Best Tent Camping near Shiner, TX

• Water

• 20/30/50 amp

• Sewer

• Extended Cable TV

• Grill

• Picnic Table (each one hand-painted with different design)

• Site Pad: Gravel, level

👍🏻 Pros:

• Pull-thru sites closest to the Colorado River

👎🏻 Cons:• No direct access to get into the river. It drops off too much.

• The back portion of the site got a lot of afternoon sun

📝 Park Notes:

• Dump Station

• Wifi

• Propane sold onsite per pound. Site pickup/dropoff

• Swimming Pool

• Community Center with Laundry facility(1 washer/ 1 dryer), kitchen, showers/bathroom with kitchen, games, TV, shower

• Pets on leash, big dog park

• Each site had it's own trash can

🐦 Wildlife:

• Birds

• Deer

• Squirrels

For more info and a video see https://www.denisevajdak.com/2021/10/colorado-landing-rv-park.html

The weather and the calendar aligned and there happened to be an open spot, so I took it, loaded up and headed out. 

Length of Stay: 2 Nights

Type of Park: State 

Check In: 2p Check Out: 12p

💲 Cost per night$25+$5 entry fee per person per day 
Discounts: Texas Parks Pass Total Cost$25

📝 Site#24 Notes:

Pull Thru
Water
Max amp: 50 
Sewer
Grill
Fire Ring w/Grate
Hook for hanging lantern or other items
Picnic Table: concrete Site Pad: level, asphalt, long enough for truck and trailer and extra space

👍🏻 Pros:
• Full hookups
• Overlooking hillside
• No one was camping on one side of me
• A little shade in the afternoon
• A couple tall Loblolly Pines still stand at this site

👎🏻 Cons:
• Because so many of the trees are missing, you hear more of the road noise from Highway 21 and 95
• No privacy between spots
• Spot is barely off main road

📝 Park Notes:
• Restrooms
• Showers
• Dump Station
• Munzees and Geocaches in the Park
• Trails- some are pretty challenging, steep
• Pool
• Pavilion
• Cabins
• Structures built by CCC(Civilian Conservation Corps)
• When you enter Bastrop or Buescher, You can drive or bike between the parks(11 miles@ 30 mph max), but I would not tow/drive an RV.

🐦 Wildlife:
• Birds: Woodpeckers, Cardinals, Bluejays, Mockingbirds, Misc small birds

💜 Highlights of this trip:
• Drove around this park and to Buescher State Park
• Made a run through Buc-ee's
•🍕 Neighbors Kitchen& Yard- I definitely recommend the Pepperoni Rolls and the Prickly Pear Margarita! Great view overlooking the Colorado River. Live music sometimes.
• Camping alone
• Glad I went when I did. The very next day, a "controlled" burn got out of control and burned over 800 acres!

More info at my blog: https://www.denisevajdak.com/2022/01/mlk-weekend-camping.html

The sites weren’t anywhere near being level.  Not a deal breaker or even a surprise, but when paying a high price at a KOA, I would expect them to be a bit more level than they were.

There is a pool and splash pad.  A bit inconvenient because they require anyone 16 and under to be accompanied by an adult.  Not that I would send them to the pool alone, but it would be nice if my 13 year old could go to the splash pad without me.  

There is a play structure, but it is located near a the Colorado River!! What idiot decided that the safest place to stick a playground would be near a river?  I’m not even talking about alligator hazard! So, once again, the kids couldn’t go alone without an adult. That’s half the fun of camping for kids. They love exploring and doing stuff on their own.  The park was located right alongside a busy highway, and while I didn’t mind that, I think some people would find it less than a pleasing spot. Definitely not a quiet spot.

There were laundry facilities which I used twice.  The dryers worked really well, drying a heavy load of towels in about 30 minutes.  They had a small store to pick up things like ice cream, fire starter and r.v. supplies.  Excellent wi-fi. The game room was lackluster. Just a pile of puzzles, old board games and a foosball table.

Overall, this was a fine location if you get stuck between Austin and College Station, but I would suggest not getting stuck.  I chose it because I had to be in or near Bastrop and the Bastrop State Park was undergoing serious renovations and most of its amenities were closed for the season, but honestly, I probably won't stay here again.

Pros 

Reserved on-line 123 days prior to arrival without incurring any reservation fee. 

Total cost was$18 each night. 

Campsite and entrance fee discount with Texas State Park Pass. 

Very quiet in December. No highway or train noise.

Great night sky viewing from park golf course.

NO STREET LIGHTS in campground., but toilet facilities had exterior lighting.

Campsite had cooking grill on metal fire ring and barrel BBQ smoker.

Campsite had metal cover over picnic table.

Level site #7.

Grass mowed throughout campsites.

Ample supply of TP, soap and hand towels in toilet facility.

Nice view of Golf Course from FHU campground.

