Are you an equestrian lover who prefers a more rustic experience when you visit Richmond? Whether you own a horse or are joining a tour group, equestrian camping is an adventurous and unique way to experience the city. You're sure to find the perfect site for your Texas horse camping excursion.
Looking for a “wild” experience? You will find it at Brazos Bend State Park, just 45 miles from downtown Houston!
Things to Do Nature has top billing at this park. Be sure to bring your walking shoes, binoculars and camera.
Besides marveling at nature, you can also hike and bike, fish, picnic, geocache, ride your horse, and stay overnight. Reserve one of our picnic pavilions or our group hall for your next group gathering.
Pay due respect to alligators, which are common in some areas of the park. Read our alligator safety tips before you come.
Stay Reserve a campsite, screened shelter, or cabin. Bring your nonprofit youth group for a campout.
You can also book campsites that are ready to use, complete with a safari tent, bed and other camping amenities.
Explore We have 37 miles of trails, some of which are wheelchair-friendly. You can experience them on foot, bike or horseback. We have an all-terrain wheelchair for use in the park; call us to reserve it for your visit: (979) 553-5101, x0.
Creekfield Lake Nature Trail: This fully paved .5-mile trail tours a wetland area. You’ll find exhibits with touchable bronzes of wildlife, an accessible boardwalk and observation deck, and rest areas with shaded benches. Hike and bike trails: Trails circle lakes, connecting with each other and heading into the hardwood forest. Pets must be on a leash no longer than six feet, and must not drink from or enter the lakes. Read about alligator safety on park maps and on signs in the park. Horseback riding: We have 13 miles of multiuse trails. You must bring your own horse and show proof of negative Coggins. Weather conditions can lead to trail closures; call the park for trail updates before your visit.
$12 - $150 / night
Every other campground in the Houston area seems to be $55+, but with AAA discount I only paid $45 here! They were very accommodating when I called and gave us an easy spot up front because we were arriving after 8pm. Level spot, no fuss. Quiet night. Only downside were the mosquitos. Bring repellant! Altogether a good experience for a single overnight.
This park is really back in there as from the office to the sites it's a good distance which is nice. Level sites and more than enough room between sites. If you like hiking, you can get it done here, just watch out for the gators.....
We stayed in spot 112 in February 2024.
We had fun here with our 3 year old granddaughter. Campsite was nice & large, well spaced out. Bathrooms are clean, and the trails are awesome. Saw about 20 alligators on Elm Lake
First. Data. Download enough to watch FIFA final. Upload not the greatest. Visible, Verizon 5G, T-Mobile 5G. All great down but low upload speeds. Too many trees for Starlink
Awesome friendly gate house staff. Big park with camping loop. Will be back
First. Data. Download enough to watch FIFA final. Upload not the greatest. Visible, Verizon 5G, T-Mobile 5G. All great down but low upload speeds. Too many trees for Starlink
Awesome friendly gate house staff. Big park with camping loop. Will be back
This would be a 5 star if there was sewer hookup
PROS
No fee to make my own on-line reservations
Park security gate closed overnight hours
Good space between sites
Grass mowed in each site
Extra wide campground roadway
Quiet during our weeknight stay
Wooden and metal picnic table on concrete slab
Pedestal BBQ grill
Metal firering (no cooking grate)
Clean, climate controlled toilet/shower facility.
Ample supply of TP, and hand soap but hand dryer didn’t work and no paper towels. Campfire wood for sale via honor system in the campground
Regular ranger patrol through campground
Lots of dumpsters throughout the campground
.85 miles round trip from site 114 to closest toilet/shower facility
2 bars T-MOBILE
CONS
No discount for a one night stay
Aggressive raccoons
Site 114 not level
No lantern pole in campsite
Site picnic table is anchored to concrete slab and not moveable
No WiFi
The birds singing in the meadow wake you gently in the morning. There's numerous trails to hike or bike. the observatory and nature centers a bonus to this well appointed state campground.
Might as well make this a national park. Was amazing. Campground has huge level pads with big campsites. Well groomed and very clean. So many walking and biking trails. We saw around 30 alligators, 100s of birds and 2 beavers (I think). Was humid and around 85 degrees most of the time.
Came here as a kid in 5th grade and fell in love! It hasn’t changed a bit! So much to see, the observatory it’s incredible! Alligators for miles! Photographers paradise!
Just purchased my 1st RV. This was a "test run" with my dogs and cat. It's a huge park. Well maintained. Traveled alone and felt 100% safe. Lots of trails close to the campsite (burr oak). Only reason I have it 4 stars is my AT&T service was virtually non existent.
Very nice RV Campground with large dog park, laundry, and cleaned showers and toilets. Easy drive to see the Johnson Space Center.
Amazing spot for camping and hiking! Bathrooms were okay, overall everything was clean. They have numerous trails to enjoy. We saw bunch of gators, various birds, raccoons and other animals. Highly recommended!
