Johnson Branch Campsites — Ray Roberts Lake State Park
We were in the walnut loop, spot 52 and it was awesome. Plenty of room and the site backs up to the lake so we could walk a path from our site to the lake to fish.
3 campgrounds with availability this weekend
The Vineyards Campground & Cabins and North Texas Jellystone near Dallas provide upscale glamping accommodations with resort-style amenities. The Vineyards features lakeside yurts and premium canvas tents on Grapevine Lake, while Jellystone offers family-friendly glamping yurts with nearby attractions. All sites include electricity, comfortable furnishings, and climate control systems. Many locations provide enhanced outdoor spaces with private decks, fire rings, and picnic areas. Proximity to lakes allows for water activities, fishing, and scenic views. The sites maintain a balance between natural surroundings and modern comforts. According to a camper, "This is actually our second stay at this campground and I cannot say enough great things about it. Well kept, thoughtful hosts, a cute little campstore, an amazing playground for our kids, a beach, golf cart rentals, cabins."
Loyd Park and Ray Roberts Lake State Park offer distinctive glamping experiences with proximity to Dallas attractions while maintaining natural settings. Guests at these locations can access hiking trails, fishing spots, and wildlife viewing areas. Many glamping sites provide golf cart rentals for exploring the properties and easy access to swimming areas and beaches. During summer months, water activities become central to the glamping experience, with kayak rentals available at select locations. Weekend stays often include organized activities and special events for families. The glamping yurts and canvas tents typically require advance booking, especially during peak seasons. One visitor noted, "Very Pretty Views. Large Sites with covered Picnic tables. Sites spread nicely with no one on top of you. Great security visible as well as a coded gate after hours."
"Right on the lake with a wonderful park for the kiddos, a pavilion, fishing, boating, a beach area to lounge and play in the water."
"The staff were on top of it as they drove around alerting everyone about the wind approaching. Clean laundry room and restrooms. We didn’t use the store due to corona fears and didn’t need to."
from $64 - $99 / night
"Five Star Park located just minutes from Dallas Fort Worth. The Park is extremely clean. Campsites are all level and great for the Big Rigs. Good Sams Park"
"The tent sites have water and electric at each site. Sites feel secluded and spread out and our was covered by trees so the shade was great!"
from $17 / night
"Doesn’t have a lot of bells and whistles but does have sewer, lake views, wide open spaces, and clean! Great food places nearby."
"A big plus was the covered picnic tables and benches at each site, which made it much more comfortable to eat outside without sitting in the direct sun. The only small downside was the bathhouse."
Campground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $14 - $30 / night
"The bathrooms as so clean. The park itself is gated and secure. Each shower has its own toilet and vanity behind a lockable door."
"But it is convenient to heading up to Dallas or south to Waco. The park has a man made lake with jogging trails. We enjoyed our stay."
from $50 - $60 / night
"The park is split into two sections; the side we are in is next to an airfield and the other side is by a small dog run (next time, I'll request this section bc I'm traveling with my dogs)."
"Near the mailboxes.)
There's a nice little pond you can fish in, catch-and-release only, no license required.
LOTS of room to walk the dog!"
"It appears to be more for long term RVers, but it was convenient to the interstate and a good place to stop before hitting Dallas. The site was level, but muddy, and they were very close together."
"Lots of large back in spots with 50/30 amp plugs, water hook ups, fire pit and picnic table. Many spots are have direct access to the lake to launch a kayak or SUP, boat launch in the day use area."
"We had one close to the cabins that you can rent and there was just enough room for all our vehicles and tents but not much more. There was the usual picnic table and fire pit."
"I arrived around 4:30 pm. Several teenagers being trained by other teenagers. The driveway to the sites are all engraved on wood and very hard to decipher which drive to turn into."
"One of the more expensive Texas state parks. Standard electric at 25/night. Large bathrooms and lots of trash bins. Actual pay phones (who knew those still existed?)"
"Found our site and got setup quickly. All gravel pad and site. Aluminum picnic table. Clean grounds, bathroom, showers. Firewood for sale.