Cons

FHU sites in wagon wheel configuration. Absolutely no privacy from other sites. Campsite fire rings placed weirdly which created confusion between campers as to which fire ring belong to which campsite.

Water pressure fluctuations constantly.

20 campsites total for this park with 3 park hosts which one is using a numbered site, so only 19 campsites to reserve.

Never saw any park rangers or park security driving through campground; no interaction with Park Hosts.

No security gate closed overnight. L

imited Shade. Seems each FHU site had one tree.

One toilet facility for 20 campsites PLUS day users, except for pool users. One shower only in each Men’s and Women’s.

Campsite #7 full of fire ants!

No campfire wood for sale.

1 bar AT&T No Park Wifi

Pros:

• Quick check-in

• 176-acre park with 40 campsites on the south shore of Lake Bastrop.

• Level site concrete pad surrounded by crushed granite.

• Aluminum picnic table, lantern pole, BBQ grill and fire pit with cooking grill.

• Cleaned BBQ grill and fire pit upon arrival.

• Very private as the site was surrounded by heavy brush.

• Even though Spring Break and the campground was packed, it was quiet.

• Firewood is available for purchase from Park.

Cons:

• LCRA $6 on-line reservation fee.

• Long waits for toilet/shower. All are family type facilities with the toilet, sink and shower as one unit behind a lock door, so one showering person ties up a toilet. There are 8“units” for 40 campsites PLUS cabins.

• Toilets/showers could of used more frequent cleaning as they are heavily used.

Campsite Review:

Palmetto State Park is a tranquil campground located in Central Texas. It offers campers the chance to hike, bike, swim, paddle, fish or just lay in a hammock under the shade of trees. The park is located a few minutes drive from the towns of Gonzales and Luling. The park's most unique feature are the dwarf palmetto plants which grow throughout the forest.

When entering the park you are welcomed by a canopy of overhanging trees. At the entrance there is an office where you can pay your admission fee and shop for some basic camping necessities. There are also after-hour pay stations nearby.

At each campsite there is a parking space with water and electrical hookups, a picnic table, barbecue grill and fire pit. Most of the sites will fit small to medium sized RVs. There are plenty of shade trees around the campsites which are welcome during the summers in Texas. The restrooms are near the campsites and all of the restrooms, although somewhat dated, have sinks, flush toilets and showers.

Some of the attractions of this park include a small artesian spring, lake and the San Marcus River. There is a nice hike and bike trail which runs along the bank of the river which is flat and easy to walk or bike. There are some amazing sights and sounds while walking through the forest - from birds to insects to small mammals to plants. As previously mentioned, one of the unique features of this park are the dwarf palmetto plants that grow on the forest floor. These palmettos make you feel as if you've been transported to a tropical paradise. Paddle boat, kayak and canoe rentals are available at a concession office near the lake.

There are a number of activities to enjoy at this park, but some of the facilities could use an update. I would think that is a nice park for families with kids because of the variety of activities that can be pursued. There are no extreme features like mountains or cliffs, just a number of peaceful nooks in nature.

Before or after your stay at Palmetto State Park be sure to pass by the little town of Luling, Texas where you can eat at the City Market Café which has some of the best barbecue in Texas.

Product Review:

As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I am offered the opportunity to test products. At this campground, I tested the Gregory Inertia 30 Hydration Backpack.

Top reasons I loved the Gregory Inertia 30 Hydration Backpack:

1. Size: The pack is 30 liters and is useful for day hikes, weekend adventures or carry-on airline travel.
2. Features: The pack has well thought-out organization with a large main compartment, a mid-sized compartment, a top stash pocket, stretch mesh front and side pockets and a flexible suspension. Also, there are a number of attachment loops for attaching tools, poles, solar chargers or other gear.
3. Technology: The new 3D hydration bladder is a breeze to fill, empty and clean. It has an tactile grip handle and rubberized fill top which make opening and closing easy. When cleaning or drying out the bladder, the sidewalls of the bladder maintain an open shape which allows easy access and evaporation of any residual water.
4. Quality: All of the materials are of high quality. I expect that the backpack will last many years. This is important for a day use backpack which will see regular duty under a variety of conditions. It is also important for backpacking, because no one wants a gear failure while in the backcountry.

I hope and expect that this backpack will become my go to backpack for a variety of adventures.

Buescher State Park is about 40 miles outside of Austin and a short drive from Bastrop Texas. The park is great for campers who like to fish. The 25 acre park lake offers some great shoreline and kayak or canoe fishing. You can rent a canoe or bring your own. You can use the boat launch or enter the lake from the Lakeview Campsite. The campsite have flat concrete pads for campers and RVs. The sites have good tree cover and a nice level of privacy which can be rare at state sites. They have all the facilities you need from group recreation facilities to new cabins on the lake. The campground was less than half full in June. They have a tackle loaner site and a small camp store.