Searching for the perfect place to pitch your tent near Denison? Finding a place to camp in Texas with your tent has never been easier. Whether you're looking for a quiet, dispersed site or an established camgpround with amenities, The Dyrt makes it easy to find the perfect place to pitch your tent.
iGLAMP offers rental of furnished 4M and 5M Bell Tent(s) set up (and taken down) on location of your choosing within 60 miles of Denison, TX.
We serve Lake Texoma and Lake Murray frequently.
$119 - $129 / night
This recreation area is part of Lake Texoma
Located on the northeast shore of the 450-acre Lake Crockett, East Lake Crockett Recreation Area was completed in 1968. Lake Crockett was built in the 1930s and has provided recreational opportunities to its visitors for many years. The lake is stocked with catfish, sunfish, crappie and bass. A paved boat ramp and fishing pier are accessible from the parking lot.
This recreation area is part of Lake Texoma
If you wish to camp along the trail keep in mind there are wilderness camps scattered throughout but you must carry in your sup- plies (water, food, fire wood, etc.). If you’re not up for roughing it in the woods there are also recreational areas that provide run- ning water and bath-houses.
Legend
Lake Murray is a large state park which is an easy drive north from the DFW area, so I stay in the SP frequently, but never at this campground. It’s located a bit off the beaten path on the South end of the park. It’s also a smaller campground which accommodates smaller RV’s. Also, there is boat ramp, but it is not large and has little parking, plus it’s not located down the road that leads to the campsites. This means there isn’t constant traffic and power boat noise.
The campground is tucked into a cove of Lake Murray and is down the road from the dam. There are some very nice walk in tent camping sites where you could walk down to the rocky lake edge and swim. There are also a few drive in tent sites. However, be aware that when I stayed here in spring of 2020, there is no bath house or toilet facilities. There was a nice playground and a little picnic area right on the lake.
The RV sites are scattered around a circular road and there are several right on the lake. These are the best in my opinion. One of them (site 17) is labeled “premium” and I would pay the extra $ to snag this site.
Site 14 - Water/Electric 50 and 30 amp, no sewer (dump on site)
gravel pad, mostly level, has a tree on awning side so couldn’t deploy my awning, but really unnecessary because the site was nicely shaded
Cement picnic bench, BBQ, fire ring
Walk down from site to water with rock ledge to sit a chair on and dangle feet in the lake!
Site is private on 1 side with forested creek/water run off area, but neighbor is fairly close on other side
***No bathhouse (gutted - see photo)
Little cons: no trailheads within the campground, but Tucker Tower is a bike ride or hike over the dam and the trailhead to Ski Jump Campground the the Lodge connects here. (8.5 miles). Also Dump station at the campground is easy access, however the exit up the somewhat eroded gravel hill may require some maneuvering for larger rigs.
Definitely check out Tucker Tower when visiting and Lake Murray SP Nature Center is very well done! I’ll return again for the always good hiking and try to snag the premium site or site 9.
UPDATE 5/2021 - Marietta Landing Campground is being revamped.
GuideNice area to tent camp
Traveler
Lots of good tent sites both on the water or a short hike to it.
Guide
Great Tent camping. The grills are combined with the fire pits. The RV area has showers that are separate from the toilets. There are no electrical outlets or hand dryers or soap dispensers.
Traveler
RV and tent sites are spacious. Lots of lake access from sites. They also have cabins for rent. The staff is friendly.
Scout
Bonham is a small but uncrowded park. Lovely and clean fresh water lake. Tent campsites are well sheltered by trees. Big grassy group campsite area that looked inviting. Lots of biking/hiking trails. Nature is always a blessing but the landscape here is just your average Texas.
Legend
This park is very large! There is camping for everyone here! Great marina, fishing, hiking, kayaking and camp fires! All types of RV and tent sites! The swimming beach is the best, but you have to walk way down a hill to get to it!
RangerLoved our stay here in the tent section. Trees provided much needed shade, yet enough for solar to stay charged. Restrooms were close, showers were a little bit of a walk. Each tent site has a table and fire pit. Lovely views of lake Texoma. Great hiking and rock climbing opportunities. The marina store is a short walk away and you can rent kayaks and canoes!
Scout
This is s great campground. Lots of well manicured spaces. Mainly pull though but some back in spots, primitive and tent camping spaces. It has. Great pool, great covered picnic area, horseshoe pit, basketball court and play area. WiFi is better in certain streams. Just ask during registration. There is a seated area at the casino shuttle bus stop. All and all, a nice safe campground.
