Best Tent Camping near Somerville, TX

Tent camping near Somerville, Texas offers primitive sites with access to varied terrain and water recreation. Flag Pond Primitive Campsite at Lake Somerville State Park Nails Creek Unit provides walk-in tent sites accessible by trail. Colorado RiverBend Retreat offers a small camping area with three tent sites near the river, while Plum Park on the Colorado provides boat-in and walk-in access to tent camping along the waterway.

Most tent campgrounds in the Somerville area include picnic tables and allow fires in designated fire rings. Colorado RiverBend Retreat provides more amenities than typical primitive sites, including electric hookups, drinking water, showers, and toilets within walking distance of tent sites. Flag Pond Primitive Campsite requires permits and offers electric hookups but lacks toilets and drinking water. Several campgrounds feature river access for fishing and water activities, though facilities vary significantly between locations. Campers should confirm seasonal availability before planning trips.

Tent sites near Somerville offer good access to water recreation and fishing opportunities. A camper wrote, "My family and I enjoyed our two night stay at site 2! Peaceful and beautiful surroundings." Sites at Colorado RiverBend Retreat provide hammocks and riverside locations with space for multiple tents. Plum Park receives positive reviews for excellent river access, making it popular among paddlers and anglers. Sites at Lost Pines Camping provide forest surroundings and lake access for swimming. Most tent campgrounds remain relatively uncrowded, particularly during weekdays, allowing for peaceful nature experiences. The terrain varies from riverside settings to forested areas, providing different camping environments depending on location preference.

Best Tent Sites Near Somerville, Texas (9)

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Tent Camping Reviews near Somerville, TX

256 Reviews of 9 Somerville Campgrounds


  • Hannah B.
    Nov. 27, 2017

    Lake Somerville State Park Nails Creek Unit Campground

    Reserve Campsite 34!

    Had a great night camping at Lake Somerville SP-Nails Creek. It was really quite with only 2 other sites occupied. Lots of coyotes and owls calling throughout the night. The site was not too far from the bathroom and had great privacy. Didn’t use the horse corral, but each site has 1-2.

    Tested out our klymit static v2 sleeping pads and LOVED them. It was a bit cold as hadn’t thought to bring an extra blanket and slept without the rain fly—but not too bad.

    Tried the Backpackers Pantry Pad Thai and Mountain Home Biscuits and Gravy and all were terrific.

  • Napunani
    Jan. 24, 2022

    Lake Bastrop North Shore Park

    10 Site Campground w/1 for Host

    Reserved 157 days prior to arrival. 

    PRO 

    Site 65 area on trailer door side extra large. 

    Wide open view of Lake Bastrop. 

    Small park with 10 campsites and one is for the camp host. 

    Campsite had a picnic table that could be moved! 

    Campsite had smoker grill, charcoal grill and grilling grate on fire ring. 

    Campsite lantern post. 

    Asphalt pad surrounded by crushed granite. I

    ndividual room toilet, sink and shower. 

    Trash barrels at every other campsite. 

    Lots of birds. 

    CON

    $6 reservation fee for self-reserved via website. 

    Campsites are being reutilized for GLAT units. 

    Site 65 campsite asphalt pad slopes towards lake causing difficulties to level front to back. 

    Absolutely NO shade site 65. 

    No privacy from site-to-site. 

    Site 65 sewer connection was inches from next site's picnic table! 

    Not dark sky friendly. Nice view of power plant especially at night. Large strings of lights at 5 permanent Airstream sites burning overnight, even when unoccupied. Illuminated the entire campground! 

    4 private toilet/shower rooms for 15 campsites and 10 GLAT units. There were lines of people waiting...

    No camp host.

    No wildlife sightings.

    Some highway noise and approach pattern to Austin IAP.

    No firewood for sale.

    2 bar AT&T.

  • Denise V.
    Nov. 10, 2021

    Colorado Landing RV & Mobile Home Park

    Nice Quiet Park not far from Fairgrounds

    • 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

  • Denise V.
    Feb. 25, 2022

    Bastrop State Park Campground

    Last Minute Trip

    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

  • Denise V.
    Jul. 20, 2021

    Rocky Creek (Somerville Lake)

    Great campgound with lots of green space

    Type of Park: COE 

    Check In: 3p Check Out: 2p 

    Site#144- Back-In

    💲28 per night

    • Water

    • 20/30/50 amp- pedestal looks pretty new

    • Grill- good condition

    • Fire Ring with flip over grate

    • Metal mesh picnic table with cover, far enough away so awnings came out fully

    • Site Pad: Level, crushed granite. Slopes up at the roadside.

    👍🏻 Pros:

    • On the shore of the lake facing west

    • Trees for some shade• Covered picnic table

    • Close to restrooms/showers

    • Plenty of room between sites

    • This site is aligned perfectly. Sit at the picnic table and watch the sun go down between the trees

    • Extra parking area across from site(mostly unused and starting to grow up)

    👎🏻 Cons:

    • No sewer hookups

    • Site slopes off steep on edge of site. Watch small children

    • Some of the trees around the site have been cut down. They still show on Google maps though.

