Best Glamping near Katy, TX

November 2020 ALERT! Due to Interstate 10 construction, the eastbound exit for San Felipe is closed so the navigation system took us further East and then backtracked on some horrible condition rural roads. Recommend going to Brookshire and using FM 359 and then FM 1458 to reach Park Road unless you want to really beat up your rig. West bound entrance onto Interstate 10 was a bit crazy also so you may want to do some recon before finding yourself down a horrible back road. No notice of this on the State Park website. 40 FHU sites here under Spanish moss-draped trees. Good spacing between most sites, but no privacy from neighbor sites. The site required leveling side-to-side. Quiet campsite. No highway noise. Train whistle in distant. Saw lots of deer that came fairly close to us. Nice trails but very busy on weekends as Houstonians escape the city for some country fun! A brand new toilet/shower facility opened in early November 2020 in this FHU campground that includes 2 family restrooms. Toilet stalls are very narrow with residential toilets which are water-saving that required 4-5 flushes to empty the bowl. Dyson hand dryer. In the FHU loop, there were 3 camp hosts and one campsite marked for the 4th camp host. Another site has a firewood wagon and an ice machine. Then another site is coned off. So 6 sites gone from the inventory! There is a camp host site also in the tent loop. Wow- 5 camp hosts?? That has to be a record for this size park! We did see Park Police drive thru the FHU loop very frequently. A new toilet/shower facility is under construction in the tent loop. Construction just began so probably another 6-9 months to finish. In the meantime, there are 4 job johnnies and campers from the tent loop utilizing the new toilet/shower facility, with 3 toilets for women and 2 for men. AT&T 1 bar signal.

Katy Texas is a 20 minute drive where you will find all types of stores and services.

Starlink is pretty quick here and T-Mobile is smoking fast.

Management is kind, courteous, and quick to fix any issues. It’s a hidden gem of Texas to be sure.

I think this must be one of the smaller state parks of Texas, but there are plenty of trails to enjoy nature, learn about wildlife and plants, and have some good camping memories. Plenty of trees to perch a hammock, plenty of room to throw a frisbee, and some of the better bathrooms/showers I have seen among state parks.

Going to this camp in the middle of August is not recommended because, wow Texas heat. But it is one of our favorites. Close to Houston but still feels wild. I love that the RV camp is pretty separate from the ten camp section to make it a different experience depending on how you normally roll. The trails are well kept and we saw some deer and rabbits! Do watch out here because there are ticks a plenty, make sure to do a check after hikes/camping!

I visited the park early November and it was great. We reserved sites 75 and 52, and it was a great area for kids. Fall camping is very popular in Texas, so tons of people out especially boy scouts.  We hiked Barred Owl trail and it was very easy pushing my double jogging stroller. The one thing i loved about the park were the restroom, LOVED the FAMILY RESTROOM. Loved that it was one private room restroom and shower. Overall, I enjoyed the 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

Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park™ Camp-Resort in Waller, Texas, offers an outstanding blend of family fun and relaxation just 35 miles northwest of Houston. The friendly and clean atmosphere is immediately welcoming, making it an ideal spot for one of the most memorable camping vacations of the year. The park is brimming with activities— from swimming and splashing in the outdoor pools and water playground to experiencing the thrill of water slides or unwinding in the lazy river. There's no shortage of attractions for the whole family to enjoy. With comprehensive facilities, the resort caters to every need, offering a range of accommodations with daily, weekly, and monthly rates.

Regards

James

Campground Review

It's incredible that I was born and raised in Houston and have lived here the past four years but haven't made it out to Brazos Bend State Park until now! A quick, 45 minute drive southwest will get you out of the concrete jungle that is the sprawling Space City metropolis and into one of the lushest, greenest parts of Texas. Brazos Bend is a "Nature Lover's Paradise" - there is abundant wildlife. There is great fishing, ample bird watching, and lots and lots of alligators (!). Lots of trails for walking, running, biking, and horseback riding. The George Observatory is a pretty amazing feature of this park (but only open Saturdays).

