Best Tent Camping near Richards, TX
The Sam Houston National Forest provides several tent camping options near Richards, Texas, with both established campgrounds and primitive sites available. Huntsville State Park Campground, located six miles southwest of Huntsville in Walker County, offers dedicated tent sites with water access and shaded areas. For those seeking a more secluded experience, Lake Niederhoffer Campsite provides hike-in tent camping within the national forest, accessible via a 1-2 mile trail.
Most tent sites at Huntsville State Park include picnic tables, fire rings, water hookups, and lantern posts with restrooms and showers nearby. The park features both water-only and electric sites suitable for tent campers, with some waterfront locations offering tiered setups. Lake Niederhoffer Campsite, by contrast, offers primitive tent camping with no facilities—campers must pack in all supplies and water. Sites around the lake provide flat areas for pitching tents, though some visitors note the importance of proper site selection. A visitor commented, "Plenty of spots around the lake. I went camping on a Monday and was the only one."
Tent campers at Huntsville State Park enjoy access to over 20 miles of trails, fishing opportunities on Lake Raven, and swimming areas. The park's tall pine trees create a shaded environment that helps moderate temperatures during hot Texas summers. Wildlife sightings are common, with alligators occasionally spotted in the lake. At Lake Niederhoffer, the experience is more rustic and isolated. Based on reviews from The Dyrt, "The entire forest seemed to be alive, with coyotes howling, something snorting, footsteps all over the place." Weekday visits typically offer greater solitude, while weekends can bring more visitors, especially at Huntsville State Park. The lake at Niederhoffer is suitable for swimming according to campers who have visited, providing a refreshing option during warmer months.
