Clear Spring Campground, located on Wright Patman Lake, offers various camping options about 15 miles southwest of Texarkana. This U.S. Army Corps of Engineers park features spacious sites surrounded by tall pine trees on relatively flat terrain. Winter temperatures typically range from 30-60°F, while summer months often exceed 90°F with high humidity. Cell service can be limited throughout the camping areas near Texarkana, particularly at more remote locations.
What to do
Fishing from shore: Clear Spring Campground provides lake access where anglers can fish without a boat. "This campground is exceptionally well managed. The facilities are basic, with bathhouses throughout, centrally located dumpsters, walking trails, and grounds workers constantly working. The location on Wright Patman lake is awesome," notes Dale Y.
Hiking through pine forests: Atlanta State Park Campground offers trail options for all skill levels through East Texas woodlands. A camper mentioned, "The trails are beautiful and if you piece them together can be challenging. This park is very well maintained. I saw a few trail signs that were brand new and another trail is closed for maintenance. These are not wide, take the baby stroller kind of trails."
Wildlife viewing: Rocky Point Campground has resident deer that frequently visit campsites. "We had a great 3 night stay here in c4. Close to the water and had good views. Friendly deer and squirrels and nice short hiking trails," shares Natalie S.
Boating and water sports: Millwood State Park Campground provides boat launches and water access about 45 minutes from Texarkana. One camper explains, "Nice sites and well cared for. Very friendly staff. I'd recommend staying by the lake. Not as much traffic noise and better views."
What campers like
Spacious sites: Rocky Point offers well-spaced campsites with room to spread out. Jan S. reports, "The sites are nicely sized, well-spaced apart and angled, providing nice privacy. This is our second time visiting this CG because we enjoyed it last year. It's a fairly quiet campground – even the weekend partiers quieted down around 10ish."
Clean facilities: Atlanta State Park Campground maintains its restrooms and common areas well. "Nice and clean park. Quiet but only half full. Only down side is the limited amount of full hookups and then only 1 dump station. All the trail signs are new and easy to find," notes Steven V.
Affordable rates: State parks and Corps of Engineers campgrounds offer budget-friendly options. One camper shared about Atlanta State Park: "The cheapest Texas State Park for electric or electric/water campsites at only 14/night! Spaces are spread out and loads and loads of pull through sites if that's your thing."
Lakefront views: Clear Spring Campground provides premium waterfront sites. John R. explains, "Your choice, water and electric by the water or full hookups in the woods."
What you should know
Reservation requirements: Many campgrounds require advance booking through online systems. A Clear Spring visitor warns, "Remember to book in advance online! They won't let you in without an online reservation and cell coverage is minimal."
Limited cell service: Most campgrounds have spotty connectivity. Roger W. notes about Clear Spring, "Cell Service (Verizon): 1 to 2 bars," while another camper reports poor service at Millwood State Park: "ATT cell service SUUUUCKS here. I repeat, it suuuuuucks lol!"
Seasonal considerations: Summer brings intense heat and insects. "I would recommend bringing a citronella candle there were a lot of bugs at night. It could have also been because we went in August," advises Jackie F. about Atlanta State Park.
Local odors: Texarkana KOA and some lake campgrounds have occasional smell issues. "The smell that was mentioned is a thing, but we only noticed it at night. Must be the lake," reports kcki M.
Tips for camping with families
Playground access: Atlanta State Park offers multiple playground areas for children. A camper reports, "There are play grounds and clean bathrooms. I would prep for muddy feet and bugs galore!"
Beach areas: Rocky Point provides designated swimming areas during summer months. Andrew mentions, "We've camped here twice already in the same spot! D04. It has a beautiful view of the lake. It's always nice and clean."
Wildlife encounters: Millwood State Park offers opportunities to spot local animals. One visitor shares, "The lake is BEAUTIFUL, we saw an alligator (I was quite excited about that)."
Security considerations: Most dog friendly campgrounds near Texarkana have gated entrances with security measures. JZ W. says about Rocky Point, "So well maintained. Gated campground. Code provided if you arrive after 6 pm. Easy to find your way through."
Tips from RVers
Site leveling: Check site descriptions for levelness information. About Rocky Point, Jan S. notes, "We were in site B5, for 12 days in September and October 2020. This site was not very level but we had great views of the lake out the front and side of our MH."
Hookup availability: Forest Lake RV Park and several campgrounds offer full hookup sites. "Good-beautiful grounds with a fishing pond. Large, flat spots," reports Heidi, though she cautions about potential issues: "Very loud and very close train nearby. Ants everywhere."
Campground navigation: Some parks have tight roads for larger rigs. Gari-Ann L. advises about Piney Point, "Only a handful are 50 amp, which we were fortunate to get. Exterior sites have more space between them than interior sites."
Dump station access: Not all sites include sewer hookups. Steven V. mentions about Atlanta State Park, "Only down side is the limited amount of full hookups and then only 1 dump station."
