Best Tent Camping near Hufsmith, TX

Tent campers visiting the Hufsmith, Texas region have access to several established campgrounds within a short drive. Huntsville State Park Campground, located approximately 30 miles north in the Sam Houston National Forest, offers numerous tent sites with varying amenities. Lake Niederhoffer Campsite provides a more primitive tent camping experience with free sites accessed by hiking trails. Tomball RV Park, despite its name, accommodates tent campers with designated tent sites about 10 miles south of Hufsmith.

The tent sites at Huntsville State Park feature picnic tables, fire rings, and water hookups with restrooms and showers nearby. Sites are positioned on pine needle-covered ground with modest spacing between neighbors. According to one visitor, "The sites were pretty small but there was space for a tent, a fire ring and a table." Most tent areas have parking at the site, though some waterfront locations have tiered designs with the tent pad and picnic area on a lower level from the parking space. The park experiences drainage issues during heavy rains, with some sites positioned at the bottom of hills collecting runoff.

Lake Niederhoffer Campsite offers a more secluded tent camping experience with walk-in access only. A recent review noted, "We went during the week. Only 1 other group was across the lake. Lots of spots to space out even if it was crowded." These primitive tent sites require a hike along forest service roads to reach the lake, making them ideal for campers seeking solitude. The area has no facilities, requiring campers to pack in all supplies and pack out all waste. Tent campers frequently mention the clear water, wildlife sounds at night, and surrounding pine forest as highlights. Big City Little Farm and Bambolea also offer tent camping closer to Hufsmith, though with limited sites and varying amenities. All established tent campgrounds in the area have fire restrictions during dry periods, with Huntsville State Park providing firewood through a donation program.

Best Tent Sites Near Hufsmith, Texas (8)

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Tent Camping Reviews near Hufsmith, TX

332 Reviews of 8 Hufsmith Campgrounds


  • Napunani
    Jun. 22, 2022

    Cagle Recreation Area

    Quiet

    Pros 

    Senior pass discount 

    Quick check-in( in fact, we were still backing into our site) by camp host who delivered vehicle pass 

    Asphalt parking pad surrounded by grass 

    Non moveable metal frame wooden picnic table on an oversized concrete slab 

    Metal fire ring with cooking grate 

    Lantern pole 

    Shady site #4 

    Spacious area between campsites 

    Quiet 

    Good night sky viewing as there are no street lights in park and shower/toilet facility had minimum lighting 

    Cons 

    Campers ignore basic rules/courtesy such as keeping dogs on leash and letting children run thru everyone’s campsites 

    Entrance gate unmanned (closed) 24/7) so lots of“drive-by” gawkers in the campground Non campers consistently showered in the campground showers facility

    Gates to campground not locked overnight 

    TP not available in women's restroom SWEETGUM most of the 2 nights of our stay 

    No security drive-throughs by park staff 

    Unlevel parking pad Site #4 

    No privacy from any other campers as there is absolutely no brush/vegetation between sites 

    No firewood for sale in park 

    Non-climate controlled shower/toilet building, but did have a box fan sitting on the floor running, but he was a sweat box in that facility!

    Site picnic table at the rear of the site and it was anchored to the concrete pad 

    No WiFi 

    1 bar Verizon

  • Elliott B.
    Sep. 29, 2016

    Stubblefield Lake Recreation Area

    Great sites, great access to Lake Conroe

    These are some great tent/trailer (small RV) only sites with no hookups (both deterring the giant RVs). You have nice open sites with pads under the tree cover with your standard table and fire ring but you then also have access to potable drinking water and flush restrooms and actually some showers. Easy access to the lake and lots of trails.

  • Fred S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Apr. 28, 2022

    Stubblefield Lake Recreation Area

    Really nice, wooded campsites

    Old campground, nicely maintained. Wooded; big pines. Two restroom/showerhouses; old, but clean. Camped for 2 nights in a camper van at site #24. It was a very large site surrounded on 3 sides by a thick forest of trees & shrubs. Private. Water faucet on site. No electric. The Lone Star Hiking Trail conveniently located in the campground. Nice hike through a thick forest. Canpground road & campsite driveways are paved. Sites have tent pads & appear pretty much level. Sites have a table, fire ring & lantern poll. The road toward the campground is paved, but broken up in places with several potholes. AT&T service is okay, but no T-Mobile service. This campground is great for tent campers, campervans, car campers & truck campers. I don't recommend this campground for large RVs.