ATT Service Spotty"
Available this weekend
from $15 - $60 / night
"Lots of room to walk the dog. Great atmosphere"
"Near Ennis, TX. Convenience stores, etc 4-6 miles away. Covered picnic table. Large combined family (private) restroom / shower."
We were in the walnut loop, spot 52 and it was awesome. Plenty of room and the site backs up to the lake so we could walk a path from our site to the lake to fish.
The KOA is clean and well maintained. There is lits of space for the pull throughs. Dog park is amazing, host are friendly and kind. They are very welcoming and the store is small, but clean with a little bit of everything for everyone! We will definitely be back!
Disappointing and unnecessarily confrontational experience.
I booked and paid for a campsite at The Vineyards in my self-contained Sprinter camper van. I checked in without issue and had already spent one night there when the park manager, Lisa, approached me while I was relaxing inside my van to inform me that my vehicle was not welcome.
She stated that the city requires RVs to have hookups and be commercially manufactured. However, the campground’s published policies explicitly allow management to approve converted camper vans (and I am fully self-contained). It also allows for truck campers, which I suppose theoretically could have sewer hookups, but I assure you my custom converted Sprinter is more aesthetic than a truck camper, if that was her concern (no offense to my truck camper friends).
I also could not find the city ordinance she was referring to.
I understand that campgrounds have rules and that management has discretion to enforce them. What I don’t understand is why my reservation was accepted, why I was allowed to stay overnight, or why the situation needed to be handled so confrontationally.
When I offered to leave if they would refund my unused second night, Lisa told me it was too late for a refund and that I might as well stay.
So apparently my van was prohibited until refunding my money became the alternative.
I wasn’t causing a disturbance, requesting special accommodations, or asking to use facilities I hadn’t paid for. I was simply enjoying a campsite I’d reserved and paid for.
The campground itself is lovely, which makes the experience even more disappointing. A straightforward, respectful conversation about their policies would have been entirely reasonable. Instead, I was made to feel unwelcome at a place where I was already a paying guest.
If you’re traveling in a self-contained converted camper van, I’d strongly recommend getting written approval before booking, regardless of whether your reservation is accepted. And given that I am now reading other complaints of the staff being rude, I might avoid this spot altogether.
Mid-size oak trees all over, starlink internet is ok, very quiet and not crowded. Our electric power was very poor, and the roads are busted up asphalt for the most part. Forget fishing unless you have a boat. We would come again
Like most of our stops, we only spent one night here, but it was a really nice campground. The sites are large, and being right by the water makes the whole place feel peaceful and relaxing. A big plus was the covered picnic tables and benches at each site, which made it much more comfortable to eat outside without sitting in the direct sun. The only small downside was the bathhouse. It was nice to have your own private bathroom with both a toilet and a shower, but the shower only produced a small stream of water with fairly low pressure. Upgrading the showerheads would definitely improve the experience. It's also worth knowing that you can't access the campground after 10 PM, apparently not even with an access code. Other than those minor issues, this is a really beautiful campground and a great place to stay.
Great environment & friendly staff. My only complaint is rowdy neighbors almost fist fighting drunk a site over. Children were present and foul language was being used and foul music was being played. I am young only 28 and the music was not family friendly. I have no kids but others nearby did. Other than the certain members on that site everything was great.
Not far from Fort Worth, but feels miles away when you are there! Big beautiful lake you can enjoy and fish, large park and volleyball courts. My only complaint was our ‘double’ site barely fit my sisters one camper. If we weren’t tenting we probably wouldn’t have had room so wouldnt recommend that specific site for two campers. Also don’t drink alcohol outside of your camper or vehicle the rangers will get on to you for it
If you’re looking for a late night stop, this isn’t it. Gates lock at 10 pm. We couldn’t get in.
Very large park with a lot of camping options. Wildlife is abundant. Cabins with RV site. Multiple boat ramps. Full sun, shade or partial. Would be a5 star if it was full hookups.
Ray Roberts Lake State Park sits approximately 40 miles north of Dallas, offering lakeside camping with minimal light pollution for stargazing. Lake Lewisville and Grapevine Lake provide additional glamping options within 30 miles of downtown Dallas. Campsite reservations typically fill 2-3 months in advance during summer weekends.