Legend
It's not good for tent camping because there isn't any trees, but it's right by the dam. Good if you want to fish by the dam. It is a small campground. Very clean and grass is well kept. The people that work here are very nice. There is awnings over picnic tables, grills, and hook ups for R.V.s Not any hiking trails. It does have a swim beach.
TravelerThis place is calm and pleasant during the day. At sundown, the party starts and goes till 2:00am. If you are looking for a quiet evening, this ain’t the place. If you are good with day time activities and loud music at night, join the party. My kids and I will go back simply because it is a clean park with nice tent camping spots.
ScoutI have camped here many times. The park is well maintained and offers beautiful hiking trails and scenery. It is also safe with plenty of staff making rounds to ensure everyone's safety. I have stayed at their pull through camper sites, shelters, as well as tent camping with no complaints. The park is also undergoing construction upgrades and new paved roads ATM but the areas are clearly identified on their website. Definitely a family friendly park with plenty of wildlife to enjoy!
Scout
Year round enjoyment is part of the reason I like this place! Even though some of the campground is closed in the off season it still offers great camp sites. I've tent camped as well as RV. It is prone to flooding. It has flooded twice that I know of that caused the entire camp ground to be under water and closed for a lengthy time. They have been able to clean up and reopen with the same beauty it had before the flood. It is a Great place for the whole family!!!!
GuideWe loved the proximity to north Dallas. It makes for a nice getaway weekend. We enjoyed exploring the different areas of the park. We noticed most of the trailer/tent sites are almost in pairs. So two sites, have a common grassy area. Makes this park great for camping with friends or for making new friends, as we did! The store are the marina was a great break for ice cream on a hot day. Our friends have a boat on Lake Texoma and their home was only a 15 minute drive from the park.
Legend
Amazing and Great for trail riding
Sites: 26 family with electric and water
35 equestrian with hookups
3 equestrian tent sites no hook ups
1 day use shelter with electric
Reservations only: 877-444-6777 or recreation.gov
No camp host Flush and pit toilets, showers, drinking water, trash, picnic table, dump station, boat ramp, dock
Great for horseback riding, fishing, hiking, fishing, hunting, and boating. Beautiful rolling hills with mature trees. Great shade especially in the equestrian area. Well maintained. Wonderful lake views with amazing sunsets.
LNT
BTYFI
Travel safe.
GuideWe reserved in area D (tent camping no electric) for 2 nights. We got in the first night around 8 and it was pouring rain. So we did not stay the night. We returned early the next morning and were able to set up camp. They have concrete picnic tables, fire rings and the area we were in had a bathhouse. Stalls had a toilet, sink and shower area. The sites were pretty close together. Our neighbors were very friendly but I like having a little more space. Overall it was a good time. Just not as secluded as we are used to and the rain kind of put a damper on things.
RangerI tent camped here in December at the Hawthorn campground site 8. One thing I wasn’t expecting was that this was a walk in site. It was about 100 yards from the parking lot to site 8. Kind of a pain when setting up camp but it makes for a very quiet camping experience once you’re done. Water spigots are close by. The bathrooms were really clean and there are hiking and biking trails nearby. Unfortunately I didn’t get to explore the park much but it seems there is lots to do. There is a marina where you can rent boats and a swim beach nearby. I’ll definitely be going back for a longer stay.
ScoutClean and spacious RV sites in two areas, about 100 total and several with water view. Open and tree covered sites in both. Cabins also available, again several with water views. Two designated tent camping areas separate from RVs. Dry storage and dump station on property as well. The park offers open activity areas and covered picnic tables by the water. A 3-lane boat ramp to Lewisville Lake, rental paddle boarding, full marina, and swimming area. Seasonal restaurant with indoor & outdoor eating areas. Privately owned so there is an entry fee, but 2 or 3 levels of yearly membership passes available saves a lot! Currently upgrading to full hookup for all RV sites and wifi.
Guide
We found a nice secluded tent site, despite it being fall break weekend. There are many campgrounds at Lake Murray to choose from. We chose this site which was conveniently located near a nature trail with a beautiful lookout point, as well as a hiking trail. Did not use the restroom facilities, but judging from the nature center, lodge and other park facilities I am sure they were nice. The recently built lodge is beautiful. The staff we met were friendly and helpful. Seems like a very nice and well rounded park even if you aren’t planning any lake or water activities. dog friendly. We will be back!
