Best Tent Camping near Hutto, TX

Shaffer Bend Rec. Area has a beautiful setting in the Texas Hill Country right off of Lake Travis. At the gate entrance you have wonderful landscape views. All of the camp sites are situated next to or a short walk to the water.

The camps are clean. Most are equipped with a picnic table and fire ring. In the large camp area, some have BBQ pits with a couple big communal grill/smoker. The same area has a horse pen as well if you're an equestrian enthusiast on top of a camper. It is a primitive campground. The large camp area has a couple port-a-poties. At the gate entrance there are men's and women's rooms with running water. That's about 3 miles from the camp sites. So, be prepared to dig holes, bring your own portable toilets, or hold it.

Considering you're on the lake, the water access is surprisingly limited. There are a few areas along the water you can walk in, but there's not a dock or boat access. I recommend sandals or water shoes since there's a fair amount of plant life along the shore. The same areas you can walk in would be good for kayaks though. The camp sites are situated along a narrow section of the lake. So, there would be plenty to explore.

I've camped at this campground a number of times while hiking around The Goodwater Trail.

There is a basic restroom with toilets. There is a water faucet near the Park Host's trailer. There is plenty of parking, a field with pad sites, a large open field and my favorite is the group campsite at the end of the large open field. The group campsite has a pad, but it also has plenty of trees and space to hang hammocks. It is also the more secluded of the campsites. There are fire rings at the campsites and it is possible to collect fallen wood for a fire if there is not a fire ban in effect.

Near the group campsite and through the tree line there is a small creek. Depending on the amount of recent rain or degree of draught the creek is deep enough to go for a wade or a swim. It is also fun to just explore the area around the creek.

The Goodwater trail is a loop trail that circles Lake Georgetown and runs about 28 miles. When backpacking the Goodwater Loop people typically start/park at either Tejas Park Trailhead, Jim Hogg Trailhead or Cedar Breaks Trailhead. If you are backpacking the loop parking and hiking are free. If you are using the park facilities just for the day, there is a day use fee.

Pace Bend Park is conveniently located a short distance from the city of Austin and on the shores of Lake Travis. The park is managed by the Travis County Parks Department. The entrance fee is $10 per car and the campsites are all first come first served. There are almost always campsites available, but the best campsites do get taken early. On the east side of the park there is easy beach access to the lakeshore and water. On the west side of the park there are a number of coves. Access to the water is possible by scrambling over and down rocks to the waters edge. Many people cliff jump off the cove cliffs, but be sure to test the depth of the water before jumping. Many people get injured every year jumping off the cliffs. Some of the campsites have developed pads to set up your tent. Other campsites just have clearing to set up your tent. There are ample trees available for hammock hanging. Because the park is located so close to the city many people visit the park for day use. The day time crowd can be a bit overwhelming and loud at times. At night the atmosphere generally calms down a bit. Many of the campsites have picnic tables and some have grills. A few have fire rings for campfires, but the park is removing many of the rings. Depending on the time of the year and the dryness, there is often a county fire banned in the area and park. My favorite campsites are along the west side of the park and the coves (N. Gracey Cove).

Reserved 157 days prior to arrival. 

PRO 

Site 65 area on trailer door side extra large. 

Wide open view of Lake Bastrop. 

Small park with 10 campsites and one is for the camp host. 

Campsite had a picnic table that could be moved! 

Campsite had smoker grill, charcoal grill and grilling grate on fire ring. 

Campsite lantern post. 

Asphalt pad surrounded by crushed granite. I

ndividual room toilet, sink and shower. 

Trash barrels at every other campsite. 

Lots of birds. 

CON

$6 reservation fee for self-reserved via website. 

Campsites are being reutilized for GLAT units. 

Site 65 campsite asphalt pad slopes towards lake causing difficulties to level front to back. 

Absolutely NO shade site 65. 

No privacy from site-to-site. 

Site 65 sewer connection was inches from next site's picnic table! 

Not dark sky friendly. Nice view of power plant especially at night. Large strings of lights at 5 permanent Airstream sites burning overnight, even when unoccupied. Illuminated the entire campground! 

