Best Cabin Camping near Johnson City, TX

A camping cabin at Inks Lake State Park was our ‘home base’ while checking out some nearby attractions, mainly Lornhorn Cavern State Park. What a cool place that is! So many tours of the caverns and great things to see. We enjoyed our lakeside cabin at Inks Lake. Things were somewhat rustic but well maintained plus the draw of a cabin for us, airconditioning! We spend a day kayaking (rentals available) and another day checking out Devil’s Waterhole and some waterfalls. Great experience :)

This is not one of our favorites but we like to hike and the views are great.  They have some drive thru campsites for anyone that’s new to backing an RV.  There is not much shade and they have some repair areas.  The swimming area is good for small children but not really that big.  It’s far from Johnson City or Austin so it’s best to take supplies with you.

The camp ground is wonderful. Very spread out and wooded for privacy between the campsites. Hook ups for both water and electricity, if needed. Extremely dog friendly! Has a good little spot with a picnic table for eating at camp. Also has a built in grill over the fire for cooking. The trails are the must for going to the park! Great hike down to the Pedernales Falls and cool little caves to explore. On the other end of the park, there are longer trails (roughly 4 Miles) with scenic overlooks of the Pedernales River. State Park is about 25 mins away from Johnson City (closest city) if any groceries are needed.

Pulled off the highway for the night and stumbled across this gem. The sites are level, and the grounds are beautiful. A bit pricey, but it’s a vacation destination, not a rest stop. Pools, hot tubs, game room, craft room, this place has it all. The staff were extremely friendly at check in and the security seems to be good. We will stop here longer on our way back north.

This was our very 1st RV park. It set the tone for all our spots moving forward. Clean bathrooms, clean pool/hot tub, clean laundry, well stocked store, gated community, great walking trail around a big lake and near big long horn cows. Met some big white neighbor dogs on the trail, but they kept their distance. Seems like the middle of nowhere, but it's really close to Austin, lockhart, Circuit of the America's. We stayed a week. Will stay again.

Such a nice place to park and relax! Ten dog park is huge, grounds immaculate, pool, hot tub, laundry and showers are incredibly well kept and best of all the staff!! They are hands on helpful, super social and always driving around the grounds to see how your morning is or if you could use a hand. They know your name and genuinely take an interest!

Such a refreshing pleasure!!! I would highly recommend a stay here! You’ll love it!! And it’s easy to drive in and out!

What a fun place to stay! Cheryl at the front desk made you feel welcomed and check in was a breeze! We were staying with 2 other couples, who shared a"buddy site" which was pretty cool!(never seen that before) We had a great time! It was a bit on the cool and rainy side but fun none the less. Sites were full hook up and pretty level. We had trees near us but there are many that did not. It held various sizes of rigs so make sure you indicate that when you call to reserve your site. They will do their best to accommodate! Oh, they also have cabins if you need extra room for guests to stay in if you don't have room in your rig! There is a lake for swimming, fishing and boating of all kinds. They have a pool with hot tub. Frisbee golf. Large dog area and many more amenities. Check them out on their website! Have Fun, we sure did!(Only draw back was they had no fire pits and if you brought your own, it has to raised off the ground. We have one that folds up and sits on the ground. Most places allowed this but they did not.)

Campground Review

This was my first time to Jellystone Hill Country, and my family had a wonderful time.  We will be returning in the near future for sure!  Luckily for us, they do have a very detailed website that addresses a lot of the questions and concerns one might have.  So in this review, I will do my best to give insight to the aspects that may not be clear on their website.  

