Best Glamping near Graham, TX

Was pretty busy when we went for spring break. Lots of people live nearby so the lake is constantly filled with watercraft, swimmers and people cliff diving near the shore. Decided we didn't feel like kayaking with such a big crowd.

Lots of amenities and places to buy stuff. Very much a glamping crowd.

Although I don't fish according to our neighbors it is a good fishing spot. Saw lots of people cleaning fish at the designated fish cleaning spots.

Hiking trail near the primitive campsites afforded some birdwatching opportunities, although mostly we saw wild turkeys.

We had plenty of space to spread out and relax. Rented a pontoon and saw Hell's gates worth the stop. Spent most of the time swimming and fishing from shore. This is one of the clearer lakes in Texas.

I've camped at several Texas State Parks recently. They're very nice places to camp at. Restrooms are well kept. Some are free and can stay up to 14 days.

Beautiful little spot, only stayed a night. Walk right up to lake. Spots to our right had kayaks to put in right at campsite. Dump site on the way out. Spotted a Texas bobcat.

We stayed here January 26 -31, 2021 on the first stop of a 3 month escape from Northern Wisconsin winter. I’m guessing it’s great when it’s warm and you have a boat. It was always windy. Concessions store closed for remodeling. Construction on cabin near our site. Nice bathrooms, shower water not super hot. Nice trails and tons of birds. A bunch of guys cleaning their catfish at a cleaning station near our site. Left a ton of carcasses that the rangers cleaned up. If you plan to use Texas state parks, get the pass as it will save you lots of money!

Lake mineral wells state park was great for biking, hiking, swimming and fishing. We had something fun for all 6 of us. My husband and I stayed in our tent, while rest of family stayed in their RV. It has been a very rainy month in Texas so some trails were closed. The camp store was awesome.we didn’t take advantage of the kayak or canoe rentals, but the prices were reasonable. Bathrooms, while a little dated were clean and had soap!

Late in the day we stopped at Lake Mineral Wells State Park, TX. We weren't sure where to go as the gate was unmanned at our arrival. We missed the turn to the campground, but a friendly and helpful Texas State Park Officer directed us how to get there. He helped us with how to make payment as well. 

The campground was beautiful. It was quiet, the bathrooms were clean, and the lake was serene. There are at least 3 campgrounds, including shelters, equestrian, a loop for tenters, and a loop for larger rigs.  We stayed in the Plateau loop. Even though we only stayed one night, I would go back.

This park was definitely out in the middle of nowhere, with a long peaceful drive full of wildlife. We made it to the park entrance, check in was quick. We arrived on a week day and they ranger informed us the camp store was closed until weekend and no firewood. Closest store with firewood was 30min away. They lake was beautiful. We were right beside the restroom and shower facilities which was great! We came to stay for one night, we had a roof top tent so the site we had was nice and would make a perfect side for a RV but for us it could’ve been wider for our ladder but we were close to the restroom which we wanted. The restrooms were clean, could use a little update, and water was warm but not hot. Lots of wildlife around! I would stay again but I don’t think it’s the best place to go for a winter camping trip. Thank you Texas state parks!

I'm from Texas, and I've never thought, "Let's go to Mineral Wells!".  My daughter who lives in Ft. Worth suggested we go the Lake Mineral Wells State Park for a weekend camping get away.  We wanted to spend the weekend hiking and hanging out at our campsite.  This was the perfect combination. 

We stayed on the Live Oak campground loop which has 30/50 amp/water.  We were lucky to snag the very last spot for the weekend.  Our site was right on the lake on a little 20 foot bluff that was perfect for watching the sunrise and drinking coffee each morning.  We spend our only full day hiking.  We visited the rock climbing area and also hiked to the primitive camping area.  The weather was perfect, blue bird skies and breezy mid-60's.

We felt very safe at this park.  The close the gate at 10 pm and you must have a code to enter after that.  The park host is also a ranger.  He and his wife were directly across from our site.  The whole park seems to be heavily patrolled.  Always a good feeling.  I would recommend camping here!