4 private toilet/shower rooms for 15 campsites and 10 GLAT units. There were lines of people waiting...

No camp host.

No wildlife sightings.

Some highway noise and approach pattern to Austin IAP.

No firewood for sale.

2 bar AT&T.

With summer rapidly approaching for Texas I wanted to cruise down to Austin before the heat waves made it a bit unbearable. In doing so I elected to check out McKinney Falls Park. I will say that going into my stay I had only seen a couple of videos about the park which were less than descriptive as to what to expect from the park. Typically I would pine over reviews in advance but this time I decided to instead let the park surprise me and report the full initial reaction.

I did not book in advance, something I would not advise you to do unless it is winter season at the park. When I arrived there were only 2 campsites left on a Thursday just after noon. Needless to say this park fills quickly when the weather is pleasant. These two sites were literally only available for a single night as the campground was fully booked for the weekend.

I can see why quickly from pulling into the park why it is so popular, the grounds are well maintained, the wildflowers are in bloom making for a wonderful retreat for some amazing hiking and a scenic area for family photos and being only 15 minutes from downtown Austin easily makes this the best retreat away from the city for those wanting a quick weekend get away.

When selecting a campsite I often times like to find an area near the restroom without being directly across from them, having access to this amenity can be useful however proximity to avoid cross traffic is key when using a large campground. This location has restrooms scattered through the various loops with a centralized shower house. Our site was site 69, it backed up to one of the restrooms on our loop and actually had a small private path to the facility which made it unique from other sites and very convenient.

While the spring has brought in recent rains, the site was a it more overgrown than I would have liked considering this area is noted for a variety of snakes, however the tent pad and picnic area itself was cleared so with hesitation we went ahead and set up our overnight home.

The tent pad was a right pebble base, this made sleeping in just a sleeping bag impossible. We had to pad the base with several layers due to the sharp texture of the rocks below. I noticed later when packing the tent we also ended with a small tear at the lip of the tent because of these rocks. I would advise on this surface potentially laying a tarp barrier before placing your tent fo this reason.

Sites were standardly equipped with a picnic table and fire ring. Our site had both water and electricity, which actually were quite handy considering we were having some charging issues with my in car charger. This particular site was located directly beside the camp host.

We used the site as a basecamp for exploring the city in the evening and the following morning before checking out of the park we took a drive to the showers and explored the park fully. The showers had pretty hard water and lower pressure than some but definitely got the job done for bringing us back to life from the muggy day, nearly 75% humidity.

We visited both the upper and lower falls areas as well as the wildflower field. I can easily see after visiting these just why the park stays so busy! The beauty is astounding, but more so the water offers a retreat for those looking to take a dip in the cool flowing pools. While both were down from normal account, we still saw many people diving in and enjoying the day. Others fished along the banks, hiked the many trails surrounding the waters and enjoyed picnics in the designated areas.

My friend wade into the water to see what it felt like and it was still a bit cool for her liking at this time of April, but give it a couple months and that cool temp would be more than welcomed!

All in All despite the few small areas for improvement I couldn't see this park being anything less than a 5! The quality of experience when we visited with not impaired by the numerous guests and though it could change later in the season, for early April when the wildflowers bloomed wild, the waters flowed cool and the camping was not in intolerable heat it was a win!

Tips:

• Book in advance any time other than Winter.

• Bring sunscreen there is little shade near the falls so you will want to protect yourself. In the brief time I was out there I got a little burned on my neck and shoulders.

• Bring drinks, we stopped in the Check In Station and there were only a handful of drinks and supplies. I would suggest bringing a water filter or bringing a cooler of drinks for your visit.

• Beware of snakes and spiders. On our stay we noticed an influx of spiders, while we personally did not see a snake some others were saying they had seen them basking near the banks and on some of the trails. Always be aware!!

• Remember do not pull vehicles into the grass, keep all cars in designated drive areas. Each campsite has a parking area for you to use, if you need additional parking there is more parking near restrooms.