GuideWas able to spend a night at Buzzards Roost campground while visiting Lake Murray State park. Our tent site was at the point and provided us with great views of the marina, and Tucker Tower. There is plenty of parking and the tent pads were nice and level with plenty of space for larger tents. Each fire pit had it own grate that provides a cooking surface over the fire; however, must were damaged but still usable. Bath house is a little older but the amenities were nice. There are 4 showers that are available with great pressure and temps. All but a few campsites were on the water so it makes it easy to put in a small water craft or even pull a larger boat up to your site.
Traveler
I grew up going to Erwin Park to camp. It was a well kept secret with spacious tent sites, picnic areas and hiking trails.
Located just outside of McKinney, it has become a popular spot with mountain bikers. That can create issues on the weekend when the trails are teeming with cyclists. It just gets crowded and parking can be a challenge. Hiking also isn’t as safe.
The park is maintained by parks & rec and can cleanliness can vary. Unfortunately we have noticed more litter and left over junk in the fire pits as its popularity has increased.
If you are a mountain biker, this park offers great creekbed, wooded trails. As I mentioned before, it’s a popular spot so bring your patience with other riders.
Traveler
This is the lot at the edge, it has a guard rail surrounding it so that made me feel better about being next to the road. We tent camp, there is a big tree you can put it under for shade if you like, a stone picnic table, a grill in the ground with a grate/grill for cooking and pit for fire, water and electric. Almost wish I would have brought my weed eater to help with the grass around the pit. Fishing is big in this spot. The fishing spots require climbing down a sorta steep hill, getting into the brush by the water to fish but it seems popular, it's downhill from the guard rail. The bathroom is very close to this site, super stinky inside but you don't smell it at the site. It was pretty quiet. Most people seem to bring their RVs and just hang out. People like to swim and put in their boats on the other side of the river. We drove over there to swim. That is the only spot I will swim at at the river(where the flood gates release). I think if you plan on fishing this is a good spot. Night fishing is popular there were cars coming and going all night, shining their lights at the tent, parking by the guard rail if that sort of thing bothers you. I couldn't sleep well in a tent and listening to all of that happening I didn't feel that safe, they don't block anyone from the camp site it's basically open to everyone and we are right next to the road. The park rangers do seem to drive by frequently
Legend
A very neat place for people that are interested in civil war history. Boggy Depot Park received its name from Clear Boggy Creek and was originally used as a depot for the Chickasaw and Choctaw people as they arrived in Indian Territory during the removal.Then a Confederate commissary and outpost depot during the Civil War. In 1972, Boggy Depot was added to the National Register of Historic Places. It even has a cemetary in the campground. It spooks me out. This is whats remaining of a ghost town. It was part of the Butterfield Stage Route, and a lot of old history. Looking around the park you will see signs and information about the various events and reasons of importance for Boggy Depot throughout the early years of American history. It is remote in the country nestled in very old oak trees which makes it beautiful. It is very shady with over a hundred camping spots. There was only 2 other campers staying there. It is a great place for hunters too. It even has a check in station. It has a fishing lake, pretty nature trails, a baseball diamond, a basketball court, a great playground, picnic tables, group picnic shelters, charcoal grills, and comfort restrooms with showers. A big campground, with over 100 campsites. including RV and tent camping. It also has a cool little creek. It's about 15 from Atoka, Oklahoma. The park almost closed because of state funding but some of our Native American Tribes saved it and is now ran and operated by the Chickasaw Nation. This is like a hidden gem to me.
PHYSICAL ADDRESS
475 South Park Lane Atoka, Oklahoma 74525
PHONE NUMBER
Main Line: (580) 889-5625
Guide68 year-old solo camper getting ready to travel around the country, car/tent camping primarily. Haven't really camped since 1973, so I drove out to Lake Ray Roberts for a one-night trial for some new gear and knock off the rust.
This was a terrific choice – Hawthorn Area #9, wooded area, 4th on the path from the Hawthorn parking lot to the other nine campsites on this loop (150 steps from campsite to car and restrooms, a little over 100 yards). As most (maybe all) of the campsites here, this was walk-in to the campsite from a common parking lot.
I walked around the rest of this loop and the adjoining one (16-40). Each campsite had a tent pad, picnic table, fire pit and lantern post. Mine was one of the more private in that I couldn't see another picnic table. However, with the trees and in some places tall grass, I would rate most of the sites as private.
The next morning there were about half-dozen deer roaming around the area between my camp and the parking lot. There was only one other car in the parking lot overnight and they camped in one of the other areas. One of the lots (I think it was #13) actually had lake front. Others had views of the water.
Depending on exact location you could see the dam and except for a few hours of the deepest night you could faintly hear the drone of road noise. But the near-full moon lit the area so well I walked to my car about 4:30 in the morning without a light and could see very well – it was really nice and bright.