Campground Review:

To Check Out Lake Arrowhead State Park CLICK HERE

To See My Full VIDEO Review Of Lake Arrowhead State Park CLICK HERE

I have passed by the sign to Lake Arrowhead State Park probably hundreds of times and never stopped in. It was always intriguing, but like most places in your own backyard you tend to neglect sometimes the most obvious places to stop in for some rest and relaxation while trying to run off to the next big adventure up the road. But finally I had enough and just had to make a stop after seeing somethings online which swayed me to take the short exit off Highway 287 in North Texas.

Pulling into the park, I honestly didn’t know what to expect. I have heard about this park mostly as a fishing destination, however what really brought me to the park were the Prairie Dogs. Yes, you heard me right… the Prairie Dogs. I am an animal lover, and anytime I get an opportunity to see so many cute free roaming animals, I simply cannot pass

I pulled in mid-day and was greeted by the Park Ranger who extended a map and trail map and gave me a brief understanding of the points of interest. Day use was only $4, something I felt would be totally worth the value for being able to have a day away. I mean, where else can you enjoy an entire day away for under $10?

The roads of the park are paved and wide enough for two lanes of traffic. I could easily see why boaters and RVers alike would enjoy coming out to the property based on how well maintained the roadways were. I first trolled through the campground itself to check out the three different options for camping.

I will say that of the camping options I would by far prefer the improved campsites at this campground. While primitive camping is great and I typically camp without amenities, I found that the primitive camping sites here had much higher grass and no fire rings or items which could be used for such. In this area of North Texas, the high grasses typically attract snakes, rattlesnakes specifically, so I couldn’t see myself trying to call this area home when other areas were just a few dollars more and were not only improved but also maintained at a higher standard. Price points varied from $10 for primitive camping to $22 with full hookups.

As I moved forward toward the lake a bit more the day use area was wide open with great lake views from all angles. The fishing pier and beach were along the same shoreline and because of recent rains the water levels were very high. This brought many of the critters right up to the grass including several breeds of waterfowl. And perhaps it was because of the recent rains, or perhaps it was because of the amount of in and out traffic leaving behind food, but this area was filled with Prairie Dog mounds and some very bold little furry friends.

I spent the better part of an hour grabbing some great photos of the infamous residents, the Black Tailed Prairie Dog, almost within petting distance. They were not fearful at all and instead were very curious and comical.

Leaving this area I moved on to the other side of the day use are which had a large boat ramp with plenty of parking for trailers, a basketball court, playground, picnic shelters and canoe and kayak rentals. This area seemed to be the busiest area in the park with several people out chatting after coming off the lake, some people having a late lunch under the shelters and even a family which looked like they had been swimming.

While this is not the most improved campground and facility I have seen at a Texas park and while I am sure they do have some room to work on modernizing, as a whole I would give the experience here five stars. The staff I encountered while at the park were all very friendly, the access to the lake was plentiful, the programs they offer were many and there were enough campsites to suit the needs of campers even on busy holiday weekends.

TIPS:

• Check out the Disc Golf course which runs alongside both the Onion Creek Trail and Dragonfly Trails.
• Get your supplies before you come out to the campground in neighboring communities Wichita Falls, Jolly or Henrietta. Though the entry station sells firewood there are no additional supplies sold on the grounds.
• Bring your camera and go to the beach! This area is the most populated by the Prairie Dogs and will make for some of the most lasting memories of the park. This area is a MUST SEE!!

Product Review:

To Check Out Mountain House Products CLICK HERE

To See My Full VIDEO Review Of The Product Including A Recipe CLICK HERE

As a part of a program I belong to in conjunction with the website The Dyrt, where I serve as a Ranger, sometimes I am sent items to test along my many travels. I recently received an exciting package from Mountain House, an amazing company which provides food selections for hikers, preppers, travelers and even military usage in simplistic freeze dried form.

Information & Specs:

• Name: Mountain House Beef Stew
• Retail Price:
• Servings: 2.5 Serving Pouch

Shipping Information:

From the time I corresponded with Mountain House and the Dyrt to the day I received the item there was less than a week’s wait. I have previously also received items from Mountain House through other companies which sell and distribute their items, again with little to no delay on receipt.

First Impressions:

The packaging for this product was slightly different than the item I had previously ordered, a Pro-Pack version of Mountain House which is designed and packed for higher altitudes and thus is sealed much more tightly. The directions on the packaging were clear and concise and it seemed as though it would be pretty simplistic to prepare.