  • GoWhereYouAreDraw N.The Dyrt PRO User
    Apr. 30, 2019

    Huntsville State Park Campground

    What you'll need to know....

    You’ll find Huntsville State Park six miles southwest of Huntsville, TX in Walker County in the Sam Houston National Forest. Huntsville State Park has over 20 miles of trails to explore along with a pretty great lake to fish, paddle or swim. Fish for crappie, perch, catfish, or bass. Lake Raven also has a boat ramp, fishing piers, and fish cleaning stations. Bring your own canoe or rent one from the little supply store. The supply store also has miscellaneous supplies and bait for purchase.

    Campsites are spaced modestly except those in the full hookup loop. If you are looking for full hookups, book in advanced as those are in high demand at this location. All sites have a two-day minimum on Friday and Saturday.

    Available sites:

    • Full hookup campsites - pull-through, picnic table, fire ring, water hookup, lantern post, restrooms & showers nearby 20/30/50-amp hookup
    • Electric sites - picnic table, fire ring, water hookup, lantern post, restrooms & showers nearby 20/30/50-amp electric hook up
    • Campsites with water - picnic table, fire ring, water hookup, lantern post, & restrooms & showers nearby
  • Sarah M.
    Jun. 27, 2016

    Huntsville State Park Campground

    Beautiful Piney Woods Campground

    We went Thursday - Saturday, and will go again during the week to avoid crowds.
    The check-in process is a bit troublesome if you're picky about getting a good tent site- you can't reserve specific sites ahead of time. Also, your visit will cost you more than listed on the website because they charge entrance fees for each person on top of the campsite rental. That was an unpleasant surprise. The only other unpleasant surprise is that the campground store is closed on Thursdays. Lesson learned- bring your own Snickers!
    However, the scenery, quietness, and availability of rental boats was wonderful. We camped in tent site #70, and I would grab that one again in a heartbeat. The 70's sites have water access and beautiful views, and are generous with their square footage. Plenty of trees down there to hang hammocks and clotheslines on, and more than one flat spot for tents on each site.
    I normally would not devote a whole paragraph to restrooms at a state park, but I will this time. These were the CLEANEST restrooms I've ever seen at a state park, and the most updated. The stalls had modern dividers, the toilets all had clean, functional seats, the showers had separate bench areas with lots of hooks, plus normal faucets you could just turn on once (as opposed to having to push a button every minute), and the sinks also had great faucets with good pressure and reliable water temperatures. Very easy to use.
    All our issues with this park were related to unexpected costs and logistics, but the park facilities were fabulous. We will definitely be back!

  • A
    Feb. 10, 2021

    Stubblefield Lake Recreation Area

    Very quiet here in the Sam Houston National Forest!

    28 campsites! Not too close together either! They fixed the water spigots throughout the camp just recently. Bathrooms get cleaned daily, super clean during the week, but gets crowded on weekends. So bathrooms get kinda overused. The showers are hot! Many places have luke warm, but they turn up the heat here which is great. New host Robert is cool AF. Nice guy, doesn't bother anyone who isn't being a nuecince. Walker County has many fire bans, so check before you head out. First come first serve. No reservations. Gets overcrowded on weekends. Fishing, kayaking, the LSHT ( Lone Star Hiking Trail), all are great fun. Dogs are welcome , but forest workers come regularly, like 2xs a day drive by to check if people got them on leash. Alcohol permitted, but not publicly. Only on your site. Verizon service is great here! Sprint sucks. Att was marginally working. You may stay up to 14 days at a time here. I actually love it here, been back 5 times! $15 a night, if you have Americas Beautiful Pass, its half off! $7.50 a night folks! Pass is $80 annually online at National Forest. Just Google it.