The Isle du Bois unit is at the far southeast corner of the lake, near the eastern end of the dam. The Hawthorn area is one of the first sites from the entrance, maybe a 5-minute drive.
Guide
 When I arrived at the location to which my GPS directed me, I was a little concerned that there was just a building with bathrooms and three large dumpsters off to the side.
If I had a been brave enough to drive my little Mustang down the gravel path that was on the opposite side of the road leading away from the restrooms, I would have found waterfront campsites along the Blue River, large boulder, formations to climb, and beautiful views.
What I did, though, was continue down the road I had a been on and found a large dirt parking lot. There were fire pits and designated camping set up along one side of the parking lot, which seemed a little weird.
There was a gravel road on the opposite side of the parking lot that led to the RV camping and a couple of tent sites along that road, so I chose one. The campsite was secluded with several paths that lead down to the river. 
What I found to be the best part of this area was Hughes Crossing! It’s a waterfall that you can drive over. I did not attempt this in the mustang, but watched several trucks easily pass over.
Not only is there a beautiful little waterfall that also substitutes as a bridge, but the area is perfect for swimming. There is a bit of green algae, but it is otherwise clear and refreshing.
The only downside was the amount of trash that people had left. I think I might make it a new goal to try to carry out at least one or two grocery bags worth of other people’s trash so that I can hopefully leave places better than I found them.
LegendIf you are looking for special place at the lake that is a bit more secluded feeling this is the campsite for you at Lake Murray. There is no swimming here so that is a big detour for a lot of those visiting with larger families looking to enjoy that aspect. While there is boat access, it is not the most popular launch area so again, you will find it to be more wooded and peaceful than other areas.
This campground is one of those you have to walk up and grab your spot first come first serve style. With great sites for tents or RVs you would think that would mean it fills up rapidly, but I have seen this campground during various times of year and it always seems to be very relaxed and not over run, with the exception of course of the big lake holidays where every campsite is a little nuts at Lake Murray.
The restroom facilities here are nice but the improvements at this facility do not stop there with large concrete style picnic tables, an improved playground and nice pavement around camp for driving or bike riding.
Something that makes this place even more attractive to me is that they also allow primitive tent camping!! I love not having to pay for amenities I am not typically using. I can take advantage of nice facilities without having to pay for large amp hook ups which is a huge bonus for someone who does a travel blog about budget travel and cutting corners and being resourceful.
After having been to this location several times previously I have noticed that following a holiday it can take a bit longer to get it all clean because people do not seem to understand honoring the trash in trash out policy of general respect, but in recent years I have notice a vast overall improvement of maintenance of all the facilities in this area. They have made effort to continually improve and I look forward to seeing how far they come in the future!
GuideWe've wanted to check out Lake Murray since visiting there years ago. Didn't really think we'd be able to find a spot for Memorial Day Weekend, but apparently someone cancelled and one opened up a few days earlier. We stayed at Buzzads Roost without knowing anything about it and we we weren't disappointed. We didn't get a waterfront site but it was still a nice stay. The campgrounds were clean and quiet. It appeared that all the RV sites were level concrete pads with picnic tables, grills, and fire rings. Our was nice and wide. We don't have slideouts but they wouldn't have been a problem.
We were able to get out and kayak twice. On Saturday the boat ramp for the campgrounds was crazy busy so we drove up the road to Tipps Point and launched from there. They have a nice beach area along with some camprounds there as well. On Sunday we got up with the sun and beat everyone else to the boat launch area. If you're in the tent camping area there are plenty of places to launch a kayak but if you're driving down and don't want to walk throught people's campsites there is a small area on the left side of the boat ramp that is a easy place to launch and land a kayak. Parking can be tough at the ramp area. There's not a lot of spaces and many of them were taken by folks who have boats at the marina.
The trip over to Tucker Tower is quick and there are coves on both sides with glassy water. The tower has a dock if you want to take the tour (we were there before they opened, so no tour for us). Oklahoma is often known for its red/brown lakes, but Lake Murray is an exception. Green/blue waters that were clear enough to see the tip of my paddle when stuck straight down 4-5 feet.
The water and surroundings were beautiful and even for a busy holiday weekend it didn't feel too busy or crowded. Lake Murray is definitely on our return list.
Tent camping near Denison, Texas offers a variety of scenic spots for outdoor enthusiasts looking to immerse themselves in nature. With options ranging from well-reviewed campgrounds to more primitive sites, there's something for everyone.
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