Best Campgrounds near Hillsboro, TX

The Lake Whitney area near Hillsboro, Texas features multiple established campgrounds offering diverse camping accommodations. Lake Whitney State Park provides tent, RV, and cabin options with both primitive and developed sites. Nearby campgrounds like Thousand Trails Lake Whitney, McCown Valley Park, and Cedar Creek Park Campground expand the camping possibilities with lakefront locations and varying amenity levels. Several Army Corps of Engineers parks around Lake Whitney maintain campgrounds with water and electric hookups, while a number of private RV parks cater to travelers seeking full hookups and additional amenities.

Campground accessibility remains good throughout most of the year, though summer heat can make tent camping challenging from June through August. Many Lake Whitney campgrounds require reservations, especially during holiday weekends and the popular spring and fall seasons. Weather patterns affect camping conditions, with potential thunderstorms in spring and occasional flooding that impacts lakeside sites. Lake levels fluctuate seasonally, which can alter shoreline camping experiences. Winter temperatures typically remain mild but can occasionally dip below freezing. "The lake front sites are perfectly located with access to the lake but not too far from hard stand bathrooms and showers," noted one camper about McCown Valley Park.

Waterfront camping receives consistently high ratings from visitors, with Lake Whitney's multiple parks offering various water access points. Campers particularly appreciate the shaded sites at Lake Whitney State Park, which provide relief during hot Texas summers. Several visitors mentioned the dark sky viewing opportunities at many of the campgrounds, making stargazing a popular nighttime activity. The region's campgrounds vary in privacy levels, with some offering well-spaced sites while others have more open layouts. A recent review highlighted that "Quiet campground with no highway noise. There is no gate closure overnight. This is an excellent dark sky campground." Fishing access constitutes a major draw for many visitors, with multiple parks featuring boat ramps, fishing piers, and shoreline access points designed specifically for anglers.

Best Camping Sites Near Hillsboro, Texas (139)

    1. Lake Whitney State Park Campground

    26 Reviews
    Whitney, TX
    15 miles
    Website
    +1 (254) 694-3793

    $14 - $50 / night

    "It has been raining non stop all over Texas. I began to look for places within 2 hours of Fort Worth. Texas State Parks are a great. I settled on Lake Whitney."

    "This park is a great go-to if you live in Texas – centrally located and quick to access from most major cities."

    2. Thousand Trails Lake Whitney

    8 Reviews
    Whitney, TX
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (888) 707-1477

    "The lake access is not close to every hook ups but is a short driving distance. Lake access/swimming area is very nice, we had fun!"

    "Love the location, so close to Dallas! This park is so quite and very dark at night!"

    3. McCown Valley Park

    10 Reviews
    Whitney, TX
    16 miles
    Website
    +1 (254) 622-3332

    $16 - $45 / night

    "The hidden gem of Lake Whitney. Tent sites are tucked in the back of the park away from foot traffic and most vehicles."

    "I had a spot right next to the lake where I kayaked, biked, and just walked with the dogs. Highly recommend!"

    4. Hill side RV Park

    1 Review
    Hillsboro, TX
    4 miles
    +1 (940) 442-8160

    $425 / night

    5. Lofers Bend West

    6 Reviews
    Whitney, TX
    16 miles
    Website
    +1 (254) 622-3332

    $16 - $80 / night

    "This is one of the better COE campgrounds on Lake Whitney."

    "We stayed at site 63 which is right on lake edge. Amazing sunsets. Across inlet from boat ramp. The sites have covered picnic tables with both fire pits with grates and stand up covered grills."

    6. North Crest RV Park

    17 Reviews
    Waco, TX
    24 miles
    Website
    +1 (254) 799-3963

    $45 - $65 / night

    "This is a very nice park that is located next to Interstate 35, so expect some highway noise. That doesn't bother us, and we had a lovely stay."

    "We were looking for a simple place to stop overnight after driving all day toward Brownsville."

    7. Cedron Creek

    6 Reviews
    Whitney, TX
    18 miles
    Website
    +1 (254) 622-3332

    $28 - $140 / night

    "Cedron Creek park set off Lake Whitney , outside of Whitney , TX . We had lot 27 , the back of the loop. Kinda secluded. Threw out corn and the deer come in and feed along with squirrels ."

