Best Tent Camping near Woodway, TX

Tent campsites near Woodway, Texas are distributed across several established campgrounds, with a mix of primitive and maintained sites for camping enthusiasts. Cedar Creek Park Campground at Lake Whitney offers tent-specific sites with picnic tables, drinking water, and access to the lake for swimming and fishing. Iron Bridge on Belton Lake provides a more rustic tent camping experience with basic amenities and river access.

Most tent sites in the Woodway region feature dirt or gravel surfaces with varying levels of maintenance. Walk-in tent access is available at several locations including Paradise Acres and Hackberry Hills, while others like Cedar Creek offer drive-in convenience. Vault toilets are present at Cedar Creek and Iron Bridge, but many smaller sites lack facilities entirely. A review mentioned that Cedar Creek has "big open fields and mature oak tree shade with water at most sites and fire rings provided next to covered picnic tables." Alcohol is permitted at most campgrounds, but campers should note that Stillhouse and Owl Creek prohibit alcohol consumption.

The tent camping experience near Woodway varies significantly between locations. Sites at Cedar Creek Park Campground offer cleaner, more developed areas suitable for families. One camper noted that "it's quiet with lots of wildlife, and has a boat ramp and dock as well." Iron Bridge provides more secluded tent camping with fishing opportunities along the Leon River, though reviews indicate maintenance issues in recent years. Hackberry Hills and Paradise Acres offer smaller, more intimate tent camping settings with just a handful of sites each. Paradise Acres receives positive reviews for stargazing opportunities, with campers appreciating the peaceful setting. Summer temperatures in this region of Texas can be extremely high, making spring and fall the preferred seasons for tent camping, when cooler temperatures allow for more comfortable overnight experiences.

Best Tent Sites Near Woodway, Texas (10)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Woodway, TX

2 Photos of 10 Woodway Campgrounds


Tent Camping Reviews near Woodway, TX

360 Reviews of 10 Woodway Campgrounds


  • Napunani
    Nov. 18, 2021

    Oak Park Campground

    Landscape Timber at Fire Ring Created Trip Hazard

    Reserved on-line 184 days prior to arrival. 

    Pros Site in large oak tree grove, so heavily shaded 

    Campground night sky friendly with good dark sky viewing NO STREET LIGHTS in campground., but toilet facilities had exterior lighting 

    Crushed granite surrounding site and bordered with landscaping timbers 

    Metal roof shelter over concrete slab where picnic table is located 

    Metal picnic table 

    Cooking grill on metal fire ring 

    Campground mostly quiet except for Hwy 31 traffic noise 

    Friendly camp host 

    Security gate closed nightly 

    Not charged a fee to make my own on-line reservation 

    Campsite discount with America the Beautiful Pass 

    Cons 

    Entrance gate not manned upon arrival at 2pm Tuesday so had to go back around after unhitched 

    Our site 14 was not marked. Most sites have site number on site picnic table. Even those are tough to see in the daylight and impossible to see in darkness. Absolutely no roadside site number posts 

    Campsite 14 entrance driveway was 90 degree angle to park road with a steep ditch on opposite side of road. T

    rees close on both sides tight to site 14 driveway. Made back in challenging, but not impossible. 

    Campsite 14 entrance/driveway 10% grade from park road 

    Campsite 14 not level side to side 

    Site fire ring was up against landscaping timber preventing space for chairs 

    Landscaping timbers trip hazard at fire ring

    Fire ring should be relocated to side or back of site to facilitate safe movement around it Fire ring was completely filled with ash upon arrival No privacy from other campsites Shower/toilet facility near playground had padlock on mens entrance, so males were using the womens restroom. This facility in extremely poor condition and desperately needs renovation. 

    No campsite lantern pole 

    No park Wifi 2

     bars AT&T 

    Never saw any park rangers or park security driving through campground 

    Wildlife sightings of grey squirrels and two dozen buzzards that constantly circled over campground

  • K
    Apr. 25, 2021

    Fort Parker State Park Campground

    Peaceful place

    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.

  • Heather P.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 18, 2018

    Meridian State Park Campground

    beautiful lake views

    We camped at site 31 which is a primitive tent only site. The sites are HUGE!!! tons of space between you and the next site. Sites are level and easy to find a spot to pitch your tent.

    Set up a camp chair, bust out your fishing gear and kick back and relax while watching the amazing sunset over Lake Meridian.

