Best Equestrian Camping near Richmond, TX

The best part of this park is the observatory, which has special events and regular weekend hours pretty much all year. It’s absolutely worth staying up late for this! Hikes and wildlife are good too, lots of easy trails along water for the kids, cool ponds, great little observation tour to climb. There are standard RV/tent sites, screened shelters (for sleeping), and rustic cabins, horse sites, and youth group sites. The sites are pretty spread out and maybe half of them are very shady. Awesome little park outside Houston.

Brazos Bend is alligator headquarters! This is my son's favorite park, right up next to Dinosaur Valley State Park. So first i'll tell you that the facilities are nice and pretty new it looked like. There are tent, group, equestrian, and RV sites, plus cabins and screened shelters. They have a few hike and bike trails, but nothing very challenging or long, but everything else they have is what makes it the bomb!

There are six lakes, a creek, and the Brazos river in the park, so if you go during summer take bug spray, or bugs will eat you alive. Also tons of spiders...so yeah. You can fish at some of the lakes, and most of the lakes have a viewing pier where you can bird watch and look for big alligators.

OK, the Nature center is the coolest thing ever!!! They have snakes, spiders, and lots of fun stuff for kids. My son got to touch a king snake and a baby alligator, which was so cool. They also have lots of planned activities going on, so make sure you check the calendar or ask a park ranger if they have an event going on. We got so lucky that they had a group of alligator hatchlings that they brought out for all the kids to see and did a whole informative, interactive discussion. They brought out like 60 baby alligators in tubs and showed the kids how they feed them and how they would release them back into the wild. It was the most amazing thing! They made sure every kid got to touch one, and there were a lot of kids.

So yeah alligators are awesome, but on top of all of that, there is an observatory in the park. If you go on the weekends they have tours and shows at the observatory. There is an extra fee, but it is well worth it.

Bring a hat, sunscreen, good shoes, and bug spray is a must!

Campground Review

It's incredible that I was born and raised in Houston and have lived here the past four years but haven't made it out to Brazos Bend State Park until now! A quick, 45 minute drive southwest will get you out of the concrete jungle that is the sprawling Space City metropolis and into one of the lushest, greenest parts of Texas. Brazos Bend is a "Nature Lover's Paradise" - there is abundant wildlife. There is great fishing, ample bird watching, and lots and lots of alligators (!). Lots of trails for walking, running, biking, and horseback riding. The George Observatory is a pretty amazing feature of this park (but only open Saturdays).

We arrived at Brazos Bend on a Friday afternoon and were able to walk-in no problem. Walk-in rate is $12/day + the daily park entrance fee ($5 for adults, free for kids). I have a Texas State Parks Pass so we didn't have to pay the entrance fees (saved us $40 for two nights of camping!). Additionally there were several other great options including: Full-Site RV hook-up ($25/night), Standard Camping ($20/night, incl. water & electricity), and 14 Cabins ($80-200/night but have everything you could ever need or want).

We did a lot of nature walks, game playing, and swimming during our two days at Brazos Bend State Park. Summer is probably not the best time to visit any park in Texas - its hot and muggy and the mosquitos are out in full force. Bring your DEET. Seriously. Despite that though, we were very pleasantly surprised by the amenities (swimming pool, screened in picnic tables, fire pits, and tent pads!)

Product Review

As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get products to test from time to time - this past weekend at Brazos Bend I tested out the Kameng Mid eVent Waterproof Hiking Boot by Mishmi Takin.

These boots have got it all.

First, these boots are hella comfortable! I was blown away how comfortable they were right out of the box. Over the years, I've owned many pairs of hiking boots and they all required a significant break-in period. Not these!

Second, they're waterproof AND breathable. Not water resistant, like actually water proof.

Third, the look great. All 3 color schemes are fantastic I had a tough time choosing between green, grey and orange.

Fourth, so lightweight. These only weigh 1.5lbs so even though they are boots, they won't weigh you down.

5/5 Would Recommend.

We recently decided we wanted to spend more time outside and over the last year started accumulating camping supplies. When it was finally time to put them to use we chose Brazos Bend because it wasn't to far from the city and had a lot of hiking trails. This park is amazing! We saw around 15 alligators while hiking, and these are animals in the wild in their habitat (not like the gator farms where some dude is sticking his head in ones mouth). The have a nature center where park rangers give you info about the animals in the park and let you see snakes and baby alligators up close. The campsites have a fire pit, table and grill and for the most part lots of shade trees. All the hiking trails were accessible right from our site. Since we only camped overnight we didn't use any of the facilities but heard they were very clean. We ended up buying the texas state park pass and cannot wait to come back!

Before we stopped at the Brazos park we went from Pottsville Arkansas to the beaches in Texas .Started out in Houston and seen the San Jacinto Monument , The Washburn Tunnel, Aquaworld in down town Houston. Went over some Big bridges . Than we went to the beach in Galveston and spend the night in the back of my explorer what a night great view and the breeze was nice . The next day moved on to travel down the coast to the Port Aransas and crossed on the ferry heading to Mustang Island beach. Than passing Corpus Christi down to Padre Island . Can't remember the name of the beach we spend the night on . The next morning we headed out away from the coast and back towards home . This it where we stopped at the Brazos park and sleep in one of the screened rooms . The park was beautiful and the moss on the trees make you think you have gone back in time . But a last we have to go home!

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

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

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

We stayed in spot 112 in February 2024.  