    "Some sites are a little close together and not many are close to water."

    8. Cedar Creek Park Campground

    3 Reviews
    Whitney Lake, TX
    15 miles
    Website
    +1 (254) 694-3189

    "Water at most and firerings are provided next to covered picnic tables. Quiet, lots of wildlife, has boat ramp and dock as well as large shelter house with bbq for days use by larger groups."

    "Most had grill and water access and the lake is a super clean rock bottom one. Super peaceful."

    9. Steele Creek Park Campground

    7 Reviews
    Whitney Lake, TX
    20 miles
    Website
    +1 (254) 622-3332

    "We enjoyed this free campsite as we were making our way down to San Antonio, Texas. It had a water spicket, which was perfect for nomad living."

    "* Water facets near most sites.

    Most sites a quite private with trees between them. There are 2 bathrooms, and a porta-potty. 2 boat ramps, and pavilions over the picnic tables."

    10. Liberty Hill Park Campground

    14 Reviews
    Bardwell, TX
    24 miles
    Website
    +1 (254) 578-1431

    $18 - $95 / night

    "Lake Navarro Mills is well know as the best Crappie fishing lake in Texas."

    "No trails to hike on but plenty of good roads to walk. Very peaceful!"

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Recent Reviews near Hillsboro, TX

588 Reviews of 139 Hillsboro Campgrounds


  • aThe Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 3, 2025

    Loyd Park

    Quiet and Serene

    We stayed here for four nights and it was a welcome retreat after staying in mini RV parks. Our spot was number 184. Not right on the water, but we can see the water from one of our windows. If we came back here again and we couldn’t get right on the water. I would choose a site with more shade like site number 190 has lots of shade.We’re here in October so it’s pretty warm. The hookups work well and the place is very well-maintained. I haven’t tried the public restrooms as our RV restroom is fine. I would definitely come back here again.

  • CThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 19, 2025

    Cedar Hill State Park Campground

    Not too impressed

    We arrived after hours after calling and instructed to just go to our campsite. The park had absolutely no signs indicating where the campground is. We were surprised to find a very sloping site with the cement bumpers missing rebar and very unsafe. No after hours phone number and no campground host. Is this any way to run a campground? We flagged down another camper who indicated that three sites were available when he checked in a couple of hours earlier. This is the first time that we encountered something like this in our years of camping. No one here to answer questions….sites in terrible disrepair still being represented as safe. We had to replace in the hopes that someone would not arrive to claim their site. In the morning we experienced pounding on our door to be challenged by armed…yes, they had guns, officers questioning why we were “squatting” Needless to say this campground is very disorganized and needs an after hours emergency phone number, campground host, safety inspections, as well as a manager who cares.

  • Ray & Terri F.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 18, 2025

    Holiday Park Campground

    Small, fairly convenient, and very quiet CG

    We have a 36 ft Class A with a Cherokee Trailhawk tow and stayed in site 73 for 1 night in mid September. The CG is clean, well maintained. The CG roads are paved, but narrow and a little winding in places. The sites themselves all seemed mostly level. The CG was very quiet and peaceful. There were only 2 or 3 other campers in the CG while we were there. Our site, 73, was a pull-through, as were several, but some were back in. The registration card says to watch for branches if your RV is over 12’ tall, but there were several branches much lower than that leaving site 73. We were able to navigate to avoid most of them, but one was unavailable, so be advised. There were lots of deer that wandered through our part of the CG. 

    AT&T coverage was pretty good with 2 bars of LTE service and speeds up to 17 MB/s. We had a clear view to the N at the site, so Starlink was fine with speeds up to 20 MB/s.

  • Keri S.
    Aug. 21, 2025

    Midway

    Showers & fishing

    They are a little bit strict here but there are friendly and the showers are always clean and fishing is good.

  • J
    Aug. 18, 2025

    North Crest RV Park

    Great place

    We stayed there for 3 nights. The park is run by Emily and her father. Emily is friendly and there to make sure you have a nice stay. The park is filled with tall shade trees, nice to have in the summer heat. Located just off I-35 about 6 miles north of Baylor University.

  • Zoey T.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 12, 2025

    Cedar Creek Park Campground

    Great space - hard to find

    We love this spot. Definitely ignore google to get here though… just follow the road to the end (no turning off) there are campsites to your right and left once you reach the water. At least 27 of them. Quiet. Spaced out. Most had grill and water access and the lake is a super clean rock bottom one. Super peaceful.

