Best Tent Camping near Waco, TX

We tent camped in a primitive spot #47. Overall the spot was nice but not very level making the best placement of our large tent a bit of a challenge. Vault toilets were clean and had hand sanitizer. The nature and hiking in this park was our favorite part. Even rented a canoe and paddled across the lake to the river. Park staff were friendly and helpful. Some primitive tent sites are right on the edge of the lake and after a big rain were very swampy. I believe all sites had partial shade and some have more privacy than others. We did spot some full hook up sites in the RV section that have good space for a tent set up and we may try that next time cause we definitely will be back.

What a great park full of history! Mother Neff has a lot to offer and is just about 30 miles from Waco, TX that is known for all the Magnolia stuff! The park headquarters have a lot of information so you can figure out your trip and hit all the main attractions in one decent hike! The cave is an amazing part of history and is definitely a must-see!

Leon river runs through this park, although we are currently in a drought so it is as dry as a bone. The Tonkawa tribe lived along the river in the 1800's and many artifacts have been found along with the awesome cave they used. You can also see the wash pond and parts of the original park in the 1930's. There are lots of trees which make for some great trails and lots of shade. Plus the facilities are brand new and so nice.

The trails are quite short and you could go through the whole park in a day but it is well worth the drive to see and feel the history around you. The do have some really nice RV sites, but the tent camping is very limited and closed currently along with the cabins because of flooding. The park has been destroyed many times from the Leon River flooding and is still in the process of being cleaned up.

Also if you take a 7 mile drive down the road to The Grove, TX, you will find another beautiful piece of history. The Grove a tiny, tiny little ghost town that was established in the 1860's! If you love seeing old buildings it is definitely worth the quick drive and take some awesome pics! Some of the original buildings are still there.

I took a trip here with my son and my grandmother and it was such a fun experience. All of the main attractions were able to be seen from the main trail so my grandma was able to keep up and see the park she has memories of as a kid. She said it is much more fancy now than it was in the 60's!

Great COE campground on Lake Whitney with well spaced sites for trailers and tent camping. Includes a large section for equestrian campers that includes paddocks for your horse as well as trails to ride on. There are both 30 and 50 amp spots as well as tent camping sites. A boat launch, shallow swimming areas and 2 playgrounds round out this fantastic, family friendly campground!

This camp ground was great. We tent camped by the water in section 3 and had the whole site to our self. The lake was nice to canoe on and had a beautiful view of the sunset.

The bathrooms were to far to walk so we had to drive to them ever time and there were no showers so this was a negative.

If you stay on the water just plan for the wind it was blowing the whole time and really hard at some points. Also there is no shade by the water so bring a shade tent.

Last thing this is a open camp ground and we had several people late at night ride by and shine there lights in our tent.

Texas Parks & Wildlife (TPW) goes BIG with this sweet little park! In 2015, a new Visitors Center and 20-site campground were built among the remnants of the old CCC structures. Little reminders of CCC construction were visible just feet from my campsite (#17)… a portion of an old wall and BBQ pits. The campsite itself was wonderful! Plenty of spacing between neighboring sites. Freshly raked gravel, four large benches/chunks of quarried limestone, a picnic table, fire pit, pole with two hooks for hanging trash or gear, water, and electric. No specific tent site— since the whole area was level. Just a short walk along a path from my campsite to the restroom/shower facilities, which were very clean. Womens’ side had two sinks, three bathroom stalls- with one being ADA accessible, and two shower stalls, one of which was ADA accessible. The restroom had a large outdoor sink area, a little library, bike rack, and informational bulletin board. Only a few miles of hiking trails within the park, but beautifully maintained, with walking access to trail system from the campground. If you’re driving a taller/bigger vehicle, you’ll want to consider using those trail access points, rather than driving back to the small trailhead parking lots. The road leading back to the TH parking areas has an 8 ft height limit. Hiking highlights are an old CCC viewing tower, a CCC picnic table, a cave, and old washing pond. Camp hosts were cordial, and Park/Visitors Center staff were helpful and efficient with check in process. I received a call from the Park staff earlier in the morning on the day of my arrival, to let me know the entrance road from the south into the park was closed, so I’d have to access from the north, and also to let me know a county-wide burn ban was in effect, so no campfires during my stay in March 2022.

