.

Some of the attractions of this park include a small artesian spring, lake and the San Marcus River. There is a nice hike and bike trail which runs along the bank of the river which is flat and easy to walk or bike. There are some amazing sights and sounds while walking through the forest - from birds to insects to small mammals to plants. As previously mentioned, one of the unique features of this park are the dwarf palmetto plants that grow on the forest floor. These palmettos make you feel as if you've been transported to a tropical paradise. Paddle boat, kayak and canoe rentals are available at a concession office near the lake.

There are a number of activities to enjoy at this park, but some of the facilities could use an update. I would think that is a nice park for families with kids because of the variety of activities that can be pursued. There are no extreme features like mountains or cliffs, just a number of peaceful nooks in nature.

Before or after your stay at Palmetto State Park be sure to pass by the little town of Luling, Texas where you can eat at the City Market Café which has some of the best barbecue in Texas.

Product Review:

As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I am offered the opportunity to test products. At this campground, I tested the Gregory Inertia 30 Hydration Backpack.

Top reasons I loved the Gregory Inertia 30 Hydration Backpack:

1. Size: The pack is 30 liters and is useful for day hikes, weekend adventures or carry-on airline travel.
2. Features: The pack has well thought-out organization with a large main compartment, a mid-sized compartment, a top stash pocket, stretch mesh front and side pockets and a flexible suspension. Also, there are a number of attachment loops for attaching tools, poles, solar chargers or other gear.
3. Technology: The new 3D hydration bladder is a breeze to fill, empty and clean. It has an tactile grip handle and rubberized fill top which make opening and closing easy. When cleaning or drying out the bladder, the sidewalls of the bladder maintain an open shape which allows easy access and evaporation of any residual water.
4. Quality: All of the materials are of high quality. I expect that the backpack will last many years. This is important for a day use backpack which will see regular duty under a variety of conditions. It is also important for backpacking, because no one wants a gear failure while in the backcountry.

I hope and expect that this backpack will become my go to backpack for a variety of adventures.

PROS 

Security gate closed at midnight and reopens at 6am 

Moveable wooden and metal picnic table 

Pedestal BBQ grill 

Site 82 level 

Trash pickup at each site 

One washer & one dryer in toilet/shower facility

Lots of deer roaming the FHU campground

Park WIFI sufficient to live stream TV 

CONS 

Obvious HOMESTEADERS in FHU loop

No senior discount 

Overpriced for a park with gravel roads 

Gravel roads throughout park 

FHU loop wide open so no privacy 

Little shade 

LOTS of fire ant hills throughout site 

Campsite grass needs mowed 

Tiny campfire ring 

No toilets/showers in 64-83 Campground so closest is 1/2 mile round trip

First time there and was really impressed with this campground. The slots are a great price and big sites, most have a metal pavilion over the picnic table, which was convenient. Sites are very level, wide and deep. All the sites have great views of the lake and even if you aren’t on a lake front, there is plenty of access to the lake all around the grounds. Paved roads which was great for bikes or even electric scooters. Wooded trails and lots of wildlife. Lots of deer all over the grounds in the evening variety of birds. The campground sites on a giant peninsula, which gives so much shoreline, which is managed by the Army Corp. of Engineers, so it’s well maintained and undeveloped. Multiple boat ramps and sites that are on the shoreline, which have a shallow bank, so you can Anchor your boat right off the bank and have walk up access to your campsite and boat. Wild Bills is right across the street, which has all the little things you may have forgot to bring or ability to restock on some beverages and snacks. It’s a 10-15 min bike ride from your campsite or a 5 min drive. Very convenient. Bryan, Tx is only 25 mins away and has a Super Walmart with Curbside service if you need to grab something more specific or a larger grocery order. Quick and easy. College Station was about 45mins away and it’s all easy driving.

It can get pretty windy if you book a slot down lower at the tip of the peninsula, but they will let you swap spaces whenever you want to if there is something available. The campsite up the hill are pretty protected from the wind, so regardless of the wind they have options if it’s more than what you want to deal with. Definitely my place to camp when visiting Somerville. They also let me check-in early when the previous camper left early, so I really appreciated that as well.

Sites are very spacious, each has its own picnic table on a concrete pad. Lots of privacy, most sites are separated by 15' widths of trees and shrubs which act as a privacy wall. There is a little climbing playground for little ones. Fishing piers and a nature center currently being built and it is going to be huge! We've been here three days and have seen 4 armadillos, 5 squirrels, 7 deer and 1 raccoon. The neighbor said she has camped here 6 times and only seen 1 teeny tiny gator. Only thing missing for my likes is a swimming pool. You can't get into this water, pretty murky and lily pads

This is a great campground with lots to do. It is awesome like geometry dash lite. We camped: the camp pitch was fairly level with electric hookup, water supply close to the tent and a fire pit for each pitch. There are also RV hookups as well. My kids totally enjoyed the laser tag, there is also a boating pond, fishing and live music on a Saturday night. The toilet block was the cleanest I have ever seen on a campsite- it was as clean as many hotels I have stayed in. One good advice for anyone staying in a campsite in Texas: compared to campsites in more temperate climes, Texas campsites are dusty and have as much dirt as grass on the pitches(and this site is no exception). Bring a tarp to put under your tent- it will be a lot easier to clean than the bottom of a sewn-in groundsheet when you get home.