  • Morgan B.
    Aug. 3, 2025

    Steele Creek Park Campground

    free & full of nature - wonderful for nomads!

    We enjoyed this free campsite as we were making our way down to San Antonio, Texas. It had a water spicket, which was perfect for nomad living. We were able to wash our hair, cookware, rinse off, and enjoy free potable water. The small things, right? 

    The site we choose was private and in close walking distance to pit toilets. It has a small trail in the back, which led to the small lake. The dogs enjoyed being off-leash and the trees surrounding us was peaceful. The fire pit was wonderful and I can see why big groups would enjoy staying here!

    There was some fast-food trash around the campsite, but we did not mind picking it up. Reminder: leave it better than you found it. Overall: wonderful experience and perfectly comfortable free campsite for nomads. 

    Our Google Maps GPS was giving us issues on the entrance location of this site, since it is tucked away behind neighborhoods, so we relied on the maps and roads to lead us there.

  • Bobbie S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 31, 2025

    Camp Fimfo Waco

    Not a long term place

    My husband travels for work. We stayed here nine months out of the 11 months in Tx. We endured the high cost (1,200 per month) because the rate drops in the winter. They have many rules that they enforce when and to whom they feel like enforcing them to. My site was always tidy (no pets or children) but was informed that I would be fined 40 dollars (repeatedly) for having a small outside fridge until it was removed. Most parks do not allow mini fridges outside (some more strict than others). I had this fridge for NINE months, three other people had one as well. They did not get spoken to. This was the last straw, why we moved. Also, after nine months, they no longer allowed ANY mail to be delivered there. Prior to the fridge: They had an online issue and rented our spot and told us we had to move for a week. We stayed at the spot we moved to until they decided that this spot was not available for the summer to a full time renter. We move again. I saw three copperhead snakes while there. The issue, they do not mow regularly! My neighbor bought a push mower so his dog could go out and he could see snakes. The laundry rooms were absolutely disgusting and broken most of the time (I found a local laundry mat). They got new machines and they were still breaking down and very dirty. Dirty showers. Were told no outside wood. Have to purchase it from the store on site. The store is closed all week. Only open 3 days (winter, when you have fires), Fri, Sat & Sun. Five mile an hour speed limit, staff doses 20+ on golf carts. The road noise was incredibly loud for how far from the road the park is. The handful of lovely staff members was the only reason we stayed as long as we did.

  • TammyP The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 24, 2025

    Soldier’s Bluff

    Nice Lake view

    I found this small camping site and it’s small but has good sites and nice lake view. Can sit by lake and have covered picnic tables. The camp sites are not covered but has enough tree coverage to make it shaded and I had pretty good wind to stay cool in the 93 degree heat. Has tent camping, and two RV slots and one truck stop which I used, it did need mowed when I was there but it was not to bad great view of the dam,


Guide to Hillsboro

Lake Whitney serves as the central feature for camping sites near Hillsboro, Texas, created by damming the Brazos River. The reservoir spans approximately 23,500 acres with 225 miles of shoreline, offering camping opportunities at elevations ranging from 520 to 570 feet. Summer temperatures routinely exceed 95°F between June and September, while winter nights can drop to the 30s, making spring and fall the most comfortable camping seasons.

What to do

Fishing access points: Lake Whitney State Park provides numerous fishing opportunities with multiple bank access points. "Great park for fisherman with lots of lake access points and several boat ramps. Tons of camping options, although many are in grassy areas that don't provide much privacy," notes one visitor to Lake Whitney State Park Campground.

Kayaking and boating: Launch from designated areas at most campgrounds around the lake. At Steele Creek Park Campground, one camper reports, "Nice place with pit toilet. No shower. Right on the water. Stayed here a few nights with no problems."

Wildlife observation: Several parks offer opportunities to observe deer and other wildlife in natural settings. A camper at McCown Valley Park notes, "Tent camped at site 60 which was great! Right off the water and super close (but not too close) to the restrooms. Weather for us was rough with high winds the first day but the next two were beautiful! Lots of wildlife, as we were pulling into the park we saw lots of deer..and throughout our stay we were visited by some Canadian Geese."

