Best Tent Camping near Sam Houston National Forest, TX

Muddy roads out to the site which were difficult to manage in a small passenger car. Campsite itself had a spooky vibe, seemed overgrown and poorly maintained. We arrived after dark and camped in a tent but neither of us slept well. I think they had a lot of rain because even the loop around the campground had big potholes full of water. In the morning we noticed the place was trashed. It might not be bad for campers and rvs but I don’t recommend tent camping.

Sam Houston National Forest is my absolute favorite. There is so much to do there, plus the longest foot trail in Texas (Lone Star trail) resides here. This campsite is located on the Eastern side of the forest and it very close to the Eastern Terminus of the Lone Star trail ( trailhead #15).

Double Lake is the campsite that has it all. Plus there is a lake, or two, where you can fish, boat, and swim. There are lots of bike and hiking trails, along with off roading vehicle trails. The scenery is amazing. I love to go hiking early in the morning as all of the wildlife begins to rise. The sounds and views are some of the best in the state.

The facilities are kept very clean and the staff is always to kind and helpful. Some of the trails were closed the last time I visited but the park rangers were very helpful in helping me navigate. There are tent sites, group tent sites and RV sites available to reserve, which you can easily reserve online. My favorite tent site, that I try to get every time is site # 28. It is easily accessible, off by itself, and still close enough to the bathrooms. I like it because it has quite a bit of room, lots of tree cover ( which is nice when it rains, or in the summer) and it has some character to it.

There is a ranger station at the entrance of this site, but be aware they are closed on the weekend. They have a little drop box and fill out sheet is you come on the weekends, but make sure to download a map of the trails and park beforehand, because the maps are never stocked and there likely won't be one. If you don't have one, there is usually a ranger driving around on a golf cart you can ask.

Make sure you hike the double lake trail. It is about 9 miles long with a very easy footpath, but the views and stillness of the forest make it worth it. The trailhead is between the lake and bathrooms after entering, but be aware it is also a bike trail and can get muddy after a good rail.

There is a fee to enter. If you have a National Park pass it is free and it is twenty dollars a night. Please visit this park!!

Our first adventure into Sam Houston National Forest. Was a great one. Trees all around trails to hike around, full hook ups if you are in an RV or trailer! Tent spots available at all sites!

This is a designated primitive camp located on the Lone Star Trail. This camp is located about a mile from LSHT Trailhead #13. It is at mile 83.5 if you are traveling from the Western to Eastern Terminus in the Sam Houston National Forest and is about 100 years East off of the actual trail itself. It is a primitive campsite with no amenities other than a place to sleep. During hunting season (September 26 – January 8) camping in Sam Houston National Forest is restricted to only developed campgrounds, designated hunter camps, or designated primitive camps. This is an optional campground for the LSHT all year long! THERE IS NO POTABLE WATER HERE.

March 22-29, 2019 Located in Sam Houston National Forest. Electric, water and sewer. Dump station. Showers and flush toilets. TV reception - CBS+. Received 1/2 price with lifetime sr pass but had to pay additional $10 per day.

Wonderful camp grounds nestled in Sam Houston National Forest. Old school drop box style. First come, first serve. Make sure you have cash. Water access throughout the sites, each camp site has table, fire ring with a cooking grate and tent pad. Clean bathrooms with jot showers on timers. Access to an inlet of Lake Conroe. Hiking trails. Not much breeze due to the thick forest, so perfect for fall and spring camping.

There are 29 campsites which include a tent pad, picnic table, and a trash pole. Water is available throighout the camp ground. The campground has two public bath houses with hot showers. It is well maintained by volunteer hosts working with the Sam Houston National Forest. The Lone Star Hiking Trail connects at the south side of the park. The east side of the park borders Stubblefield Lake. The adjacent Sam Houston National Foredt offers hunting, Trails for ATV, horse back. and motorcyle use. There no RV hook ups. Spaces will accomodate RV up tp 20 Ft in length, but they must be self contained. No reservations are allowed; first come only.