CABINS

We stayed in a Cindy Bear cabin, number 6 specifically.  What a fabulous cabin.  It had everything we needed and had plenty of space for our family of 5.  I love that the “master bedroom” is on the opposite side of the cabin from the bunk room.  Makes the space feel larger.  The kitchen has a full size fridge/freezer, microwave (huge, modern microwave), coffee maker, toaster, and plug-in 2 burner stove.  NO oven so skip the frozen pizzas.  You will need to bring ALL your own linens, including sheets, blankets, TOWELS, and dish rags.  There was a small bottle of dish soap on the sink for us, but no sponges or rags.  There was also plenty of plates, bowls, cups, silverware, etc. but the pots were somewhat old and had lost their non-stick properties.  I would throw a frying pan into your luggage if you plan to make pancakes during your stay.  (Actual items vary by cabin, so another cabin may have a very nice frying pan, who knows?).  I literally didn’t see a single spider or fly in the cabin the whole time we were there, which is a miracle considering all the buggy cabins I’ve stayed in over the years.  What a clean and pleasant experience.

GOLF CARTS

We rented a golf cart during our stay.  While they are cute and fun to buzz around in, the park really isn’t big enough to warrant one, unless you are staying in a cabin or site very far from the action.  When booking, there is an option to choose your specific site for a $15 fee.  My advice is to pay the $15 and choose a site close to the Hill Country Hall and the waterpark, and save the $62 a day on the golf cart.  We stayed RIGHT next to the HCH and had no noise problems whatsoever.   

ACTIVITIES

Each weekend they have planned activities for the kiddos.  Most of these activities occur on Saturday.  Our weekend was Carnival Games and Halloween.  The carnival was cute little games set up for the kids to play with candy as prizes. I would say the optimal age for that carnival was between 4 and 7 years old.  In the evening they had a costume contest (we won best group!) and trick or treating around the park.  The kids had a blast.  Check their website before your trip to see the calendar of events.

WATER AMENITIES

Wow!  If you and your kids love to play in the water, this is the place for you.  Their outdoor complex includes: one standard rectangular pool, one very shallow splash pad with several water spouts and a tiny kids slide, which flows into a deeper (3 foot) pool, and a large kids water play center that includes two decently large kids slides, high pressure water cannons, and lots of stairs to climb around.  We were so impressed by the sheer square footage of fun and how a whole family could be happy in this one place for hours.  Also, plenty of seating for mom to relax ;).  Here you can find their concession stand, that serves fairly priced hot food and Blue Bell ice cream.  

If the sun is not your scene, no fret!  They have an INDOOR pool too!  The water is the perfect temperature, and has a connected hot tub for soaking.  Perfect for mom and dad to relax in the hot tub and keep a close eye on the kids swimming.  

STORE

If you forgot anything, or have the unexpected occur (like my husband having a stomach ache), the store is there with items you may need.  They also sell tons of souvenir items if you want to adorn your entire house (or RV) with Yogi Bear paraphernalia.

Overall, I can’t say enough good about this place.  The staff is friendly, the cabins clean and roomy, the activities sweet and age-appropriate, and the water park out of this world.  We are already planning our next trip back!

(My family and I were given a discount in exchange for this review, but these opinions are my own and no way affected by the discount)

Product Review

As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get products to test from time to time - here I am testing the MH2 Headlamp by Ledlenser ( http://www.ledlenserusa.com/mh2-505.html#start=3 )

One night, my daughter noticed a “cave” (read: drain pipe under a bridge) that she wanted to explore.  Sure that there would be dangerous critters in said cave, we strapped the MH2 on her and followed close behind.  Well if there were any critters, we would have seen them for sure!  

The lamp was bright and strong and showed exactly where you needed it to shine.  You can simply twist the lens in the front, and the beam can change from focused to broad.  It also can shine red light, or flash, both of which would be very useful in an emergency.  The headband is also wide and comfortable.  The adjustable strap made it easy to transition between my daughter, all the way to my husband in a second.  Both could wear the light comfortably.   I recommend this headlamp for anyone looking for a low-price hands-free lighting option.