• Sites are very nice, wide, and (mostly) level.  
• Campground is kept clean.  
• Bathroom is a bit outdated, but still clean.
• Trails are very nice and appear top be kept up regularly.  Just watch out for the alligators.
• Don't forget to reserve a spot at the observatory on Saturday nights...

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 at spot 128 in the Burr Oak. It was very easy to back into, the site is super wide and full asphalt. Site was very level. Bathrooms were somewhat close, about 4 or 5 sites down with a shortcut through the woods. Not a lot of street lights throughout the campground made things nice and quiet at night. The site had good Verizon cell service, around 25-50 mbps. The Tmobile service was around the same. This place is very remote and the park itself is huge, we only stayed one night but it has a ton to offer! Overall the campground was clean, very quiet, with a ton of activities.

site: semi-private. some shade. large sized site. nice space between. amenities: busy. well maintained. attractions: lake. hiking. biking. star gazing. wildlife. I would go camping here again.

There is not enough room here for me to describe how much I love Brazos Bend State Park. The campgrounds are wonderful- a bit cozy with your neighbors in some spots- but overall comfortable and sufficient for tent camping.
The park staff here are exceedingly polite and helpful. I've never had a bad experience with the folks who work here, and I've been coming here my whole life.
The things to do and see at this park are seemingly endless. The hiking trails are phenomenal for all ages and fitness levels, primarily because they're mostly flat. The wildlife you can get up-close and personal with is incredible. Your kids will definitely learn about wildlife here.
Hike to the observation tower, or in the evening, head over to the observatory to look at stars and planets through a variety of different telescopes.
Be sure to check online for updates on flooding status- the Brazos crested its banks this spring and the park was extensively damaged. When they get back up and running, they're going to need our support!

I live ~1 hour away from Brazos Bend State Park and while I've been to the park dozens of times, I have never actually camped there. The facilities are similar to most parks, water, fire ring, reasonable spacing, and some have electrical hook-ups. I do love to sneak off early on a Saturday or Sunday to run on the trails. The park doesn't open until 8 but the gate is normally open by 7 AM. Brazos Bend State Park offers two distinct experiences. The West side is shallow oxbow lakes that have been left behind when the Brazos River changed course. These lakes are swampy and are home to a diverse population of waterfowl as well as gators. The East side of the park is entirely different offering trails through a hardwood forest. There are several massive live oaks along the trail that are absolutely majestic. While running in the forest, I have spooked deer and wild hogs. The highlight was the time a bobcat (?) hopped out of the woods in front of me and ran in front of me for some time before he realized I was behind him. I don't have any pictures but here are some good ones from a race that I ran in Dec 2015 (http://running.competitor.com/2015/12/photos/photos-2015-brazos-bend-100_142060).

You will mostly have the trails to yourself early in the morning but you will see some people fishing or birdwatching. Later in the day you will encounter families walking or biking and large extended families enjoying the picnic facilities. It does get a little buggy during the summer but I find as long as I keep moving, the bugs aren't much of a problem.

The last highlight of the park is the park is the George Observatory. The lines can get a little long but it is a wonderful way to get a view of the sky. When we went, you could see Saturn, its rings, and a couple moons. Again, if you are going in the warmer months, be sure to bring bug spray.

The park is a close drive from Houston. Kids and adults alike enjoyed the walks, alligator viewing and riding bikes. Did i mention alligators? They are everywhere. There is also a nice observatory that we plan on visiting next time. This is the go to park for a group of dads and there children each fall.

Come here to see gators. I saw 19 in one weekend! No, they do not try to camp with you. That's in another section, so don't worry about that. The lakes used to be rice fields. The hiking is very flat. Actually is a little hard on the feet after a few miles. Humidity can be bad. Check out the observation tower and the nature store where you can pet a baby gator. Maybe go to a star party on a Saturday night.

Brazos Bend is know as the Alligator Park…and for good reason! Of you go on a moderate temperature day (this is the key. If it is too hot or cold you won't see Gators) you can see literally dozens of massive alligators. We are talking 6 feet long and right on the pathway. It's a fun adventure! There is a small nature centre where you can pet baby Gators and learn about them. Lots of pretty trails and look outs.

We love Brazos bend. Any time we have family come into town we make sure to take them to see our gator neighbors. if you don't like spiders this may not be a spot for you!

This is a great park and there are a lot of awesoms trails. The best part is the gators that come out to sun bath. You can be sure to see them on every visit to Brazos!

Great park for wildlife viewing and walking trails. There is always something interesting going on in the swamp! Very hot in the summer! Wonderful for day use and camping.

This is a simple state park with lots of information on wildlife, and, if you're lucky, you'll spot alligators. No need to strap on the hiking backpack or anything like that because all the trails are flat. I didn't spot any alligators, but I did come across a huge feral hog. After a few seconds of a standstill, he ran away and I continued on the trail.

If alligators are what you want to see, you will find them here. We stayed in the primative campground in a tent and had no problems with alligators coming in the campsite. They are in the lake and swamp area and may be sunning on the hiking trails. They won't bother you if you walk around them. The picnic sites and pavilions are nice.

Quite, very patrolled by its staff driving by every hour, great hiking trails, well maintained and close to Houston

Very nice park close to my home in Houston. Have not camped yet but it is on my radar. Enjoyed the center where they bring out the snakes and baby gators. Nice for bicycles and fishing. Will return soon

Great state park with ample campsites. Watch for alligators when you fish! They have a nice visitor information area where you can learn about the park and maybe hold a baby alligator. They also have a star gazing show at the Observatory. Book ahead because they fill fast.

If you go in the summer you need to watch out for mosquitoes. The observatory is amazing on clear nights.🏕🚀