Cabins near Robert Lee, Texas provide overnight accommodations in a region where the Edwards Plateau transitions to the Rolling Plains, creating a diverse ecological landscape with elevations ranging from 1,800 to 2,300 feet. The area experiences hot summers with temperatures regularly exceeding 95°F and mild winters, making spring and fall the most comfortable seasons for cabin stays. Water conservation is often necessary as the region's lakes frequently experience low levels due to drought conditions.
What to do
Hiking trails: San Angelo State Park offers 50 miles of trails for hiking, biking, and equestrian use across its North and South units. "The hiking, biking, and equestrian trails here offer a lot of variety and with 50 miles of them, it's tough to get bored. Note that the North and South units have separate trail systems and there's no road within the park to reach the two units," explains a visitor to Red Arroyo — San Angelo State Park.
Wildlife viewing: The park maintains herds of bison and longhorn cattle with ranger-led feedings. "On Saturday and Wednesday mornings, the rangers do supplemental feeding of the bison and longhorn cattle herds, bringing them right up to the fence for visitors to see. It's a nice treat! As you hike, you're likely to see plenty of wildlife, too. We have seen deer, owls, birds, and javelinas," notes a Red Arroyo camper.
Fishing and boating: Spring Creek Marina & RV Park provides lake access for fishing and water activities. "Enjoy the beauty of the lake, sunsets amazing. Nice place for walking and biking," shares one visitor. The marina offers boat rentals during summer months for those without their own watercraft.
What campers like
Dark skies for stargazing: The wide-open spaces at San Angelo parks provide good night sky viewing opportunities. "The night sky is decent because it's so wide open, unfortunately, it's not as dark as we had hoped because of the lights from nearby San Angelo. Given the expansive horizon, though, you're in for some really cool sunrises and sunsets right from your campsite," reports a Red Arroyo visitor.
Wildlife encounters: Many cabin areas attract local wildlife. "It was still hot out, but lots of animals to be seen. We saw tons of deer, porcupines, foxes, and bison of course. There are Javelina and Longhorns, but we didn't see them this weekend," notes a San Angelo State Park camper.
Covered shelters: Many sites include covered picnic areas to provide shade. "Campgrounds are decent. The sites are large and well-spaced apart. You don't have much privacy due to the lack of trees since this is where the prairie and desert come together, but the distance between sites helps. Also, having a picnic table and covered shelter at each site is a nice touch," shares a reviewer about the cabin camping areas.
What you should know
Weather considerations: The area experiences extreme temperature swings and strong winds. "One thing we noticed is that when the wind gets going here it really blows hard, so be prepared to take care of anything that might need to be held down. Several times it was bad enough that we had to close our roof vent," warns a visitor to Red Arroyo — San Angelo State Park.
Bathroom facilities vary: Quality and availability of bathrooms differs between properties. "The only real complaint was that the bathrooms are really old. They are kept clean and the showers were hot with good, modern showerheads. But in Red Arroyo, there is only one shower for women and one for men for the whole campground," notes a reviewer.
Lake conditions: Water levels fluctuate significantly in area lakes. "Note that if you're coming for O.C. Fisher Lake, that is a reservoir that is emptying out and never likely to come back. A ranger told us the lake is at about 6-8% of its glory days. The place is filled with boat ramps to nowhere," cautions a camper.
Tips for camping with families
Wildlife attractions: Kids often enjoy animal watching opportunities. "We were able to use the laundry, bath houses were closed. Lots of wildlife out and about which was pretty fun to see. Deer and turkey lots of them," shares a visitor to Spring Creek Marina & RV Park.
Playgrounds and recreation: Some facilities offer additional family-friendly amenities. "Small playground, easy hiking trails, and plenty of birds and nature walks. In the summer they have a pool which looked like it would be really nice," notes a visitor to Abilene State Park Campground, which is within driving distance of Robert Lee.
Spacious sites: Many cabin areas provide room for families to spread out. "My family and I had a blast at this campground! Very clean, friendly people and big spaces. We will for sure be returning!" reports a Spring Creek Marina visitor about the rental cabins.
Tips from RVers
Site selection: Choose your cabin or RV site based on specific needs. "We stayed in the Red Arroyo loop in the south section. Sites are huge and spaced out well. Not much privacy, but that's because it's basically prairie land," explains a camper at Goodfellow AFB Recreation Area, which offers cabin rentals for military personnel.
Leveling needs: Some sites require additional adjustment. "Sites aren't too level and bring bug spray. Otherwise great, clean and comfortable. Be careful of the winds when driving in this area, especially on the interstate," advises a visitor to Lake Colorado City State Park Campground, which provides cabin options within reasonable driving distance from Robert Lee.
Seasonal preparation: Plan for extreme weather conditions depending on when you visit. "This place was so beautiful! Wildflowers everywhere, birds, ground squirrels. Very well maintained and clean. We rented 2 cabins and they were very well kept. Lots of trails to walk going down to the water," shares a Lake Colorado City visitor who stayed during spring.