  • Stephen & Theresa B.
    Jul. 18, 2021

    Stephen F. Austin State Park Campground

    Pleasant Texas State Park

    We had a really nice relaxing stay at Stephen F Austin State Park near San Filepe, Texas. Great little state park easily accessed from I-10. The 38 RV sites are all asphalt pad pull throughs with 30/15 amp electric, water and sewer complete with concrete pad for table, fire pit, lantern and all well spaced for plenty of privacy...big rig friendly. They have an additional 39 tent only sites with water and 25 primitive. Screened shelters are reservable for tent camping with 20 amp electric and water plus one rustic cabin with amenities. There is a$5 daily entrance fee in addition to camping fees. The bathhouse facilities are brand new. It's a small park but they do have five miles of trails for hiking/biking with views of the Brazos River. We enjoyed the wildlife; deer strolling in the campground every morning and evening, birds, rabbits, frogs, turtles, a bobcat and numerous owls. They have a Nature Center; however it was not open during our visit. The park office has a small store with sundries and park souvenirs. The nearby San Felipe de Austin State His­toric Site tells the story of early settlers to Texas and is worth a visit. We made a run to the nearby town of Sealy to do a much needed laundry stop...small community with grocery, dining and fuel to meet most needs. GPS 29.811982-96.108059 l(979) 885-3613 l Park Road 38 San Felipe, TX 77473

  • Napunani
    Nov. 18, 2021

    Cagle Recreation Area

    Night Sky Friendly

    Reserved 183 days prior to arrival. 

    PROS 

    Quiet even on Halloween weekend except for road noise from FM1375 

    Night sky friendly. NO STREET LIGHTS in Campground! 

    Two FHU Campgrounds. Sweet Gum with 19 sites and Sycamore with 28 sites. 

    Metal picnic table 

    Cooking grill on metal fire ring 

    Site level and asphault parking pad in good condition 

    Friendly camp host who came directly to site on our second day for our check-in 

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

    Campsite discount with America the Beautiful Pass 

    CONS 

    Campsite water hook-up sprayed water everywhere. Even tried using plumber Teflon tape that didn’t even reduce the large spray. Talked to camp host about it and he just laughed and agreed it was needing some repairs, but no one ever came by and it sprayed like that for 4 nights! We had quite a large puddle.

    Security gates are NOT closed overnight

    Extra high sided campfire ring

    No privacy from any other campsites

    Toilet/shower facility without temperature control

    4 Camp Hosts for 47 campsites. Sweet Gum Loop #11 Camp Host site packed to the max with all kinds of stuff that isn’t seen at other Camp Host sites. Definitely hording homesteaders.

    Only park amenity is boat ramp for Lake Conroe.

    No swimming is permitted.

    Never saw any park rangers or park security driving through campground Wildlife sightings of grey squirrels

    Zero to 1 bar AT&T

    No park Wifi

  • Daniel L.
    Jul. 8, 2022

    Cagle Recreation Area

    Nice... But.

    Summary: Nice small older park with mature trees & two loops. Sweetgum and sycamore. We stayed in the sycamore loop site #28. Sycamore loop has a boat ramp on the southern end as this park is on lake Conroe. Pros: IMO there is allot to like at this quiet park. Shade, mature trees, most sites had adequate space between them, full hook-ups,30 & 50 amp, newer style fire rings with adjustable grates to cook on. Although there was a fire ban when we went. Access to the lake if you like to boat or fish. Grounds were well kept up while there, no stickers in the grassy areas of you have pets or little ones. I hate if we go somewhere and there are thorns in our dogs feet when we walk them, that is no fun but not here. OHV area trail head with miles of trails are minutes away.

    Cons: Our site was really off level side to side. We have auto leveling and it wouldn't work it was so far out of level. We had to manually do it. Side to side isn't fun. Front to back is much easier to set up. So I would say bring leveling blocks or boards with you in case you need them. Be prepared. Also as with any park sites rig size vary as to what can fit where. So my advice is to go visit it and pick which one you think you'd fit into best and mark it down for when you want to go. Some sites I couldn't fit into. And no pull-thrus if that's your thing. Sewer hookup on some we're a ways away so bring an extra hose. Mine was close but I seen others that needed 3 hoses. I always carry two 10 footers and one 15 footer. No swimming area for the kids. No fishing pier. Fishing access is not great at the campground. Huntsville 20 miles away for supplies, food, etc. No store close by. Hope that helps.