We arrived at Brazos Bend on a Friday afternoon and were able to walk-in no problem. Walk-in rate is $12/day + the daily park entrance fee ($5 for adults, free for kids). I have a Texas State Parks Pass so we didn't have to pay the entrance fees (saved us $40 for two nights of camping!). Additionally there were several other great options including: Full-Site RV hook-up ($25/night), Standard Camping ($20/night, incl. water & electricity), and 14 Cabins ($80-200/night but have everything you could ever need or want).

We did a lot of nature walks, game playing, and swimming during our two days at Brazos Bend State Park. Summer is probably not the best time to visit any park in Texas - its hot and muggy and the mosquitos are out in full force. Bring your DEET. Seriously. Despite that though, we were very pleasantly surprised by the amenities (swimming pool, screened in picnic tables, fire pits, and tent pads!)

Product Review

As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get products to test from time to time - this past weekend at Brazos Bend I tested out the Kameng Mid eVent Waterproof Hiking Boot by Mishmi Takin.

These boots have got it all.

First, these boots are hella comfortable! I was blown away how comfortable they were right out of the box. Over the years, I've owned many pairs of hiking boots and they all required a significant break-in period. Not these!

Second, they're waterproof AND breathable. Not water resistant, like actually water proof.

Third, the look great. All 3 color schemes are fantastic I had a tough time choosing between green, grey and orange.

Fourth, so lightweight. These only weigh 1.5lbs so even though they are boots, they won't weigh you down.

5/5 Would Recommend.

We had no problem finding this interesting state park as our RV GPS took us right to the gate and we had been to this campground (CG) two years ago. This time, we knew better than to park at the office's stop sign to register, which is where most CGs have you stop when registering. There’s a sign that says not to park there but to pull forward. Last time we, didn't read the stop sign and got our butt chewed by a park ranger. As we are disabled veterans, we also got new Texas State Park passes, so we did not have to pay the additional$5 per person state park entry fee on top of the camping fee. You do not have to be a Texas resident but you need to be at least 60 percent service disabled. The same very nice and knowledgeable lady from last time checked us in and we proceeded to pull through site 17 with FHUs, but only 30 AMP. The utilities are placed centered on the site, which is nice. The water pressure here is on the low side at around 30-35 psi. The sites are nearby, but the spacious yard has a cement patio, picnic table, and fire pit. We had no problem getting our 40’ 5th wheel in the site but had to park our F450 at an angle in front of the rig. We got 2 bars on Verizon and were able to place our Starlink to get a shot of the northern sky. There are a lot of mature trees in this CG, so the satellite is going to depend on the site. As we checked in, we were told several trails had opened back up as the area was recovering from heavy rain and flooding. The golf course, now private, had opened back up as well, but there was still a lot of water on the course when we were there in February.

We stayed at Stephen F Austin State Park in Texas in early May 2018. We went as a family with 3 kids (3yrs, 5yrs & 7yrs old).

We had a screen shelter that was powered and had a light. It was a great spot with close access to the showers and toilets (we were shelter number 1).

The walking trails we nicely kept. Some were closed but still able to go for a decent walk around the ones that were open. We saw deer grazing in the long grass and early evening the fireflies came out which was so lovely and relaxing to watch.

Park hosts and volunteers was all very friendly and helpful too. One had a hummingbird feeder set up and we saw a hummingbird feeding.

The playground was very basic - 4 swings and a sandbox only.

We will definitely be going back again as if is only a 1 hour drive from Houston.

This has got to be one of the best campgrounds! We stay here every time we pass through Texas. The campground is huge and offers so many great amenities. People are always super friendly. We have made the most connections of any stay at this campground because of it. I always want to get one of the paved sites at the front because they look so nice! But they are usually taken. It’s so great having an Amazon hub locker right next to the campground as well! You can take your kayak right on to the lake from the access area on the campground. Bathrooms are nice and clean. And the pool / hot tub are open until 11pm which is rare for Thousand Trails!