First primitive camping trip and was lucky to get the last camping spot available for a holiday weekend. The area of the state park where the primitive camping is is very quiet, about 2 miles walk away from the RV and cabin camping. So not much traffic near our spot. The site was cleared well and had several areas to choose from to put up our 2 person tent. We were near a compost restroom, which I always prefer if available. It was amazingly clean and well maintained (except for the trash can, which didn’t have a lid— critters enjoyed some midnight snacks. We ended up storing it inside the restroom itself on night two to save us the noise).

I'm always on the lookout for new campgrounds nearby my town. It's nice to have a few places to escape to for a quick day or weekend trip. I searched on thedyrt.com for campgrounds nearby and noticed a group of listings near Lake Travis in an area called Hudson Bend. I decided to check them out.

If you are looking for a short, mid or long-term place to RV camp or cabin camp near Lake Travis on the Hudson Bend penisula this might be your best option.

The facilities are modern, clean and offer many amenities. And the people that I talked to that were staying at the park seemed to be friendly and happy with their choice of facilities.

At the entrance there is an office that is open during typical business hours 9-5. Next to the office there was a small pool and courtyard. And next to the pool was a group meeting room.

The park offered a variety of options from short, mid and long-term stays. One gentleman that I met and talked to said that he was a snowbird and had stayed at the park for the past four years every summer. This appeared to be the norm.

There are RV sites that offer back-in parking and drive-through parking. There are also little multi-color cabins that can be rented. The grounds looked like they were well taken care of. There was some open green space and what appeared to be a fenced dog walking area. Each of the RV sites offered a picnic table and electric and water hookups.

The only downside to this RV park was that it was not located directly on the shore of the lake. To access the lake one must drive down the road and visit the marina. Also, the park is rather large, so some might feel there is a lack of privacy. I wouldn't say that this park has great access to nature, it is more of a modern RV park.

Overall, if you're a mid to long term vacationer you might really enjoy this site. If you're looking for access to nature, you might look elsewhere.

Type of Park: State 
Check In: 2p Check Out: 1 p

💲 Cost per night $20+$5/person/day 
Discounts:$5 with Texas State Parks Pass Total Cost$20

Site #13 Notes:

• Back In
• Water
• Max amp: 30
• Sewer (not at this site, but at others in the park)
• Wifi
• Fire Ring w/Grate
• Picnic Table: wood with metal legs, concrete base, metal roof
• Site Pad: level, asphalt, long enough for camper and truck and a little room to spare

👍🏻 Pros:

• Sites have a pad for a tent

👎🏻 Cons:

• I didn't bring my kayak! Dec 30- 81°- the Blanco River would have been perfect for kayaking 
• No privacy between spots

Park Notes:

• Restrooms
• Showers
• Dump Station
• Trails
• Water access
• Day Use shelters
• Bigger pavilion for gatherings

Wildlife:

• Birds: multiple
• Squirrels
• A very thirsty, sweet cat- followed me during one of my walks. Gave him some milk and he lapped it all up and wanted more

💜 Highlights of this trip:

• Short drive to Johnson City to look at Christmas lights

• Proof and Cooper at The Lumberyard, Johnson City- we got in quickly, but they were busy and it was a long wait to order and get the food. Good though!

• Camping with a former Boondocker at my site

• Breakfast muffins from the InstaPot with air fryer lid- gonna have to get one of these!

More info at https://www.denisevajdak.com/2022/01/out-with-old-in-with-new.html

Living Waters on Lake Travis is a lakeside venue for romantic getaways, yoga retreats, weddings, songwriting retreats, family reunions, work retreats and glamping (glamorous camping). You can rent one structure for a personal getaway or rent them all for a group event.

I attended a special event at this venue. There are various whimsical houses, cabins, yurts and tents in which to stay. There is an open lawn for group gatherings, a covered gazebo for outdoor yoga and a boathouse for lakeside activities. In addition there are amenities such as hammocks, lawn chairs, porches and tents in which to relax. The venue offers a variety of personal services such as massage, yoga, a private chef and watercraft rental. 

