Whether you're an RVer or tent camper, Pat Mayse Lake, TX is a great place to post up for the weekend—or longer. There are tons of hikes and other fun activities to partake in. Experience some of the most stunning views that Texas camping has to offer. Find the best campgrounds near Pat Mayse Lake, plus reviews and photos from other campers like you.
"Stayed at the campground across the lake and saw plenty of people come and go throughout our stay."
$45 - $50 / night
"You will be about 12 minutes away from the nearest Walmart, in case you forget some camping supplies. We had to go there to buy more carrots for the horses. (40 pounds of carrots)."
"The entire property is simply beautiful and I'd strongly recommend Dads to bring their girls and boys out to enjoy this amazing display of nature and wildlife."
GuideI found this campground through a US army core website, and the details at that website did not turn out to be very accurate. Both loops at Pat Mayse East Campground showed to have bathrooms, which I assumed meant flush toilets and sinks, since the map also had an icon for vault toilets and this was not used. Both loops actually do have vault toilets and no running water. The campground seems set up pretty well for RVs; there were a lot of rv hookups for water and electric. There are also basic tent sites, picnic tables and metal fire rings. Water spigots are placed throughout so access is not difficult. You have your choice of sunny areas or more forested. Some spots are tightly packed in, but others are on the outside of the loop and seem like they'd be pretty quite. I wasn't overly impressed on the whole.
GuideThis is a nice campground with decently wooded sites. The site I sated had water, electric, a picnic table, a fire pit and a lantern post. There was a flat spot to set up my tent. The campground had decent star views and was a short walk to clean pit toilets. The showers were a short drive away and were also clean.
GuideThis campground is next to a large lake. It has tent sites with picnic tables. Some have lantern poles, fire pits and/or grills. The RV sites have water and power with same assortment of other things. The lake has a boat ramp with a small dock/fishing pier. This is a good place to take a telescope or just stargaze. Some of the sites need minor repair. The restrooms will clean. The restrooms nearest the RV area have showers.
LegendLocated on the south shore of Pat Mayse Lake is the beautiful Corps Of Engineer campground Sanders Cove Recreation Area. This three loop campground is nestled among stunning trees and is a wonderful place to RV camp.
With two boat ramps you will have no issues putting your boat in the water. The swim area was kinda dull but better than nothing.
There is a serious fishing tournement held every year, Uncle Jesse Big Bass Classic Fishing Tournament, started by Denver Pyle who played Uncle Jesse on The Dukes of Hazzard fame, Denvers wife continues to hose this tournement in Denvers name today.
Check out my FPV tour of SAnders Cove ecreation area on my YouTube channel here...
https://youtu.be/Ob7JwH7zHrQ
LegendThe South Sulphur campground is about half an hour north of Interstate 30. It’s under a 2 hour drive from the DFW area so, I find it’s a nice weekend getaway. I camped here on a Sunday to Monday and it was very quiet. I was one of only 5 campers in the Deer Haven section (aside from the 3 camp hosts). I’m giving the park 5 stars but this is based on my experience of having camped here when there were few campers around. I image this place could be loud and busy on a weekend.
There are many shaded lakeside sites in the Deer Haven section. I stayed at site 68. The site was on a cul de sac so there was no campground to the one side. However, the site located on the other side was close. This would be a great spot for 2 camping families to share. The concrete pad at site 68 was level and shaded by a beautiful, mature oak tree. I could walk from the pad to the lake. It would be a great site to put out a kayak, but unfortunately the weather didn’t cooperate on my stay. So I didn’t get to kayak. I did see deer who ventured in from the wooded area next to the campsite. Deer Haven lived up to its name!
Electric and water hookups were good as were the restroom/shower facilities, which seemed climate controlled because it felt cooler and less humid inside than outside. This usually isn’t the case in these buildings.