Got to the park around 2:00 PM and pulled up to the stop sign in the second lane to use the bathroom and check in. Found out from a not-so-kind park ranger that we could not park and loiter at the front of the office building. There was a sign to that effect that we missed as most state parks have you park in front of the check in office and there wasn't really anywhere else to park with our 39' fifth wheel in tow. Check in was alright, but there was confusion concerning our Texas State Park passes for Disabled Veterans, which we both received a few years ago at another Texas State Park. For our stay here, only one person's pass was accepted and that pass was good for 1.5 people. Another employee thought we should each be covered with our passes and tried to add the additional pass in the system, but since we were camping, versus day use in a car, we could only use one. So, we had to pay$7.50 park pass for our 3 nites stay. Then she had to show the young man checking us in the rule book that showed we were entitled to the pass even though we were non-residents. This is the first time our passes weren't accepted to cover us both. After that we headed to pull through site 21 with FHUs but only 30 AMP. The wood posts and trees in this site determine how/where you park your rig. We needed our 15’ sewer hose and used a donut as there’s no screw in for the sewer connection. Water pressure was okay at around 40 psi. We got quite a few OTA channels and 3 bars on Verizon having no problem with internet and making calls using our MiFi. Most of the sites here are very spacious and well laid out so your neighbors are not close to you. Site 21 is one of the most spacious and we had no problem fitting our 39’ 5th wheel and F-450 on the pad. The restrooms/shower house in the RV area was clean and there was ice for sale at that location. What we really enjoyed about this park was the abundant hiking trails that interweave with each other. We thought the golf course in the park would be open, but it had been sold to a private owner and would hopefully open to the public in a month or so. The camp hosts were very friendly and helpful. Overall, we enjoyed our 3 night’s stay.

We recently decided we wanted to spend more time outside and over the last year started accumulating camping supplies. When it was finally time to put them to use we chose Brazos Bend because it wasn't to far from the city and had a lot of hiking trails. This park is amazing! We saw around 15 alligators while hiking, and these are animals in the wild in their habitat (not like the gator farms where some dude is sticking his head in ones mouth). The have a nature center where park rangers give you info about the animals in the park and let you see snakes and baby alligators up close. The campsites have a fire pit, table and grill and for the most part lots of shade trees. All the hiking trails were accessible right from our site. Since we only camped overnight we didn't use any of the facilities but heard they were very clean. We ended up buying the texas state park pass and cannot wait to come back!

Before we stopped at the Brazos park we went from Pottsville Arkansas to the beaches in Texas .Started out in Houston and seen the San Jacinto Monument , The Washburn Tunnel, Aquaworld in down town Houston. Went over some Big bridges . Than we went to the beach in Galveston and spend the night in the back of my explorer what a night great view and the breeze was nice . The next day moved on to travel down the coast to the Port Aransas and crossed on the ferry heading to Mustang Island beach. Than passing Corpus Christi down to Padre Island . Can't remember the name of the beach we spend the night on . The next morning we headed out away from the coast and back towards home . This it where we stopped at the Brazos park and sleep in one of the screened rooms . The park was beautiful and the moss on the trees make you think you have gone back in time . But a last we have to go home!

OK, this was my second visit to a Texas State Park. Simply said, I was blown away with this park. Driving in, deer scattered the landscape. Like my trip to Huntsville State Park, I opted for a screened shelter. The protection from the elements were well worth the $122.50 I paid for four nights. With electric/water, I was very comfortable and was able to use my electric heater in my tent. The shelter came with a locking door, although I don't think anyone would bother you anyway. There are some nice trails, including one that will take you to the Brazos River. The park was nice and quiet and the weather was cold, I absolutely loved it. The Park entrance has a little Store and the town of Sealy is just a few miles away should you need supplies. The staff was remarkably helpful and courteous. I really enjoyed the peace of this park, the Solitude and good energy force you to take in it's grandeur. Since it was freezing cold, (which I loved) the extremely clean bathrooms, with showers would be a welcome site. I was surprised how clean the facility was, it was even heated. I definitely plan on returning to the park, maybe gonna try out the cabin.