This is a designated primitive camp located on the Lone Star Trail. It is at mile 75.7 if you are traveling from the Western Terminus to the Eastern Terminus and about 2 miles from LSHT Trailhead # 11. It is a primitive campsite with no amenities other than a place to sleep.

During hunting season (September 26 – January 8) camping in Sam Houston National Forest is restricted to only developed campgrounds, designated hunter camps, or designated primitive camps. This is an optional campground for the LSHT all year long! THERE IS NO POTABLE WATER HERE.

Just finished another camping trip to Cagle Recreation Area in the Sam Houston National forest.  It was pretty chilly in the beginning of March, but we camped during the week when all the weekenders had left, and there were only a handful of campers there.  So peaceful and serene.  Lots of clearly marked trails to hike.  The campsites are so spacious, with full hookups.  Our site was sloped a bit so had to use 9 leveling blocks.  All sites have asphalt pads and are kept clean.  The hosts gave us some firewood to make a fire in the pit, and we got to roast some hot dogs.  Camped in Sycamore Loop, which is the campground loop closest to the boat ramp.  Great views of Lake Conroe, and I'm told there is great fishing here.  We walked miles and miles on the trails and just enjoyed the beauty.  Saw a bald eagle, which was an awesome experience.  The bathhouse was cleaned daily and was always well stocked.  Sites are very large, so social distancing is no problem.  Cagle is one of my favorite places to camp!

You’ll find Huntsville State Park six miles southwest of Huntsville, TX in Walker County in the Sam Houston National Forest. Huntsville State Park has over 20 miles of trails to explore along with a pretty great lake to fish, paddle or swim. Fish for crappie, perch, catfish, or bass. Lake Raven also has a boat ramp, fishing piers, and fish cleaning stations. Bring your own canoe or rent one from the little supply store. The supply store also has miscellaneous supplies and bait for purchase.

Campsites are spaced modestly except those in the full hookup loop. If you are looking for full hookups, book in advanced as those are in high demand at this location. All sites have a two-day minimum on Friday and Saturday.

Available sites:

• Full hookup campsites - pull-through, picnic table, fire ring, water hookup, lantern post, restrooms & showers nearby 20/30/50-amp hookup
• Electric sites - picnic table, fire ring, water hookup, lantern post, restrooms & showers nearby 20/30/50-amp electric hook up
• Campsites with water - picnic table, fire ring, water hookup, lantern post, & restrooms & showers nearby

Located on the west edge of the east Texas piney woods, this state park features excellent RV and tent camping facilities, and a beautiful network of heavily forested trails. The lake offers canoeing, kayaking, swimming and fishing, and affords visitors an occasional glimpse of alligators. We love this place.

Tent site we stayed at was great.  Well shaded and not too close to other camper sites

Nice place for tent camping there is no water bathrooms or electricity. Great place for being in contact with nature. If you are looking to be away from the civilization but at the same time not that far it is perfect.

I took the whole family for a weekend getaway. We loved the park, it was our first time tent camping here and it did not disappoint. It has a swimming area, trails, fishing, and playgrounds. The park was very nice and clean, the showers had door! We will definitely come back.

This is our favorite local (2hous from home) park. We’ve been coming here almost every year for close to 20 years. We’ve done primitive tent camping, tent camping with power, shelter camping and just recently became glampers!😂 Site 142 in the prairie branch loop is our favorite site. It’s on the water and at the trailhead. It’s recently been designated Accessible so our last two trips we chose the shelter sites 10 and 11. These sites are also on the water and have lots of space. The showers on this side are individual rooms as opposed to the semi private (too small shower curtain) ones in the big restroom. The water is nice and hot but I suggest bringing a broom or you will be sharing with some pretty big spiders. Overall the restrooms are clean but the campgrounds are busy lately so I’m sure it’s difficult to keep up. Staff are super friendly. Firewood is on a suggested donation basis and is available most days before 5pm.