Field Testing:

In previous experiences with freeze-dried meals I had been a little less than excited by their flavors, many seemed flat or chalky tasting. Being that I am a texture eater as well I don't like the off putting feel of something being soggy when I eat, so I was very eager to see how Mountain House held up to the challenge, especially when it came to stew, something which typically can go pretty soggy when preparing.

At my location I wanted to test how easy the pouch would be to prepare, how far it would stretch and also how I could potentially easily incorporate it into my camping in a variety of ways. The meal itself was very easy to prepare with very little requirements for doing so. Basically I only needed a small bit of water and something to heat it to make it work, this I found to be key when I do more minimalist camping or backpacking. I prepared the meal in this way first to get an overall feel of the meal and gauge if I would respond well to the taste and texture. It was a success! After a total of less than 20 minutes to fully prepare the meal from start to finish, I was very pleased by the flavors, the perfect texture of the meat and potatoes and how the carrots and peas seemed to just melt in my mouth.

Though I often travel alone, making 2.5 servings more than enough to send me to bed in a food coma for the evening, upon occasion I do have additional people traveling with me. This made me think, what if I needed to stretch this meal a bit further because there were two people starving after a busy day? How would I do that? I put a lot of thought into options and concluded that there would be several ways you could do so.

If continuing to be on a minimalist prep you could simply take tortillas and with the added starch find a way to make the contents stretch. But what about having my full camp set up at my disposal, how then could I stretch my meal to accommodate another person? My conclusion was to prepare a delicious meat pie by adding just two ingredients (puff pastry and mushrooms). With this idea, you could of course add any items you want and make your pies as large or as small as you would like. I would also suggest peppers or onions if you really want to expand the contents without taking away from the flavors. These are all items which compliment the flavors of the pouch well.

I prepared with a single puff pastry 4 small pies and still had enough left over in the pouch that I could have made a solo meal out of that alone. By far Mountain House is one of the most diverse and flavorful providers of freeze-dried meals. No wonder around 70% of all freeze-dried meals sold in the US are Mountain House.

Rating:

If I were rating this item I would have no questions in giving it a 5 of 5. I feel like the content of this items package standing alone is enough to speak for itself as the robust flavors bring you that little sense of home while in the wilderness. It is designed for the every day camper to have something which is easy to prepare but has the ability to transform into much more than a pre-packaged meal. This item is perfect well beyond the bounds of camping however, I am most excited about adding this item to my supplies for emergencies as well in case of power outages during cold winter months of bad weather which can often leave me without power living in the country.

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Midland USA

We so enjoyed our stay here! Right on the water and the campgrounds are spaced out enough that you are not right on top of each other. There is a convenience store on site that has most anything you need. There is also a Men’s and Women’s bathrooms with two shower stalls (in the women’s at least) - but no family bathroom setup. Everything was pretty basic, as you would expect at a state park.

We arrived around midnight. There was a warm breeze blowing. Big ants strolled nearby but are easily avoidable. The place is right on a lake. The restroom is close by. It was a great experience! Would stay again. We did not see any possums but did see a large female dear grazing.

Lovely campsite, beautiful scenery. Our campgrounds were right by the lake so that was convenient.

Tent sites are walk-in to the other side of the end of the lake, and can be pretty rickety with loose rocks getting there. Was good practice for backpacking, since parking is closeby, but not very convenient. P008 is probably the only site suitable for hammock camping. Everything else is flat and exposed, next to the shore.

We were woken up by loud boats trolling the shore and men shouting around midnight both nights we were there, and could hear conversations from the RV area.

Beautiful park with great trails and stunning views of the lake. Lots of trees and grassy areas. Bathrooms are clean but older for sure. Site was in the smaller side for RVs and not the most level.

Perfect site right on the water. Nice shade. Nice swimming area.

Beautiful park, staff were extremely welcoming and friendly. Lots of activities (there was a Scorpion hunt our first night - where they meet and use a black light to seek out the little monsters - but my son informed me that was a hard pass. All the same, a cool activity that I would have enjoyed had I been alone (or with less of a fuddy duddy).