Whether you would like to be active or sedentary, Living Waters on Lake Travis might meet your needs.

This is a great get away from the city campground. It’s proximity to Fort Hood makes it convenient for a relaxing weekend with our soldier kids our grandkids. It’s a very clean campground with kayaks for rent. I have also enjoyed fishing. We stayed in our trailer while our kids and grandkids used one of the cabins.

This state park is a little outside of Austin near the airport. The park stays busy and it’s easy to see why– it’s really nice with waterfalls you can check out in the park and it isn’t far from the airport. We had a great stay here and will definitely check it out again if in the area. Although– watch the branches if you are in a bigger rig– we watched a guy hit one and mess up his roof. Also, if you will be camping in Texas State Parks a bit be sure to get the annual Texas State Parks pass– it will end up saving you a lot of money! Also, we went to a nearby market to buy what we thought was salsa(see pictures)– it definitely wasn’t and it was sooo spicy!!

This park, for many people in the hill country of Texas, is the quintessential park to visit. Within an hour’s drive of Austin, it offers a quick escape for a day visit and is also one of the more popular parks for overnight camping. Under Covid-19 conditions entrance permits were given out for a specific time, but with the park’s popularity, the procedure might stay in place after the worst of the pandemic has passed. We lucked out by getting a site due to a cancellation on both Friday and Saturday nights, which meant we had to move sites, but didn't have to book 5 months in advance!

The campground has well-spaced and wooded sites with water and electricity. Each campsite has its own little section of the forest, and makes you feel like you’re one of just a few people in an otherwise full campground. The bathrooms are also very clean, the showers are excellent with good water pressure and plenty of hot water. Note: check out the newer building if you want to see the camping bathroom Taj Mahal -- let's just say it's Texas sized!

The weather in January can be all over the map.  We were in shorts the first two days, then it snowed more than the area had seen in 20 years on our final day.  Come prepared for anything!

Lots of hikes begin right from the camping loop, but it’s a short drive over to the scenic falls which give the park its name as well as other. Less a waterfall and more a series of cascades tumbling over the limestone bedrock of the Pedernales River, the falls area could take a whole day to explore. Walking, crawling, hiking over the myriad of rocks shaped by the river one can escape into their own area and world for a moment or afternoon of poolside reflection. Just know that there are going to be other folks wandering about.   Tip!  The parking lot is very full at the trailhead to the falls...ride your bike from the campground to avoid the bottleneck at the end of the road.  You'll be greeted by armadillos and many birds along the way.

With dozens of other trails, it doesn’t take long to leave the busy sections of the park behind and find your own space out in the forest. We were here for 3 days and didn’t even come close to getting out on all of them. 

Nearby Johnson City has a medium sized grocery store as well as gas and other necessities. If you’re going that way, spend the afternoon at the Lyndon B. Johnson State Historic Park, which is a cool tribute to the settlers of the Texas Hill Country and our nation’s 36th President.

This state park has it all. Tent, cabin, rv camping, kayaking, fishing, and swimming. The cabins are great. This state park has some if the nicest restroom/showers and everything is always clean.

Inks Lake SP

Visited with many friends here. BIG campground! I like how you have easy access to the lake from many of the camp sites. There’s also a boat ramp near the camp store with rentals available. The showerhouses were VERY nice! Modern, well maintained and HEATED! Yeah! There were a few showers that needed some adjustments, cold water only. Nice group picnic area near the cabins and the playground with food truck (wasn’t open when we visited). The Rangers had an interesting Cowboy Coffee demonstration there. The sites were separated into several loops, most convenient to the several different showerhouses. Some of the sites were more secluded then others but all were good size with picnic table and room for tents and possibly hammocks. Near the front gate/Ranger office there is an amphitheater for demonstrations/presentations and near the camp store there was a nice, covered picnic pavilion by reservation. Burnet, TX and Longhorn Cavern State Park are nearby.