Overnight stay. Heavily wooded area. Lots of wildlife (deer hanging out in neighboring campsite). Grass was overgrown on site. Firewood we bought wouldn’t burn. Very buggy (swarming at your face). Had to drive to the shower house. There seemed to be a lot to see at this park and I’m sure it is lovely in the fall and winter. I would come back again in better weather.
Lots to do, hiking, biking, wildlife viewing. Great campground.
I like state parks and this is a good example why. The sites are well spaced, well maintained and relatively inexpensive. About $20. You can reserve online and the web site has photos of the site so you know it works for you.
Site have electric and water and the dump station is at the entrance of the campground. Easy to hit on your way out.
There are plenty of hiking trails and they have alligators.
If you're looking for a good campground close to Houston, this is your place.
We loved this place! Our campsite was on Burr Oak loop. Very spacious. Quite a walk to the bathroom though. Very clean bathrooms. The trails are awesome! So glad we had our bikes, it allowed us to cover a lot of ground. We did see over 10 alligators. Some on the side of the trail, some in the water....I lost count of how many we saw. Great for hikes. Awesome for bikes.
This is the best place to escape from the big city and enjoy nature! There is so much to do. The hiking and bike paths are aplenty. We loved seeing the gators, especially when the babies were hatching (spot dozens of babies in the photos). The observatory is also incredible. There are so many friendly astronomy enthusiasts who are willing to share a peek through their telescope (pre-covid) and share their knowledge. Be sure to help keep light pollution down in that area so everyone can enjoy the stars (no flashlights or phones out). This is such a great park to enjoy and spend a weekend away from the city without traveling too far.
If you want to see alligators in their natural habitat this is the park for you. There wer so many. We even came across one on the trail eating a snake. The best part though is the observatory. There’s always plenty of stargazers up there that love to share their equipment, you can also pay for the big telescopes. We visited before Covid, so not sure how things are now. The shelter sites are nicer than most. The bathrooms were average.
I was visiting Houston with my husband (who is from there) and decided to make a quick escape from the city to nature. We camped just one night, so despite the short visit, we really had a great time. Our site was very spacious, and it was pretty quiet there. There were large trees giving us plenty of shade. I love the Spanish moss that hangs from the trees.
We also took a hike in the park around the lame, and saw a few alligators. Such a fun hike, highly recommended!
I've been going to Brazos Bend since I was a kid. It's always fun to hike or bike around the trails and see all types of birds, alligators, and other wildlife. For us it is close by which is another added bonus.
We reserved our reservations a head of time, showed up, and the staff was very helpful and went easy. They keep the park and restrooms clean clean. We got to hike the 40 Acre Trail (about an hour hike) and the whole family loved it. Definitely will be back soon in the future for the other trails and activities.
This is a great family-friendly park, as it has many activities for nature education, an observatory, and endless trails. (Dont hike alone! Alligators arent shy and they think they own the trails!) The drive in to the main area is great. Drive slow so you can enjoy the views! Also, take your binoculars and scope the horizons!
Ok, I'll admit it. I visited this park for one reason only… to see alligators.
Brazos Bend State Park does have other attractions like miles of hiking trails, campsites, water fowl and migratory birds, but the real attraction for me was simply to see live alligators in their natural habitat. If you have the same motive, this park will not disappoint.
This park is located outside of Houston. During much of the year the temperature can be warm to hot and muggy. I think that the best time of the year to visit might be in the winter during November, December or January. At other times of the year you may need to fight off mosquitos as big as alligators.
There are a number of trails to hike, but I chose trails that would provide the greatest opportunity to see alligators. So we hiked along the 40 Acre Lake to Elm Lake Loop. We first saw a number of water fowl - ducks, cranes, egrets. Then right along the trail we saw a fairly large alligator. Now there are signs that warn to stay a safe distance away from the alligators and it is solid advice. But simply staying on the trail allowed me to pass about 30 feet in front of a resting alligator. I'm guessing that if the alligator wanted to get up and chase me it could have. I just calculated that I didn't need to be faster than the alligator, I just needed to be faster than my hiking buddies.
We all survived and it was a pleasant experience.
Best day park around. Easy parking, easy hiking & beautiful nature. Gators, gators, gators!!!
Went again, and we saw gators at the nature center. Cool
If you go in the summer you need to watch out for mosquitoes. The observatory is amazing on clear nights.🏕🚀
Camping near Richmond, Texas, offers a mix of beautiful landscapes and fun activities for everyone. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or an adventure-filled getaway, there are plenty of campgrounds to choose from.
Camping in Richmond, TX, and the surrounding areas offers a variety of experiences for everyone. Whether you're a family looking for fun or an RV enthusiast seeking adventure, there's something for you!
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Richmond, TX?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Richmond, TX is Brazos Bend State Park Campground with a 4.6-star rating from 44 reviews.
