Best RV Parks & Resorts near Gilmer, TX

I stayed here for five nights in mid-March. The campground is a mix of tent/RV loops and has multiple boat ramps into Johnson Creek which feeds into Lake 'O the Pines. I was in site E210 (RV area 2). Place was packed over the weekend, cleared out quite a bit during the week. I check out all four RV loops, and it's one of the most crowded COE campgrounds I've seen (and I've seen a lot). Site spacing in pretty close, but slightly better than commercial parks. I lucked out on E210, it was a pull-through that perched overlooking the lake. It was among the more private sites. Fairly level sites in loops, some asphalt, some concrete. Water/Elec, picnic pad and table and fire rings at all sites. I would definitely recommend and go back but pick your sites carefully if you want privacy - think Google satellite view or Google Earth. Pretty decent cell signal for Verizon, so-so for ATT.

I stayed for 4 nights from a Thursday through Monday. The owner is very nice and helped me with choosing a drive thru site. It is well maintained. Mix of long term and short stay resident s. It is near a busy arterial highway so it's not especially quiet. The hookups worked great. I was two spots from the very front of the park. I used Passport America pass for my first 3 nights. I felt safe. It is very pet friendly. Keep dogs on leash and clean up after them. I have 3 black labs. No fenced dog park yet, so I drove them to the city park with tennis courts every morning to run free. I will most likely stay here again. I mostly boondock in the forests, but when I need a place to resupply and take care of business needs, this place is very nice.

The camping area is mostly occupied by long term RV campers. Many of the campers are employed in the nearby areas. Grounds offer water/electric/sewer hookups, there are also toilets available but no showers. The RV grounds are part of the city park which offers a splash pad (seasonal), large playground, pavilion, picnic areas, arboretum, and a short hiking trail (approximately one third of a mile). The RV sites are backed up by the sheriff's office/county jail the courthouse is down the road, and there is a police department across the street. This isn't to suggest that the area is dangerous, its a small town and everything is pretty much right there. Shopping and restaurants are within walking distance.

Lake Fork, a popular fishing lake is within a ten minute drive. Lake Quitman is less than ten minutes, generally this is where water sport activities occur. Pets are welcome.

The name drew us in, the convenience, friendly staff, large spaces and the usual amenities will bring us back.   

A very convenient location for a base if you are looking to go to Canton Trade Days, Edom's many art festivals, Moore's Store in Ben Wheeler to see a show, shopping in Tyler or any of your East Texas adventures.

Although near the highway and the Tyler Pounds Field Regional Airport, this rv park is surprisingly quiet and peaceful. An older park, well maintained with mature trees lining the property. A good portion of long term stay residents with smiles and waves and neat spaces.

Reserved on-line 152 days prior to arrival. 

Pros 

Pristine clean restroom/showerhouse. Seemed recently renovated 

BIG PINE camping area only big rig friendly(longer than 20 ft) out of 40 FHU sites. Big Pine, Dogwood and Mountain View Campgrounds FHU so 40 FHU sites with no park dump station. 

Aluminum picnic table and fire ring with cooking grate 

Very quiet campground except for highway and train noise 

4 camp hosts 

Good night sky viewing in BIG PINE 

Good view of lake in BIG PINE 

Privacy from side neighbors 

No leveling required from side-to-side 

Asphalt parking pad heaved various places due to tree roots creating numerous tripping hazard 

Campsite utility hook-ups in good condition with no problems encountered 

Security gate that closes overnight 

No street lights in BIG PINE 

Campsite and entrance fee discount with Texas State Park Pass 

Not charged a fee to make my own on-line reservation 

CONS 

Most FHU sites (other than BIG PINE) are extremely short in length. Barely room for single axle TT, so need to review site details carefully 

Site 8 had an extreme amount of above ground roots causing tripping hazard

Picnic table approx 50 feet from Site 8 parking pad

Highway and train noise

BIG PINE sites barely off campground road, so therefore no privacy from campers across the road

Restroom/shower facility not heated

No lantern pole

No wildlife sightings

No park Wifi

1 bar AT&T in BIG PINE

Made a reservation via telephone for two days a month in advance, but was not given a site number.When we pulled up to the office there was a note with a telephone number to call, but no answer. I saw a gentleman walking around and it appeared he saw us. After waiting about 10 minutes, I decide to driver further into the park. The gentleman I saw earlier was one of the owners/ managers, I would would have expected him to go to the office to meet the newly arriving guests. I will say that he was friendly enough and later, his wife stopped by to collect the fee and she too was friendly. The park itself has full hook ups and is on the banks of the bayou. The campground require you to sign a waiver because of the water moccasins from the bayou and because of the potential of falling tree limbs. The. Campground is pretty sandy so leveling may be problematic for big rigs. The do allow long term guests to store all kinds of equipment and gear, the site next to us look like a junk yard. Our fellow campers seemed friendly enough with the gentleman on the other side from the junk yard introducing himself.