Best Dispersed Camping near South Houston, TX
Coastal dispersed camping dominates the free options near South Houston, with several beach locations along the Gulf of Mexico. Bolivar Flats offers 27 miles of beachfront camping where vehicles can drive directly onto compacted sand. The area requires a $10 Bolivar Beach Parking Sticker valid for the calendar year, though enforcement reportedly decreases in winter months. Most sites provide trash collection and some portable toilets, but no hookups or amenities. Campfires are permitted in most locations.
Follett's Island Beach provides similar free beach camping between access points 3 and 5, with firm sand suitable for standard vehicles. One camper noted, "The sand is compact basically all the way throughout the entire beach." Brazoria Beach and Surfside Beach also offer primitive coastal camping. These areas become significantly busier on weekends and during summer months, while weekdays offer more solitude. All sites require self-sufficiency as one visitor mentioned, "You have to be self sustained since there is nothing here...just you and the gulf." Campers should monitor tide conditions, bring drinking water, and pack out trash.