Guide to Hufsmith

Tent camping sites near Hufsmith, Texas sit within the humid subtropical climate of Southeast Texas, where summer temperatures regularly exceed 90°F with high humidity. The terrain consists primarily of coastal plains covered with pine forests and scattered lakes, with elevations averaging 150-200 feet above sea level. Camping access varies seasonally, with some primitive sites becoming difficult to reach after heavy rainfall due to poorly drained clay soils common to the region.

What to do

Fishing opportunities: Lake Niederhoffer Campsite features a small lake with bluegill and bass fishing. "Emerald water on sunny days. Bluegill and small bass. Quiet and serene," notes a camper at Lake Niederhoffer Campsite.

Kayaking and water activities: Multiple water activities are available at Huntsville State Park. According to one visitor, "We got to use our kayaks, go fishing, swimming, and hike also. It was just gorgeous! We actually had our campsite in a perfect place for we could put our kayaks in and out of the water right behind our tent."

Hiking trails: The Sam Houston National Forest offers extensive hiking options with varying difficulty levels. A Lake Niederhoffer visitor reported, "The trees were nice to get lost in and the nature sounds at night were pleasant. The map to get there is straightforward, just use Google to drive to the gate then walk down the access road."

What campers like

Wildlife viewing: Campers frequently mention animal sightings. One visitor at Lake Niederhoffer Campsite shared, "Saw an otter and a little snake. Heard a lot more than that at night, entire forest seemed to be alive, with coyotes howling, something snorting, footsteps all over the place, a donkey making noise."

Waterfront camping: Some sites offer direct water access. At Huntsville State Park Campground, a camper noted, "Well maintained camping sites with lots of space to each site. Wonderful facilities and activities around the park."

Seclusion from urban areas: Many campsites provide a quiet retreat despite proximity to Houston. One camper described Lake Niederhoffer as "heaven on earth," adding, "I went out on a Friday and not a soul it is so quiet all you hear is a plane every once in a while. very spotty cell signal. but great spot to get away and forget about the world."

What you should know

Access limitations: Some of the best tent camping near Hufsmith requires hiking to reach. A camper at Lake Niederhoffer advised, "Just pull up to the gate, park at the side and it's about a 1.3 mile hike to the lake. DON'T forget to turn right when it's time, the trail is a little overgrown where you turn."

Seasonal considerations: Summer heat and humidity affect camping comfort. At Big City Little Farm, a visitor mentioned, "There was plenty of space and a beautiful night sky. The cozy fire was perfect for s'mores. The directions were clear and not too far from convenience stores."

Weather impacts: Heavy rain can create drainage issues. One visitor to Houston West RV Park explained, "The environment is clean and quiet," but warned about persistent issues with "a pretty severe red ant infestation everywhere, so you can't spend too long standing outside on the gravel or the grass."

Tips for camping with families

Accessible activities: Multiple family-friendly options exist within short distances. At Houston West RV Park, one camper shared, "Very nice RV Campground with large dog park, laundry, and cleaned showers and toilets. Easy drive to see the Johnson Space Center."

Educational opportunities: Several campgrounds offer nature learning experiences. A visitor to Lake Niederhoffer noted, "Terrific site to bring a small boyscout or Trail life troop. Fishing in the lake, hiking on Lonestar Trail. Many good locations to pitch a tent."

Swimming areas: Designated swimming spots provide supervised recreation. At Huntsville State Park, a camper observed, "There's decent fishing, a dedicated swim area, a small lake you can take boats out with trolley motor only, miles and miles of good hiking and biking trails."

Tips from RVers

Level sites: Check for ground levelness before setting up. A camper at Tomball RV Park reported, "This was our first family camping trip and very beautiful spacious and clean!"

Cost comparisons: Prices vary significantly between parks. One Houston West RV Park visitor noted, "Every other campground in the Houston area seems to be $55+, but with AAA discount I only paid $45 here! They were very accommodating when I called and gave us an easy spot up front because we were arriving after 8pm."

Supply planning: Many primitive sites require bringing all essentials. A Lake Niederhoffer camper advised, "My party hiked in way to much stuff, but it was more fun for it. We probably walked the trail about 20 times a piece to get everything in and out during our 3 night stay."

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Hufsmith, TX?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Hufsmith, TX is Tomball RV Park with a 5-star rating from 1 review.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Hufsmith, TX?

TheDyrt.com has all 8 tent camping locations near Hufsmith, TX, with real photos and reviews from campers.