This campground is right on the shores of Lake Waco and we had a site with a view of the water.  Lot's of space between sites and covered picnic area.  The best part was its proximity to the city of Waco. We were able to go into town to pick up provisions, do a little sightseeing, and then escape to the remoteness of the lake.  Would definitely return to this one!

We are a small family with dogs and camp primarily on weekends. The road to the campsite is full of potholes. Once there, the campsite was quiet and comfortable. No hiking nearby but nice views of the lake and a marina full of interesting houseboats; some boats in the morning are loud out on the lake. Not too many obvious long term people, neat campsites. Plenty of people fishing. We stayed in A68 but I think the sites at the end would be better so far as lake views. Bathrooms could be cleaner. Some fire ants but it’s Texas. Saw plenty of wildlife (raccoon, skunks, deer, toad, waterbirds). Short drive to Waco and the Mammoth National Monument (which has RV parking).

Lake Waco may not be the cleanest or prettiest lake, but when it comes to fishing, you can bring in a good amount of catfish and have a fish-fry to make up for it! I love the peacefulness of Speegleville park. It isn't a very big park, so the site space is limited but that just makes for a quieter stay. This park is catered to RV's and fisherman. Every site is an RV site with a few screened cabins at the end of the lot.

There are a total of 4 boat ramps so this is the perfect place to bring your flat bottom and go fishing! The bathrooms are very clean and the park rangers are very helpful if you have any questions about what is near or things to do. There is also a great floating restaurant next door at the Lake Waco Marina.

This is not the place to go swimming, but it is great for fishing, hiking some short trails, or bird watching. Just be aware there isn't a lot of shade around the sites and in the summer it get really toasty! There is not a store here but there is a gas station/ dollar general 8 miles down the road or you could take a quick drive into Waco for HEB or Walmart.

I know there is a lot of talk about the Magnolia stuff in Waco, so if your coming for that don't forget to check out the Fixer Upper boat next door in the Marina. If you are looking for swimming for the kids check out Twin Bridges park about 5 miles away.

This little gem is back off some country roads so it may be difficult to find, but GPS is helpful. Speegleville park is just a great place to get away. You are far enough from any major roads and sometimes it is nice to just listen to the crickets and birds with no distractions.

Don't forget your fishing poles and minnows!

Lake Waco may not be the cleanest or prettiest lake, but when it comes to fishing, you can bring in a good amount of catfish and have a fish-fry to make up for it! I love the peacefulness of Speegleville park. It isn't a very big park, so the site space is limited but that just makes for a quieter stay. This park is catered to RV's and fisherman. Every site is an RV site with a few screened cabins at the end of the lot.

There are a total of 4 boat ramps so this is the perfect place to bring your flat bottom and go fishing! The bathrooms are very clean and the park rangers are very helpful if you have any questions about what is near or things to do. There is also a great floating restaurant next door at the Lake Waco Marina.

This is not the place to go swimming, but it is great for fishing, hiking some short trails, or bird watching. Just be aware there isn't a lot of shade around the sites and in the summer it get really toasty! There is not a store here but there is a gas station/ dollar general 8 miles down the road or you could take a quick drive into Waco for HEB or Walmart.

I know there is a lot of talk about the Magnolia stuff in Waco, so if your coming for that don't forget to check out the Fixer Upper boat next door in the Marina. If you are looking for swimming for the kids check out Twin Bridges park about 5 miles away.

This little gem is back off some country roads so it may be difficult to find, but GPS is helpful. Speegleville park is just a great place to get away. You are far enough from any major roads and sometimes it is nice to just listen to the crickets and birds with no distractions.

Don't forget your fishing poles and minnows!