I took a trip here with my husband, our son (3yo), my sister-in-law, her husband, their daughter(1yo), and a total of 4 dogs! We had an absolute blast! Since we live in Houston and my sister-in law lives in Corpus Christi, TX we all wanted to get out of the city and just enjoy nature. So glad we chose to camp here. We stayed for a total of 4 nights in tents! My husband and I got there first and the park ranger said we were the first to check in, so we could choose the site we wanted. We wanted a site fairly close to the bathrooms because of the kiddos, one big enough to fit us all, and also one with a lot of shade because it was hella hot! We chose site 72 and it worked really well. Just be aware if your going with a group, the big sites do not have much shade.

We decided to do a bit of hiking with the kids and this place was perfect for a family trip.The trails were beautiful and easy to get through (marked well) with all of us and the staff was helpful and kind enough to let us know which ones were closed (aftermath of Hurricane Harvey). Most of the trails were short (less than a mile), so if you are looking for a place for moderate or extreme hiking, it is not here, but for the kids, these were perfect! Obviously in Texas the land is pretty flat in most places, so there wasn't much incline at all. We were able to go on every trail with rest and snacks in between for little ones. There is also fishing, but because of Harvey everything was still in clean up mode. Being from Houston, we definitely understood that it would take some time to get everything going again. It seemed like Hurricane Harvey turned the outermost trails/ longest trails into a big creek bed. It literally just washed everything out.

The facilities were old, but very well taken care of and clean! Very few bathrooms and showers, so if you are going during peak season be aware you could be waiting in line (especially the girls restroom/showers). During our stay there were many Boy Scout groups camping and many others, but thankfully I am an early riser, and got to the showers by 6 AM with no wait! Also if you have kids or a small bladder get a site close to the bathrooms otherwise it could be little walk from one of the other sites because of the way they are spaced out.

The campsites were very clean and we watched a few times as people left that the rangers would come out and clean them immediately! Also firewood is for sale on site and it not expensive. We had to go back twice to get wood and the lady who was there was so sweet and gave us extra just in case for no extra cost.There is a fire-pit with a grill rack at ever site which is helpful. We brought some foil to just put over the rack to cook burgers and it worked well! They have RV campsite, Water-only campsites, walk-in sites, group sites, and I believe screened group shelters for youth camps and such.

This state park is a great little place! We have a state park pass so we try to visit as many as possible and obviously our entry fee is free, but we enjoy the history and education they provide as well. This park is only 30 miles from Houston and about 8 miles from a Bucee's (worlds best gas station) in case you need any supplies or gas. We will definitely come back to this one!

Very nice RV Campground with large dog park, laundry, and cleaned showers and toilets. Easy drive to see the Johnson Space Center.

It’s a large campground and spaces are very small. There’s a grass strip between camp sites. No picnic tables or grills. The office gave us a map and showed us how to get to our site but virtually impossible to understand. A very nice gentleman that stayed here took us to our site. He said they have no idea how to do directions and a buddy of his really messed up his camper by trolling around looking for their site. It’s very crowded and no room for awnings or for both campers side by side to put out awnings. There is a pool but it doesn’t look well maintained and there’s absolutely no chairs. Just the pool and it’s small. Laundry room is large. There’s no dog park or anywhere to walk your dog. Signs everywhere that say no pets, yet they are allowed. The flea market is only on the wknd. It’s close to a lot of restaurants and in a nice area.

I've camped at Stephen F. Austin a number of times and have always enjoyed it. I've been with my family and by myself. The primitive walk-in sites are great for tent camping. My kids had a great time building a campfire and roasting marshmallows. There are 4+ miles of trails and we had a wonderful hike on the ironwood trail. I definitely recommend this park. The only caution is to call ahead to confirm trail conditions. 2015 and 2016 have been very wet and flooding and rain have resulted in trails being closed.

This is a great park just outside the Houston Metro area but it suffered extensive damages from flooding in April 2016. The park website has stated that the park will be closed at least through 1 Jan 2017. Be sure to check on conditions before planning to visit.