Best Glamping near Hondo, TX

Everyone loves Lost Maples State Natural Area, whether you are a RV camper, car camper, backcountry camper or just visiting for the day and day hiking. There's a little something for everyone. 

Perhaps the best time of the year to visit Lost Maples is in the Autumn when the fall foliage is occurring - it is often during the first three weeks of November. However, during fall foliage it can be very difficult to reserve a campsite, so I recommend booking a campsite 6 months in advance. Or do what I did and show up on a really cold weekday when no one else is interested in being outside in 25 degree weather and there will be plenty of space to car camp or backcountry camp.

If you camp at the established drive-up campground there are assigned campsites with space for cars, vans and RVs. At each campsite there is a sunshade shelter, picnic table, lantern pole, water, electricity and campfire pit with a grill. There is also a restroom nearby with sinks, toilets, showers and a water fountain. There is even a little free library where you can take a book to read or leave a book to share. 

If you camp in the backcountry there are designated and marked zones where you just set up your tent. There are no facilities in the backcountry campsites so leave no trace practices should be applied. Near some of the backcountry campsites there are latrines.

The park has well maintained hiking trails that will lead you by pastures, through forest, alongside creeks and up some hills. It is possible to hike the 8 to 10 miles of trails in one day, but it is more fun to go slow and enjoy the sights. There is an East Trail Loop and a West Trail Loop and some spur trails. Pick up a map at the Ranger Station and enjoy the trails. Some of the trails have steep rock ascents which are indicated on the park map.

If you need supplies there is a small store with basics in the nearby town of Vanderpool.

While you are in the area, you may as well stop by Bandera, Texas known as the cowboy capital of the world. It is a small Texas town and every weekend they celebrate cowboy culture with some performances and events.

SKYLINE RANCH RV PARK- BANDERA, TX 

Type of Park: Private-owned 

Check In: 12p Check Out: 11a 

Site#33- Pull-Thru

$38 per night for 30 amp 

Discounts: Good Sam 10%, TACO, AAA• 

Water• 20/30 amp• Sewer• Cable TV• Picnic Table• Site Pad: Gravel. Mostly level

👍🏻 Pros:• This site has a couple large Live Oak shade trees• On the end, so the front of the camper has a large area for the"yard"

👎🏻 Cons:• No grill or fire ring• The end of the site drops down a little, so it was hard to back UP the incline on the gravel when hitching up

More info at https://www.denisevajdak.com/2021/04/banderahill-country-trip.html

📝 Park Notes:• Restrooms/ Bath House• Wifi• Propane sold onsite(weekly delivery)• Laundry facility• Park Store• 3 Rec Rooms• Less than 1/2 mile walk to Medina River• Gazebo on trail to river• Walking distance to Wild Horse Saloon•

🐦 Wildlife:• Birds: Several kinds. Heard turkeys, but couldn't spot them• Deer, squirrels

We tent camped here circa spring break 2012. We arrived around midnight and I think the host welcomed us. Regardless we got a good site on the east side of the highway and easily set up the tent with the car lights. We enjoyed the park hiking the forest on the west side. I braved the cold water of the river, swimming across and back with onlookers and my wife admiring my courage (or foolishness) from the bank. I laid on the rocks in the sun to dry off and warm up. We tested a Methodist church in our dirty camping clothes and received a warm welcome.

We arrived after hours and without reservations on a Thursday evening in early October. We were able to secure a spot through the bartender at Wild Ass Hey Barn, which is on site and the location of the bathroom/showers. We were the only tent campers and were told to just set up on the grass by the river. Locals staying in RVs in the main area helped us find our way. It was a fantastic setting right next to the river. The regular tent sites are lined up along the river and had water. They were pretty close to each other, but right on the water in a tent only area. RV sites are farther inland and separate from the tent sites. Bathroom was basic, but clean.

This is an X-State Park that the City of Kerrville assumed operation in 2004. Very popular, nice park, but it’s really beginning to show its heavy use. Bandera Highway splits this park with check-in on the Guadalupe riverside of Bandera Highway. FHU sites in Deer Field Loop, which require a gate access code for access, are a good distance from the next site, with the site across the road are closer. Asphalt parking pad fairly level. Wooden picnic table, metal fire pit with cooking grate. Utility hook-ups in good condition at our campsite. The picnic table is at least 50 feet from the camper parking pad, which is chained to the concrete pad it sits on. Noise from Highway 173 and the approach pattern for the Kerrville Municipal Airport, so lots of low flying aircraft. Otherwise, campers were quiet and respectful. Deer came very close to us while sitting at the fire pit. Toilet/shower facility clean; women had 2 sinks, 2 toilets and 3 showers. There are two washers and two dryers on the backside of the Deer Field Loop toilet/shower facility, but the washer lids were ripped off, but lying there. Easy day trips to Hill Country towns from this park to include Fredericksburg, Austin, New Braunfels and San Antonio. In Kerrville, don’t miss Grape Juice Restaurant, brand new HEB open November 2020, Belks and Gibson’s Store.  Camp Verde General Store and Restaurant is only a 20-minute drive.

2 different entrances - you must check in at the big station and get a gate code to get to your 30 amp site, water and electric only. Grab the map, you will definitely need it. There are almost no signs to direct you. The map is badly done, but it's al you will have. Do not arrive after dark, or you will never find your site. There is no one around to ask if you do go astray, so be prepared to turn around, and watch for 1 weathered gray wooden sign about 18 inches above the grass, letters carved into the wood in matching gray weathered letters and numbers. The site is gravel pull thru with some shade. 30 amp and a faucet. Fire ring/grill unused due to burn ban. Concrete picnic table, and on site occupied armadillo nest hole under on of the oaks. Dumpster down the road about 50 yards, trailhead for teal hiking trail the other direction about 50 yards.