A big storm blew in around dinner time. The wind was fierce and blowing out of the north across the almost 20,000 acre lake! I actually called the ranger to find out if I needed to evacuate. The ranger was very responsive and reassuring. Luckily, there were no tornados warnings, so I weathered out the storm and woke to a beautiful crisp morning.
This park is huge and there is much to do. Cabins, shelters, primitive walk in sites, equine sites, a beach, several boat ramps, hiking trails, playgrounds and a fishing pier. I didn’t get to see a fraction of it, but I’ll be returning.
I stopped in the town of Sulphur Springs on my way back to DFW. The town has a nice historic town square and makes for an interesting side stop.
GuideBeavers Bend State Park is a incredible beautiful state park hidden in the southeastern corner of the state. We planned our trip and reservation process on the TravelOK.com website which I highly recommend reserving in advance because this place fills up fast. We ended up reserving a premium RV site 5 in Acorn and our 5th wheel fit perfect. This site is a back in site with the river directly behind the site. Site consists of 1 fire pit, 1 picnic table and barbecue pit. The hookups consist of water and 30/50 amp electric. The road is on a one way loop with shower, bathroom and trash containers within walking distance. Trails are also within close proximity and vary in elevation be prepared and bring water and pick up a map from the ranger station. With that said the place is green for a reason and very humid during the warmer months but if you want to cool off check out the swimming area or rent a Kayak or paddle boat. We were told that the most popular time to visit is during the fall due to the color change just remember reserve ahead time and happy camping!
RangerWe camped at McGee Creek State Park over Memorial Day weekend. We camped at tent hill #3. The thing we really liked about this particular site was that there are only 4 tent sites here, so it’s secluded and nice and quiet. There is very little traffic driving by as well. What we didn’t like is that there is only a pit toilet and no water faucets. There is a real bathroom with a shower about a 10-15 minute walk away. The bathroom was pretty typical of a state park. There is an area that has some lake huts for rent as well. They don’t have bathrooms but the are heated/cooled.
There is another area about 1.5 miles away called Buster Height campground. This is where the swim beach and another boat dock is. There is also an RV area and a bunch of tent sites. Most of these tent sites are pretty small and crowded together. If you have a big tent or don’t like being near others, you might want to consider tent hill if it’s available.
On the other side of the lake (about a 25-30 minute drive) is the natural scenic recreation area. There are a ton of hiking trails that lead to backpacking campsites, equestrian camps and there are boat in sites as well.
Overall a pretty decent park but definitely not one of our favorites.
GuideThis is another great hidden away campground in the Caddo National Grasslands Wildlife Management Area. It is only 3 miles from Coffee Mill campground, but does not have the parking lot area for lake access. The camp features around 8-10 campsites; established fire rings and picnic tables at each. The toilets are pit toilets. As you can see in one of the photos there is this cool old fireplace, looks like a CCC build, just out in the middle of a sunny grassy area. It was overall a pleasant campground, my only concern would be the bugs if it is hot weather. The campground is close to the lake, and I can see mosquitoes being an issue in the summer.
LegendWe stayed here by happenstance. This campground isn't really near anything and is a 30 minute drive from even the smallest town so come prepared for all your needs. There is a vault toilet and the grounds weren't in terrible shape. This would be my choice for a campground in the National Grasslands. There is lake access here and you could tell that this is a equestrian meet up area. The camps pots weren't leveled and you just throw your tent wherever you want. We didn't have any neighbors so it was quiet. The spot we got had a fire ring and a table. This is basic no frills car camping here if you are interested. We didn't have time to research so we don't know if there are any trails or anything in this area as we couldn't find any.
Tent camping near Pat Mayse Lake in Texas offers a fantastic opportunity to immerse yourself in nature while enjoying a variety of amenities and activities. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or an adventurous getaway, there are several options to consider.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Pat Mayse Lake?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Pat Mayse Lake is Lamar Point with a 0-star rating from 0 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 5 tent camping locations near Pat Mayse Lake, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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