Only complaint is the width of the campsite. I don’t know that all were as narrow as ours, but site 20 is a really tight squeeze. Went off the side a couple of times trying to get in. With that narrow width, I was forced to park in overflow parking because with the length of my rig I wasn’t able to fit both truck and trailer on concrete and remain out of the road.

Nice trails for hiking and the Canadian Geese were a true gem for me - something nice about waking up to hear them in the morning (sounds odd, but I found it relaxing. Besides, the are absolutely gorgeous.

Trails are well maintained and very nice, we mostly did the Lakeview Trail, but it was a great hike, not too strenuous but with great views of the lake.

As a kid we would come out here several times a year. We would boat, float, cliff jump, cookout, and enjoy each other's company. Twenty years later we are still enjoying these traditions.

If you like primitive, tent sites, cabins, or RV sites, there are plenty of options.

You should check out Hell's Gate while you are here.

There are also a few hike and bike trails, but this is mainly a park for boating and fishing.

It was nice and peaceful there. They had an awesome store close by where they use the honor system at night for ice and firewood. The campsites close to the water were a little small and Rocky but we had a nice grassy one across the street.

The campgrounds at PK look well kept and cleaned up. The trails are nice. They have plenty of shaded areas as much as they do have open and sunny areas. Summer I was alil weary of the sunny areas because of the overgrowth of vegetation on the trail for the worry of a rattlesnake encounter. Other than that there are nice wide trails and great outlooks of the lake for just sitting back to rest with a view or snapping a few photos. You can see far on some spots. Overall it was a good experience. Might look into camping there once warmer weather hits us again.

This is one of my favorite parks to kayak or canoe at! You can rent them right there at the dock. You can rent jet skis, as well! You can’t get to the famous Hells Gate from the park, but if you take the loop through a private community called Sportsman’s World, you will run right into a view of it.

I have visited here many times and now that some time has passed since the golden alge epidemic that the area has returned to it's natural beauty.

We have been camping here for about 35 years.  Started out tent camping and now prefer a RV.  Love this park.  Many of the campsites are directly on the water, the wind coming off the water will keep you cool in the summer.  We camp here year round.  We camp to relax and this is great place for this.

 First impression- 112 is located perfectly right across from the bathrooms, and has a semi “easy to access” water’s edge. Not ideal for kayak releasing, but there was a small cubby hole in the rock where the water comes in that we discovered once the other half arrived. 
 Only about a 35-45 minute drive to Hells Gate, which seems to be a hot spot for parties. Boats all tied together, bands playing, beer drinking, good time spot. That was where we met Carol, who allowed us to access her property to unload the kayaks, and proceeded to have an incredible time, being the only two people on kayaks in a multi million dollar neighborhood. 
 Stopped at Boondocks Bar and Grill, and met the lady responsible for the pea salad... an unsung hero of the culinary world. 
 Once back at the campsite, we had the privilege of meeting the state representative/ rule enforcer that happened to be on duty that night. He gave us a lesson on how to properly consume alcohol while on the campsite, even though no one was being harmed by the methods chosen to do so before he arrived. 
 Someone from the group thought it would be a good idea to leave out the chips and queso, previously ordered at Boondock’s, for the raccoons. It would have been adorable to be able to feed them by hand, the chips, that we had learned they absolutely loved, not too long before. Once they arrived, we would surprise them from out of nowhere, and shower them with love and affection, in hopes they would take to us as family, and allow us to hand feed them. We were very surprised to find, not only were they not raccoons, they were skunks, but also, skunks also enjoy the salty taste of a tortilla chip or two as well. I regret to inform you, that we were not able to hand feed them like we hoped, but all in all, the skunks were an exciting addition to the adventure. 
 Overall, I would say it was a trip that was

better than expected, in a very peaceful environment.

What can I say? PK State Park is beautiful with full hookups right on the lake. All the facilities you need are here and in good shape. Highly recommend!

This is a nice little park for swimming doing a little tubing, not a hiking park, there’s a trail that’s about a mile and change long. It’s a big lake so if you have a boat you will truly enjoy it. I did not. So swimming and tubing is all I did in the water.The 2011 fire it’s not evident anymore, so it’s a great time to go. June 27 to July 3. 2020