Kayaking and paddle sports: Lake access at Pilot Knoll Park Campground allows campers to launch directly from their sites. "Many spots have direct access to the lake to launch a kayak or SUP, boat launch in the day use area," notes Michael H.
Fishing from shore: High View Park offers lakeside sites with excellent fishing access. "My boys caught a 12 lb and 20 lb catfish right off the fishing dock," reports Natalie S. from her stay at The Vineyards Campground & Cabins.
Biking trails: Loyd Park features networks of trails suitable for family riding. "Great bike trails. Friendly staff and lovely sites, each pretty secluded from each other," writes Cactus A., who rated the park 4 stars.
Evening stargazing: The northern parks like Ray Roberts Lake offer darker skies. During summer months, temperatures often remain above 75°F after sunset, making night activities comfortable without extra layers.
Spacious sites: Loyd Park receives consistent praise for site layout. "Sites have electricity and water, sewer dump is community spread across the grounds. Our site was only a hundred feet from the lake - gorgeous view!" explains David G.
Clean facilities: Johnson Branch Campsites at Ray Roberts Lake State Park maintains high standards. "Bath and showers are very clean and warm it is cold today 38 Degrees," mentions Robert H., highlighting year-round comfort.
Security measures: Multiple parks implement safety protocols. Andrew B. appreciates that The Vineyards Campground & Cabins has "Great security visible as well as a coded gate after hours."
Lake views: Most glamping sites near Dallas feature water views. "We stayed in site 40 on our way south. The site was large and right by the water," notes Julie B. about her experience at High View.
Seasonal crowds: Summer weekends fill quickly at the more popular locations. At Johnson Branch Campsites — Ray Roberts Lake State Park, "We had a quiet section even during spring break," according to Grace B., suggesting strategic timing can improve experience.
Tent vs. RV considerations: Some parks primarily serve one type of camper. At COE Lavon Lake Lavonia, Veronica S. observed, "Clearly geared towards RVers. Each of those sites have water, electricity, and a sewer connection, with a covered cement pad with a grill, a table, and other relevant features. The few tent camp sites were shoved seemingly randomly between and around the RV sites."
Weather impacts: Sites can become waterlogged after rain. At Loyd Park, "Our only complaint on this site is when it rains, water pours into site and erodes area quickly and will fill your mat etc with orange clay," reports TJ & Laura S.
Weekday deals: Many glamping locations offer significantly reduced rates Monday through Thursday, with some parks offering 30-40% discounts compared to weekend rates.
Frequently Asked Questions
What glamping accommodations are available in the DFW metroplex?
The DFW metroplex offers diverse glamping accommodations to suit various preferences. Loyd Park provides a five-star experience just minutes from Dallas Fort Worth with extremely clean grounds and level sites. The park features covered picnic tables and is set in a beautiful wooded area near the lake. For a more secluded feel with water views, Wind Point Park offers sites with electrical hookups along the water, great fishing docks, and beautiful scenery. These options provide comfortable outdoor experiences without sacrificing modern conveniences.
What are the best glamping options near Dallas?
For a premium glamping experience near Dallas, The Vineyards Campground & Cabins offers well-maintained grounds with security gates, a nice camp store, and clean climate-controlled shower facilities. Another excellent option is North Texas Jellystone, which features rental cabins near traditional campsites. The park provides a fun atmosphere with amenities perfect for those wanting comfort while still enjoying the outdoors. Both locations offer a blend of nature and modern comforts that define the glamping experience.
How do I make glamping reservations for RVs near Dallas?
To make glamping reservations for RVs near Dallas, book online through the official websites of parks like Johnson Branch Campsites — Ray Roberts Lake State Park or COE Lavon Lake Lavonia. For state parks, reservations can be made up to 5 months in advance and typically require a deposit. Private parks may have different policies but generally allow bookings further ahead. Most parks offer online reservation systems with site maps where you can select specific spots based on size and amenities. Book early for weekends and holidays, as the best glamping sites fill quickly, especially during peak seasons.
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