    • Watch for ants

    📝 Park Notes:

    • Gates closed and locked from 10p to 6p- can get out, but not back in

    • 2 Dump Stations- the one closest to the entry gate has you facing into the park

    • Restrooms/ Showers

    • Playground

    • 3 miles of Nature Trails

    • Boat ramp is closed- under reconstruction

    • Group shelter for rent

    • Lots of dumpsters throughout the park

    • Sites on the east side of this loop are closer together

    • 60s-90s loop was pretty full

    • There are Munzees and a Geocache here

    🐦 Wildlife:

    • Birds: Cardinals, Mockingbirds, Great Blue Herons, Great Egrets

    • Quite a few deer

  • Rick G.
    Jun. 10, 2020

    Lake Bastrop North Shore Park

    Great little spot - Clean and tucked away!

    We spent 2 nights here in the tent sites a couple weeks ago. We loved it.

    There are 8 tent-only sites at the north end of the park - there is a short trail by the restrooms that lead to them. Upsides are that they are removed from most of the park's bustle, so it's easier to relax and enjoy your time "in the woods". The restrooms and shower facility are a ~200-300 ft walk, depending on which site you choose. Each site has a grill, picnic table and fire ring. The sites are not particularly level, but we were able to get two tents on the site with minimal issues. The tent area also has a community grill and fire pit that would make it a great candidate for a group camping event.

    There is a small floating dock where you can fish or launch a kayak (remember, you can't park close so you'll have to carry the boat in...good for kayaks, bad for canoes). There is ample room at the park's main launch to put in larger canoes or kayaks without carrying them as far.

    The park amenities are fine - swimming area, fishing pier, and fairly clean showers/restrooms. Also, there is a Bucee's 5-10 minutes away for those last-minute needs/forgotten supplies!

    All in all, a good weekend, and a good spot to camp!

  • Stephen & Theresa B.
    Jul. 18, 2021

    Stephen F. Austin State Park Campground

    Pleasant Texas State Park

    We had a really nice relaxing stay at Stephen F Austin State Park near San Filepe, Texas. Great little state park easily accessed from I-10. The 38 RV sites are all asphalt pad pull throughs with 30/15 amp electric, water and sewer complete with concrete pad for table, fire pit, lantern and all well spaced for plenty of privacy...big rig friendly. They have an additional 39 tent only sites with water and 25 primitive. Screened shelters are reservable for tent camping with 20 amp electric and water plus one rustic cabin with amenities. There is a$5 daily entrance fee in addition to camping fees. The bathhouse facilities are brand new. It's a small park but they do have five miles of trails for hiking/biking with views of the Brazos River. We enjoyed the wildlife; deer strolling in the campground every morning and evening, birds, rabbits, frogs, turtles, a bobcat and numerous owls. They have a Nature Center; however it was not open during our visit. The park office has a small store with sundries and park souvenirs. The nearby San Felipe de Austin State His­toric Site tells the story of early settlers to Texas and is worth a visit. We made a run to the nearby town of Sealy to do a much needed laundry stop...small community with grocery, dining and fuel to meet most needs. GPS 29.811982-96.108059 l(979) 885-3613 l Park Road 38 San Felipe, TX 77473

  • Denise V.
    May. 14, 2021

    Big Creek Resort, Marina, & Campground

    One of my favorite local campgrounds

    I like this park because it's close to home. It's got a good space between sites and is broken into 3 or 4 areas so you're not just piled in like sardines. You can being 4-wheeled vehicles that have a steering wheel. No sewer hookups, but there is a dump station. Unfortunately, subsequent major floods have caused them to lose much of the tree cover. It's great when camping in groups though, which we do quite often. All sites have views of the lake. They have a really good fireworks display on 4th of July. 

    Type of Park: Private-owned 

    Check In: 4p Check Out: 3p 

    Site#79- Back-In

    $35 per night($105 total) 

    Water 20/30/50 amp 

    Picnic Table with concrete pad 

    Grass site. No rock or concrete base

    👍🏻 Pros: No trees to avoid 

    On the end of the line so no one is on the"front" side of the camper 

    Good area for camping in groups 

    Close to good swimming areas and store 

    Close to boat ramp

    👎🏻 Cons: Split-level site- table is down a slight hill from parking area. No shade 

    Across from the cabins on stilts, lake view is a little blocked 

    Cabins are being refurbished and the equipment and materials are stacked near the site(and some construction noise) 

    No grill or fire ring at this site

    📝 Park Notes: Gates closed and locked from midnight to 6 am on weekends. 

    Closed at 10 pm on week days. 

    Can bring golf carts, ATV's(machines with steering wheels, not handle bars) 

    Dump Station- a little hard to get to for big rigs. Also hard to leave the park from there. You may have to go back into the park to turn around. 

    Park Store- has fishing bait and supplies, too 

    Cabins are under re-construction There is a Places Munzee here

    Boat Ramp

    🐦 Wildlife: Birds: Cormorants(Water Turkeys), barn swallows, scissor-tail

    For more info, see https://www.denisevajdak.com/2021/04/camping-on-easter-weekend.html

  • Troy W.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 1, 2018

    Lake Bastrop North Shore Park

    Lake Bastrop + Family Activities + Lake Life

    This campground is located a short distance away from the city of Austin, Texas. The park is managed by the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA). At the entrance there is an office where you can pay your admission fee and it has a small store where you can pick up supplies. If you arrive late, there is an after hour station to pay your fee which accepts cash or a credit card.

