Best Dispersed Camping near Waco Lake
Dispersed camping options near Waco Lake, Texas include Soldier's Bluff, a free primitive site with water spigots and flush toilets. This small campground offers shaded sites near the Whitney Dam, though space is limited and not reservable. Sites can become overcrowded and some visitors have reported access issues with locked gates and trespassing signs. Soldier's Bluff provides lake views, covered picnic tables, and spaces for tents and a limited number of RVs.
Iron Bridge Park at Belton Lake and Chisholm Trail Park provide additional dispersed camping approximately 30-45 minutes from Waco. Iron Bridge Park requires no permit and remains open 24/7, featuring a gravel parking lot, covered cement picnic tables, primitive vault toilets, and boat access. Chisholm Trail Park operates on a $10/night honor system with no reservations required. "Beautiful, great fishing, enough trees to hammock camp, flat spots if you want a tent," according to one visitor. Each site includes a ramada and picnic table, offering relative privacy despite occasional road and train noise.