Natural springs w/tent & RV camping (NO PETS), fishing, kayaking, lake access, hammock areas and day use picnic w/grills. CASH ONLY FACILITIES!! Family owned. Beautiful Butterfly garden great for yoga, reading or enjoying the mind of a gardener. Several RV w/H20 & electric hookups (reservations required). Tent sites are not #, random locations (30 acres), plentiful and 1st come 1st serve. Toilets/showers near RV sites, portable toilets farther out. Pack it in/out, dumpster at office area. Love this place and grateful the owners share their haven with the public!

Nice park and campground very near Georgetown, Texas. Berry Springs is a local county park and preserve. The Park is located just north of Georgetown Texas about 1 mile off Interstate 35 the main highway between Dallas and Austin. It’s a Great location with loads of open space. They have basic sites with covered picnic tables, fire rings, and hooks for hanging items. The former ranch has a lot of history dating back to the Texas Pioneer days. The park is located next to clear spring fed river for swimming and fishing. This may be a great option for those looking for a location close to Austin or a local family weekend. The camp was nearly empty in October this year which is the peak season for camping in Texas. The sites are best suited for tent camper, vans, and smaller trailers.

The weather and the calendar aligned and there happened to be an open spot, so I took it, loaded up and headed out. 

Length of Stay: 2 Nights

Type of Park: State 

Check In: 2p Check Out: 12p

💲 Cost per night$25+$5 entry fee per person per day 
Discounts: Texas Parks Pass Total Cost$25

📝 Site#24 Notes:

Pull Thru
Water
Max amp: 50 
Sewer
Grill
Fire Ring w/Grate
Hook for hanging lantern or other items
Picnic Table: concrete Site Pad: level, asphalt, long enough for truck and trailer and extra space

👍🏻 Pros:
• Full hookups
• Overlooking hillside
• No one was camping on one side of me
• A little shade in the afternoon
• A couple tall Loblolly Pines still stand at this site

👎🏻 Cons:
• Because so many of the trees are missing, you hear more of the road noise from Highway 21 and 95
• No privacy between spots
• Spot is barely off main road

📝 Park Notes:
• Restrooms
• Showers
• Dump Station
• Munzees and Geocaches in the Park
• Trails- some are pretty challenging, steep
• Pool
• Pavilion
• Cabins
• Structures built by CCC(Civilian Conservation Corps)
• When you enter Bastrop or Buescher, You can drive or bike between the parks(11 miles@ 30 mph max), but I would not tow/drive an RV.

🐦 Wildlife:
• Birds: Woodpeckers, Cardinals, Bluejays, Mockingbirds, Misc small birds

💜 Highlights of this trip:
• Drove around this park and to Buescher State Park
• Made a run through Buc-ee's
•🍕 Neighbors Kitchen& Yard- I definitely recommend the Pepperoni Rolls and the Prickly Pear Margarita! Great view overlooking the Colorado River. Live music sometimes.
• Camping alone
• Glad I went when I did. The very next day, a "controlled" burn got out of control and burned over 800 acres!

More info at my blog: https://www.denisevajdak.com/2022/01/mlk-weekend-camping.html

We spent 2 nights here in the tent sites a couple weeks ago. We loved it.

There are 8 tent-only sites at the north end of the park - there is a short trail by the restrooms that lead to them. Upsides are that they are removed from most of the park's bustle, so it's easier to relax and enjoy your time "in the woods". The restrooms and shower facility are a ~200-300 ft walk, depending on which site you choose. Each site has a grill, picnic table and fire ring. The sites are not particularly level, but we were able to get two tents on the site with minimal issues. The tent area also has a community grill and fire pit that would make it a great candidate for a group camping event.

There is a small floating dock where you can fish or launch a kayak (remember, you can't park close so you'll have to carry the boat in...good for kayaks, bad for canoes). There is ample room at the park's main launch to put in larger canoes or kayaks without carrying them as far.

The park amenities are fine - swimming area, fishing pier, and fairly clean showers/restrooms. Also, there is a Bucee's 5-10 minutes away for those last-minute needs/forgotten supplies!

All in all, a good weekend, and a good spot to camp!