Wonderful trails. Clear and well marked. Primitive (water only) tent sites on lakeshore side leave the camper hunting flat surfaces while avoiding runoff pathways. However the dip shields you from stormy winds. Be ready to share the park. Lots of day trippers enjoy this piece of bliss so close to Houston. Trails are marked for foot and bicycle travel. Birdwatchers bring your glasses and journals, you will not be disappointed.

We went Thursday - Saturday, and will go again during the week to avoid crowds.
The check-in process is a bit troublesome if you're picky about getting a good tent site- you can't reserve specific sites ahead of time. Also, your visit will cost you more than listed on the website because they charge entrance fees for each person on top of the campsite rental. That was an unpleasant surprise. The only other unpleasant surprise is that the campground store is closed on Thursdays. Lesson learned- bring your own Snickers!
However, the scenery, quietness, and availability of rental boats was wonderful. We camped in tent site #70, and I would grab that one again in a heartbeat. The 70's sites have water access and beautiful views, and are generous with their square footage. Plenty of trees down there to hang hammocks and clotheslines on, and more than one flat spot for tents on each site.
I normally would not devote a whole paragraph to restrooms at a state park, but I will this time. These were the CLEANEST restrooms I've ever seen at a state park, and the most updated. The stalls had modern dividers, the toilets all had clean, functional seats, the showers had separate bench areas with lots of hooks, plus normal faucets you could just turn on once (as opposed to having to push a button every minute), and the sinks also had great faucets with good pressure and reliable water temperatures. Very easy to use.
All our issues with this park were related to unexpected costs and logistics, but the park facilities were fabulous. We will definitely be back!

I’m so surprised I hadn’t been here yet, but it’s just gorgeous. Pine needles everywhere, beautiful lake. We tent camped and we weren’t too close to the people around us. Completely surrounded by huge trees. The bathroom had a lot of spiders but I’d expect that. The showers drained super slow but you just have to take a quick one. I appreciate the parking at your spot a lot. A nice cold front (and storm) came in during the night and blew out the humidity and it just got that much better. We went on the long trail in the evening and heard coyotes which was cool. We turned around though lol.

Tent camped 23JUN20, 1 night

I love Huntsville SP. It’s my “home park”. So many great memories of family and scout camping here, all the way back to my youth. The tall trees and lake make for a “summer camp” feel.

It literally rained every second I was in camp except for a little while when I was loading out. For the most part it was a quiet heavy rain that I enjoyed from my covered hammock!

I always forget there are alligators there, but they don’t seem to care too much about people. It is a bit disconcerting to be standing on the fishing peer 2 feet over the water and look down to see one just chilling under your feet.

Site 139 was large, had complete shade coverage and was right off the trail. It also had the unfortunate attribute of being at the bottom of the hill and kind of where all the water from everywhere seemed to be headed. Not a problem unless it’s raining a lot. Fortunately I realized this and set up my tent on the end of the parking space. Have you ever driven a tent stake into asphalt with a hatchet? Good times.

The bathrooms were clean and updated. The fishing was non existent due to the rain and I’ll go back soon to hike.

Did I mention that it rained? A lot?

I was totally surprised at the beauty of this park. I stayed in a screened shelter site with a view of the lake. The weather was cold, but I came prepared and setup my tent in the shelter. The park has many trails and view points. The staff at check-in were extremely helpful and you could tell they love their job. Ended up purchasing a Texas Parks Pass because I am quickly learning that Texas has some of the best camping in the country.

We took our family here on a Texas state park camping trip. The park rangers explain basics of camping. It was a great experience for our family. The park is very family friendly and tent friendly. It is on a lake that has fishing, kayaking and paddle boats. The facilities were nice and clean.

We have stayed here several times with family, some in tents and some in pop up trailers. The bathrooms are old, Texas is supposed to be getting new bathrooms in all state park facilities but had not gotten to this one as of our last visit. Park is larger, best to do with bikes if possible. Limited lake access but good fishing spots abound. Tower to climb, trails to hike, firewood to burn...

Clean, plenty of spaces, tents and RV’s. Nice fire pit. Nice lake view and water fun!