Camping spots near Pearsall, Texas range from basic facilities to more developed options within driving distance. The region sits in the South Texas Plains at approximately 600 feet elevation with black clay soil and scattered mesquite trees dominating the landscape. Cell service becomes increasingly limited as you travel southwest of Pearsall toward the Mexican border, with Verizon offering the most reliable coverage in rural areas.
What to do
Visit dinosaur tracks: Government Canyon State Natural Area, about 75 miles northeast of Pearsall, offers unique hiking experiences. "There are some dino tracks in the creekbed to check out in the backcountry along with an old stone house," reports one visitor to Government Canyon State Natural Area. The park limits weekend visitors, so arrive before 10am during peak seasons.
Explore riverside trails: Walk along the Medina River at Castroville Regional Park. "There are hilly walking trails," notes a camper, while another mentions the park is "well used during the day, but the whole place got quiet at 7 pm." The park offers both natural areas and developed facilities within an hour's drive of Pearsall.
Spot local wildlife: Deer sightings are common at several campgrounds. At Alsatian RV Resort, one camper noted the park "overlooks a golf course" while being "quiet and very clean," making it ideal for wildlife viewing during morning and evening hours.
What campers like
Clean facilities: Blazing Star Luxury RV Resort maintains high standards for their amenities. "Grounds are maintained beautifully. Cleanest laundry and large laundry room," states one reviewer of Blazing Star Luxury RV Resort. Another camper mentioned, "The grounds, pool, children's playground, Bocchy Ball lane, and store are immaculate."
Spacious sites: Many campers appreciate room between sites at Thousand Trails Medina Lake. "Large RV Park. Large lake Frontage. Get there early. first-come-first-served policy. Sites are good size. Most have plenty of shade," reports a visitor to Thousand Trails Medina Lake.
Natural surroundings: The region offers opportunities to enjoy nature despite being close to urban areas. A camper at Alamo River RV Ranch noted, "It is a beautiful tucked away area. Nice trails, great tree cover and full of nature and flowing water." Most campgrounds have some form of nature trail or walking path available for daytime exploration.
What you should know
Accessibility challenges: Some campgrounds have terrain issues to consider. At Government Canyon, "Rocky and uphill both ways" describes the trails, while at Castroville Regional Park, "Our site was deceptively unlevel, where our front wheels ended up an inch or so off of the ground."
Limited dog-friendly trails: Not all natural areas welcome pets on every trail. "We found that there were only 2 trails that were dog friendly. Lytle's Loop and Savannah are the only two trails for dogs and they need to be on leash at all times," notes a visitor to Government Canyon State Natural Area.
Reservation limitations: Some campgrounds operate on specific schedules. Government Canyon "is only open Friday-Monday with camping only Friday and Saturday night," while others like Westbound RV Park (formerly Quiet Texas RV Park) have variable amenities. One camper noted, "No showers, no public restrooms, no picnic table, and no fire ring or grill" despite these being advertised.
Tips for camping with families
Playground access: Several campgrounds offer kid-friendly areas. "The park itself is nice, with playgrounds, a large open central area with several soccer fields and quite a few trails to hike," reports a camper at Castroville Regional Park.
Nature education: Take advantage of ranger-led programs. "The guided hikes are informative," notes a Government Canyon visitor, while another mentioned "they often host educational events" at the Information Center.
Pool availability: During hot months, pools become essential. "Pool area in front close to playground," mentions a Blazing Star visitor, while at Alsatian RV Resort a camper praised the "Beautiful pool and hot tub area."
Tips from RVers
Levelness matters: Check site grading before settling in. "The sites in treed part are rather close together and irregular in length, some very short, but the current reservation system is wonky and doesn't list the site lengths," explains an RVer at Alamo River RV Ranch Resort & Campground.
Internet access: Connectivity varies widely between campgrounds. "AT&T coverage was ok, generally between 2-3 bars of LTE service, with speeds up to about 1.5 MB/s. Unfortunately, even though the WiFi had been recently upgraded, it was effectively useless," reported a camper at Castroville Regional Park.
Accessibility needs: Consider site location for mobility issues. At Blazing Star, one camper advised, "Do not accept a pad in the 100 row as they are not as wheelchair accessable as the 200 row of pads. I don't know about the 300 to 800 rows of pads."
