Best Cabin Camping near McClellan Creek National Grassland

This is a pretty big state Park located in the Panhandle of Texas. It is sometimes referred to as a mini Grand Canyon.

There are plenty of trails for horseback riding, mountain biking, and hiking. You should check out the Lighthouse Trail while you are there.

The "primitive" campsites include a picnic table, running water, and fire pit. If you want to get away from others I highly suggest backcountry camping.

There is a guided tour of the Old West Stables, that is perfect for the whole family. Also, the Pioneer Amphitheater host the play TEXAS, which is a must see if you are in the area.

I would also recommend going to the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum just 15 minutes West of the park.

On the rim of Palo Duro State Park, lies a roadside attraction with Zipline tours, cute tiny cabins for rent and a small campground. Offering approximately 30 full-hook sites, and a dozen or so primitive areas to set up camp for cheap. Since we bring our own electricity via a solar panel, we have everything we need without the need for hookups.  This campground does not allow gas generators, so come prepared.  The campground offers drinking water, full-flush toilet facilities and hot showers – just be sure to latch the door when you leave‘ cuz it gets really windy here and the shower doors can go all Dorothy on you. 

The canyon is the reason to come to the area in the first place. Without any knowledge of its existence, the monotonous flats of the Texas Panhandle give little indication of the stunning gash in the earth created by one fork of the Red River. With the park entrance, literally a dozen yards away, all the activities within are just a short bike ride or drive away from this campground. Hiking, walking, bird-watching, and even some very technical mountain biking opportunities are all part of the park’s draw. 

This campground offered us a great back-up plan.  We arrived at the State Park without any reservations, which is normal for us, and of course every site was booked out 5 months in advance. Though later when we in the park, we found dozens of campsites empty. This leads us to two conclusions, either: 1. The state park was severely limiting reservations to keep numbers in the park down or 2. People booked early and when the pandemic numbers got high, they bailed on their plans but not on their reservations.  Public service reminder! Even when you cannot get a refund, be sure to cancel your reservation so that others may take advantage of your spot.

The closest town for supplies, gas, groceries, and such is Canyon, TX which is about 10 miles away.

This campground is only .5 miles from the park. It was really convenient. It’s pretty basic but sufficient. There are bathrooms in a hard sided building next to the store. I was car/tent camping and when I reserved online I booked site 3, however when you receive your welcome email it explains that all the field area around the RV pads are open for camping so choosing a stir is not necessary unless you’re in an RV.

They have tiny cabins that looked nice and we’re occupied. The grounds are very dark at night, could use some security lamps.

Wind coming off the canyon is STRONG, keep that in mind when you choose your site.

Has some really nice views of the canyon and I saw some deer roaming around the camps.

There is not a lot of shade, I found the only tree and claimed it.

It’s a good spot!

Some of the other camping areas seemed less spacious and private, but we really liked our site in the tent-only Cactus Campground. It had a shade shelter, a picnic table, and a dirt tent pad. There was also a fire ring with a grill grate, but a burn ban was in place. The water faucet was just across the street and there were clean restrooms (with hot showers) up the road at the next campground. Even with some light pollution from town, the stars were beautiful.

We only stayed for two nights--not nearly enough to explore this incredible park. We're hoping to go back before it gets too warm.

Hackberry Campground near Palo Duro Canyon State Park is a hidden gem for nature lovers and outdoor adventurers. The campground offers a perfect balance between rustic charm and modern comfort, with well-maintained tent sites, RV hookups, and cozy cabins. Visitors appreciate the clean facilities, including showers and drinking water, and the serene, wooded surroundings that offer both beauty and privacy. The location is ideal for exploring the stunning canyon trails nearby, which many say are the highlight of their stay. Whether you're hiking, relaxing by your campsite, and playing horror games or visiting the nearby camp store, Hackberry Campground delivers a peaceful and enjoyable escape in the heart of the Texas panhandle.

What a surprise this place is! The land around Amarillo is flat as a pancake. But head a few miles south and Palo Duro Canyon opens up vistas that rival the Grand Canyon in Arizona. There are many foot and horse trails that offer a close look at the multicolored canyon walls.

There are several campgrounds on the canyon floor. I stayed at Fortress Cliff Camp Area. Each site has a paved picnic table space with an awning - very important here. It gets hot and the sun is relentless. The spaces are of generous size. I could have easily pitched four or five more tents. The ground is great for driving stakes, too. They go in easy but they hold fast.

There are water spigots at Fortress Cliff, but only porta potties (reasonably clean when I visited). For a real bathroom with flushing toilets, showers, and hot and cold running water that can run continuously, head down the road to Mesquite Camp Area. This campground is geared for RVs, which typically have their own bathroom facilities. Wonder why they built a nice bathroom here and not at Fortress Cliff? Hmmm.

Aside from the heat (about 104 °F when I arrived in June), the main downside here is the flies. They bite. Through clothing. Hard to stay in one place very long when the flies are after you.

FORTRESS CLIFF Rating: 3.5 as not a lot of visual privacy from adjacent sites. However the view of cliffs is very clear Security: at park entrance Usage during visit: 50% Site Privacy: No Site Spacing: Fair Parking Pad: gravel Reservations: Yes Campground Noise: Quiet during my short visit Outside Road Noise: Some sites are near the park road. Through Traffic in campground: No Electric Hookup: No Sewer Hookup: No Dump Station: Yes Potable Water Available: Scattered spigots Generators: Check Bathroom: Portable toilets Showers: At Hackberry CG Cell Service (AT&T): one bar here. Setting: under deciduous trees with canyon walls, viewable on both sides of the cg. Recent Weather: 30s to 70s Solar: Definitely Insects: None Host: not on site Sites: Sites: my favorites: 49,47, 45,43, 41* 37(close to the park Road, but on the outside perimeter of the loop.)