What campers like

Waterfront camping: Sites along the lake edge provide exceptional views and direct water access. One camper at Lofers Bend West stated, "We stayed at site 63 which is right on lake edge. Amazing sunsets. Across inlet from boat ramp. The sites have covered picnic tables with both fire pits with grates and stand up covered grills."

Variety of accommodation options: From primitive tent sites to full hookup RV pads to cabins. A visitor to Lake Whitney State Park Campground shares, "I stayed at Lake Whitney for a night on my way south from Dallas, so I didn't have much time to spend there. I ended up staying at a screen shelter site with a bunch of trees and a great view of the lake. The site had a picnic table inside the shelter and outside the shelter. It had a water spigot and a fire ring."

Wildlife encounters: Deer frequently visit campgrounds around the lake. At Steele Creek Park, one camper enthused, "My 1st time camping there and I feel in love and will return... The deer coming to ur campsite is amazing and the sunset is breathe taking."

What you should know

Spring and fall are peak seasons: Campgrounds fill quickly from March through May and September through November. A visitor to Lake Whitney State Park notes, "This park is a great go-to if you live in Texas – centrally located and quick to access from most major cities. It can get crowded on high weekends in the spring/fall, but there are ample campsites if you plan ahead a bit."

Wind conditions: Some lakefront sites experience strong winds. One camper at Lake Whitney State Park mentions, "I would not recommend the spots directly on the waterside. Very windy. There are a lot of mosquitos but overall nice people very crowded and very windy."

Varying site privacy: Some campgrounds offer more secluded sites than others. A camper at Cedar Creek Park Campground shares, "We love this spot. Definitely ignore google to get here though… just follow the road to the end (no turning off) there are campsites to your right and left once you reach the water. At least 27 of them. Quiet. Spaced out."

Tips for camping with families

Playgrounds and swimming areas: Several parks feature designated swimming areas and playground equipment. A visitor to Lake Whitney State Park reports, "Love going here with my kiddo! There's lots of easy access to the water and the trails are nice. We've gone during different times of the year and never had any issues. The staff is always friendly and helpful."

Spring wildflowers: Time your visit to coincide with Texas wildflower season. One camper at Lake Whitney State Park mentions, "I thought the wildflowers were the greatest feature, and then we caught sight of an angelic band of pelicans just overhead on a migratory flight - a very moving sight I will never forget."

Insect preparation: Bring appropriate repellents, especially during summer months. A visitor to Liberty Hill Park Campground warns, "Liberty hill is a very beautiful campground but there is a serious issue with the invasive Argentian ant. This is a great campground to spend a few days or weeks relaxing and catching fish."

Tips from RVers

Loop selection matters: Different loops offer varying experiences and site types. At Thousand Trails Lake Whitney, one RVer advises, "The campground is out a little ways away from the city, but close enough that you can make a day trip to Waco or Fort Worth. The road in and around campsites is in various states of disrepair. Lots of potholes and pavement breaks make it rough hauling an expensive rig in and out of the park."

Consider seasonal placement: Some RV sites lack shade for summer camping. A visitor to Lake Whitney State Park shares, "The layout is weird. No waterfront by the full hookups. All the good sites are standard hookups or no electricity at all. Shade all around but over your camper. So it has a hard time cooling."

Level sites available: Many campgrounds offer concrete pads for easier setup. An RVer at North Crest RV Park notes, "We loved the trees and nice wide slips. Nice not to be within 5 feet from your neighbor. Restrooms nice and clean. Appreciate the friendly management. We felt very welcome."

Frequently Asked Questions

What camping is available near Hillsboro, TX?

According to TheDyrt.com, Hillsboro, TX offers a wide range of camping options, with 139 campgrounds and RV parks near Hillsboro, TX and 2 free dispersed camping spots.

Which is the most popular campground near Hillsboro, TX?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Hillsboro, TX is Lake Whitney State Park Campground with a 4.2-star rating from 26 reviews.

Where can I find free dispersed camping near Hillsboro, TX?

According to TheDyrt.com, there are 2 free dispersed camping spots near Hillsboro, TX.

What parks are near Hillsboro, TX?

According to TheDyrt.com, there are 19 parks near Hillsboro, TX that allow camping, notably Whitney Lake and Navarro Mills Lake.