Best Tent Camping near Uvalde, TX

This is one of the oldest campgrounds around. It has tent camping and cabins. They have concerts in the summer as well as a restaurant. They offer toobing shuttles and rent tubes as well. I love this place! Going again this year. Tents and cabins fill up quickly so reservations are a good idea.

I was planning on staying there, but it is basically an equestrian state park. You can camp there, but there's not electrical and water hook ups. It's mostly tent camping. The staff was very friendly. I went to visit there just to see what it was about. If you're a hiker, there's hiking trails, so you'll enjoy that.

A very nice & well kept camp ground. This place has wonderful amenities for campers of all types. They have tent sites close to the water with electric, water, picnic tables and grills at what looks like every tent site. There are multiple gate ways leading into the beautiful Nueces river bed where you can explore, fish and swim in the crystal clear cool water. The cabins are beautiful, clean and thoughtfully placed. There are well placed and easy to pull through RV sites that look like they'll fit even the biggest rigs.They also have a driving range for golfers, a very nice pool area with splash pad, separate mens and womens bath houses/bathrooms, pavilions and even a laundry mat! There are also multiple play areas, volley ball court, basketball courts, and thoughtfully placed hanging porch swing type swings to sit and enjoy the views in. All very clean and well kept. I thoroughly enjoyed my tent stay and plan on coming back on a regular basis. Love this place.

Preface - I am reviewing from the perspective of a tent camper.  Photos really don't really capture what three days and two nights are like at a relatively large but isolated State Park. With only 15 tent sites it is sort of special. Almost like a neighborhood with everyone sharing experiences and suggestions for a good time. My grandson should be applauded for spending a weekend with an old and slow guy. After climbing to the peak of Armadillo Lookout Grandpa needed a nap. he then went on with a group to explore an undeveloped cavern. When he returned three hours later He convinced me to climb the Seargeant Memorial Trailhead and experience the"vista." Not sure what we ate for dinner but then left to watch the bats emerge from the Stuart Bat Cave for a second time. Kickapoo is a great park with all of the amenities including very clean showers and restroom facilities. It is really for hikers and those that want to see the bats emerge and explore an old cavern. Camp tent sites are well spaced and have everything except electricity. Nobody seemed to mind. Met some really nice families enjoying the outdoor

I tent camped here alone around spring 2012 and laid under the stars on one of the concrete pads next to the visitor center because the private spots were occupied. The next morning I hiked a trail along a western ridge and then bushwacked back down. It was cloudy and lonely but pretty country with live oaks, junipers, sage, and limestone. It felt like a donated ranch and I think the ranch family retains the right to exclusive use sometimes. I spelunked the pristine cavern on a different, guided trip with my family after needing to make reservations a couple months in advance. Then we spent a couple days housesitting on nearby Ft. Clark, swimming in the spring fed pool and playing golf. Fun time.

The park has sone beautiful hiking along the Frio river. We stayed in the sites with full hookup which seam to be newer with new restrooms not open at the time so we had a short walk to the visitor center bathroom which was minimal and not as clean as I would like. The sites with just water and electric were much shadier and beautiful. They also have tent camping, some with shelters. I believe cabins are also available. Checkin process was a little slow even though we had reservations, I suggest to them they should have a separate fast lane for those with reservations. The camp store and gift shop were very nice and well stocked with essentials. Fire wood was about $6 for a large bundle. Garner grill was not open.

Went here on a short backpacking trip with about 10 other ladies and primitive camped about a mile or into the area. It was a GREAT area for all of our tents and a great area for commrodity! We had a blast and will return! The hike out to the primitive camping area was moderate and fairly flat. You do cross a creek bed so be prepared to get wet if the flow is good. Plenty of flat spaces for tents and plenty of space away from your neighbors. Star gazing was good!

Nice campground tent spaces, rv spots, and cabins for rent. Access to the river. Clean restrooms and showers. Rules are enforced.Also have pool area splash area for kids pretty nice for a get away.

The tent area is well shaded, water at each site and power by the bath house. Bath house is concrete floors but the water is hot and the facilities sufficient. Love the live oaks and the manager John is a great guy.

Lost Maples State Natural Area has some beautiful hiking trails and backpacking areas. If you need basic supplies you may find some at the general store in the small town nearby the park named Vanderpool. 

Perhaps the best time of the year to visit is in November when the weather is cool and the fall foliage take place. However, the park is very busy in November, so make a reservation six months in advance. If no campsites are available you may visit for the day and find a private campground nearby to camp.

There are basically two loops- an East Trail and a West Trail and each covers about 4-5 miles. It is completely possible to hike all the trails(about 12 miles) in a single day, but I prefer to hike and appreciate the natural features that can be found throughout the park.

This review is for the Primitive Area H on the West Trail.  The campsite is a primitive or dispersed site so there are no amenities. There is no water, no electricity, no restrooms, just natural space. Leave No Trace and Pack In Pack Out principles should be practiced. The camping area is adjacent to the West Trail and close to the West Loop Trail. There is a open field in one area and a tree covered space in another area. So there are options for both tent and hammock backpackers. 

This park has a number of peaks, creeks and ponds to view. In Texas State Parks fishing is allowed and no fishing license is required. Whether you're visiting to relax, fish or hike this park is enjoyable for all ages.

Super camping & hiking with our dog and friends. Set up two tents at one site, and had plenty of space for everyone. The hiking was great with some challenging trails and some moderate ones, which allowed us to explore quite a bit of the park. Seemed to boast lots of fossils according to some fellow hikers.

My wife and I had never been camping together. Why not roll the dice and go on an adventure for our 5 year anniversary? We really wanted to be far from everything we knew, we wanted it to be beautiful, we wanted to get away from the city and close to the stars, we found “the camping spot”.

Ms. Donna is as honest and good hearted as they make here in Texas, she was super helpful from the start! We never had a problem! She has a truly unique piece of property for primitive camping chocked so full of wildlife we could hear the deer breathing next to our tent as the sun was coming up!

There are a couple short nature walks through her acreage that let you cut through the thicket. There is ample shade underneath some of the biggest oak trees in the area!

It’s a short distance to the Nueces River which will completely blow you away. I thought the Frio River had the bluest water and whitest limestone until Donna showed us the small private river access point where it’s deep enough to swim. Spring can’t get here fast enough.

I wouldn’t recommend driving a car out there, you’re going to need some clearance getting through rugged dirt roads, for the most part it’s very groomed.

We spent 4 days/4 nights there, if you can get there during the week, it’s as quiet and tranquil as you can dream up. Weekends naturally have a bit more “traffic” as it’s a semi popular area for the weekend warrior getting away with the family. Met the neighbors as our dogs roamed freely and stumbled upon their dogs, all were very friendly.

Not for the unprepared, town is not close!

I can’t recommend this place enough if you’re looking for that real private camping experience where it feels like you can see the far side of the moon at night. (Was awesome listening to the mountain lions screech and the coyotes howl)

This place has gone unnoticed for too long. It’s one of those places you’d like to be selfish with and keep quiet but more need to experience ALL this place has to offer!

This is a beautiful park in a great part of the Texas Hill country.  Great hiking trails in this park as well.

It’s wonderful here, everyone is family and the food is terrific! The people come from everywhere and yet no one ever knows where it is so only the best people ever get here! Bring your dancing boots, because they play amazing Texas county.