    This park has car and RV campsites. There are no primitive sites. There is a campground called the Lake Bastrop North Shore Park located 15 minutes away with primitive sites.

    The campsites are all very similar. There is an area to park your car and it will fit a small or midsize RV. There are water and electrical hook-ups which make it very convenient. There are typically plenty of trees for shade. Each site has a picnic table for dining, a grill for outdoor cooking, a pole to hang food or trash and there is a fire ring for a campfire. Of course they also have pad sites where you can place a tent. The pad sites will fit anywhere from a two man tent up to an eight man tent. In addition to the campsites there are a number of small cabins which can hold up to four people. The cabins have some basic amenities and the restrooms are nearby. Most of the campsites and cabins are only a short walk to the lake shore where you can catch a sweet view of Lake Bastrop.

    There is limited hiking with one trail that runs along the lakeshore for about 6 miles. The main attraction of this park is living the lake life. Near the campsites one can launch a canoe or kayak. But there is also a boat ramp and boat dock where you can launch larger sized watercraft. If you don’t have your own watercraft you can rent a canoe or kayak from the office and pick it up near the boat dock. It is possible to fish from a boat or the shore. There are a number of community spaces which are great for picnicking. There is a sand volleyball court. And there’s a special area of the lake that has been roped-off and is designated for swimming.

    I think that the only possible downside about this park might be that there are always lots of families and energetic kids running around. If you’re seeking peace and quiet this might not be your place. If you are seeking some fun activities, this place is great.

    I think that the Lake Bastrop South Shore Park is a 5 star campground for all of the facilities, amenities and considering that the staff are friendly.


Guide to Somerville

Tent camping near Somerville, Texas sits at elevations ranging from 200-300 feet, with most sites located within 30 miles of Lake Somerville. The area experiences hot, humid summers with temperatures regularly exceeding 95°F from June through August, making spring and fall the preferred camping seasons. Winter camping is viable with proper gear as overnight temperatures rarely drop below freezing.

What to do

Water activities: Lost Pines Camping offers direct lake access for swimming according to camper Craig S., who notes, "The lake is wonderful for swimming or just sitting lakeside." Water levels vary seasonally, with peak conditions from April through June.

Fishing opportunities: Plum Park on the Colorado provides "excellent river access" according to Ed H., making it ideal for bank fishing. The Colorado River near Somerville contains bass, catfish, and crappie, with best catches reported in early morning hours.

Nature exploration: The wooded areas surrounding tent sites contain typical Central Texas vegetation including live oak, mesquite and cedar. Wildlife sightings commonly include deer, armadillos, and various bird species. Camping at Colorado River Camp Spot - Boy Scout Island requires boat transportation but rewards with isolated nature experiences away from crowds.

What campers like

Riverside settings: Campers at Colorado RiverBend Retreat appreciate the waterfront location. Laura D. notes, "Right by the river - easy to fish or spend time in the multiple hammocks." Sites are positioned within 50 feet of the water, providing constant river sounds.

Peaceful environments: Several campgrounds receive praise for their quiet atmosphere. Craig S. described Lost Pines Camping as a "beautiful forest, very peaceful. Great place to sleep." Weeknight stays typically offer the most solitude, with Friday and Saturday bringing more campers.

Accessible amenities: Unlike some primitive camping areas, Colorado RiverBend Retreat offers surprising conveniences. Laura D. mentioned, "There is also a large sink - perfect for washing dishes," and noted the bathroom facilities are "so close" to campsites, eliminating long walks for restroom access.

What you should know

Bathroom availability: Toilet access varies dramatically between campgrounds. Flag Pond Primitive Campsite lacks toilet facilities entirely, requiring campers to pack out waste or bring portable toilets. In contrast, Integrated Regenerative Farms provides toilet and shower access for all tent campers.

Reservation requirements: Most tent sites in the area require advance booking, especially during peak spring and fall weekends. Flag Pond Primitive Campsite requires permits for all stays, which must be obtained before arrival. Colorado RiverBend Retreat has only three designated tent sites, necessitating reservations weeks in advance during popular camping seasons.

Water considerations: Drinking water access is inconsistent in the region. Lost Pines Camping provides drinking water sources near tent sites, while Flag Pond Primitive Campsite has no drinking water access, requiring campers to bring all water needed for their stay.

Tips for camping with families

Space considerations: Colorado RiverBend Retreat's site layout accommodates family camping well. Laura D. shared, "You can park at the site - we set up two tents with space to spare," making it suitable for parents and children requiring separate sleeping areas.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Somerville, TX?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Somerville, TX is Flag Pond Primitive Campsite — Lake Somerville State Park Nails Creek Unit with a 0-star rating from 0 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Somerville, TX?

TheDyrt.com has all 9 tent camping locations near Somerville, TX, with real photos and reviews from campers.