  • Napunani
    Dec. 13, 2022

    COE Navarro Mills Reservoir Oak Park

    Clean-up on Site #11

    Pros 

    Discount with National Park pass 

    Shady

    Quiet 

    Dark sky friendly

    Nice metal roof cover over concrete picnic table 

    Saw park ranger drive thru during daylight 

    2 bars T-MOBILE 

    Successful streaming with T-MOBILE hotspot device 

    Cons 

    So day #2 without any TP in men’s restroom.  Went to front gate to report it and was told they would call it into the Army Corps of Engineers as gate volunteers have no stock of TP on hand.  Never saw any TP before leaving on third day

    Toilet facility #1 women’s had raw sewage throughout deep enough to cover your foot. Site 11 has electrical hook up at rear on the door side of the camper 

    Site 11 water connection is centered at the rear of the parking pad. 

    Site 11 unlevel. 

    Numerous piles of charcoal ash throughout site 11 campsite not in the fire pit. 

    Concrete picnic table needs degreased as surface has lots of large greasy stain 

    Site numbers are painted on the concrete picnic table so extremely difficult to see in the dark. 

    No WIFI

  • Napunani
    Apr. 19, 2022

    Airport Park - Waco Lake

    Lots of Aircraft Noise - Bring Ear Plugs!

    Pros 

    Not charged a fee to make my own on-line reservation 

    Friendly gate attendant 

    Level asphalt site surrounded by crushed granite 

    Grass neatly mowed throughout campground 

    Large aluminum picnic table that is moveable from site concrete pad

    BBQ grill, metal fire pit and lantern pole 

    Night sky friendly. No street lights 

    Spacious-space between each site but no privacy due to lack of vegetation 

    Very quiet Sunday thru Wednesday nights except for Waco airport aircraft approach and Space X rocket testing 

    Entrance gate locked 10pm-6am. Exit only permitted 

    Clean toilets and showers 

    Plenty of TP in restrooms 

    Trash can in toilet/shower facility 

    Sufficient trash dumpsters throughout park 

    Deer sightings at Park entrance only 

    2 LTE Verizon bars signal 

    Cons 

    Exterior restroom doors desperately need repaired. Have to move rock away from door to gain access. 

    Sewer connection at rear of parking pad. Bring the looooong stinky slinky! 

    Waco airport aircraft departing/arriving as early as 6am and as late as 11pm. One night we counted aircraft performing touch and go manuvers 42 times. Approach was directly over our campsite. 

    No patrolling host or ranger 

    No soap or hand towels in toilet facility 

    No playground, basketball or tennis or volleyball courts 

    No lake swimming area 

    No park WIFI 

    No hiking trails

  • Napunani
    Mar. 24, 2021

    Airport Park - Waco Lake

    Filthy women’s restroom

    This park is a short drive to all of Waco attractions including the famous Silos. We stayed Friday and Saturday nights. 

    Pros:

    • Very friendly gate attendant

    • Extremely quiet park except for arriving/departing aircraft at Waco Regional Airport

    • Great view of the lake as trees/shrubs are minimal

    • Clean campsite

    • Very clean campfire pit

    • Most sites had a nice distance from neighbor sites

    • Crushed granite surrounds the site’s asphalt parking pad so no muddy mess after rain

    • Pedestal BBQ grill, fire pit with grilling grate and aluminum picnic table at each site

    • Some sites had aluminum roof pavilion over picnic table

    • Some sites had lantern pole

    • Park roadways in good condition

    • Entrance gate locked at 10pm

    • Plenty of TP in women’s restroom

    • 4 bar signal AT&T 

    Cons:

    • Filthy women’s restroom. Human feces on floor. Two of the three stalls locked for days. One remaining stall the door would not close and latch. Sign posted on door that restrooms were cleaned Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, but the human feces were on the floor Friday night, Saturday all day and Sunday morning. Exterior door would not close completely.

    • No water to sinks in women’s restroom

    • No soap dispenser and no hand dryer in women’s restroom

    • Men’s restroom door locked Friday, Saturday and Sunday morning

    • Exterior door to one shower room was unable to be closed

    • Extremely low water pressure to campsite

    • No site privacy due to minimal trees/brush throughout the park

    • Low hanging tree branches over roadway and campsite pad

    • Our campsite pedestal BBQ grill was extremely corroded

    • No wildlife sightings- not even a squirrel

    • NOT A DARK SKY FRIENDLY CAMPGROUND! Boat launch lights across the cove lit up most of the campground. Large lights on the toilet/shower building that made it nearly as bright as daylight!

  • Napunani
    Jun. 9, 2023

    Mother Neff State Park Campground

    Texas First State Park

    PROS 

    Saved $24.50 with Texas State Park Pass 

    No fee charged for making on-line reservations 

    Got a call the morning of arrival from park headquarters confirming my arrival 

    Site 3 was immaculate upon arrival, even the crushed gravel raked. 

    Site 3 level 

    Site 3 has aluminum picnic table, metal firepit with cooking grate and 2 hook lantern pole all in good condition 

    Site 3 afternoon shade 

    Campground loop toilet/shower facility immaculate 

    30 minute drive to Waco attractions

    2 bar T MOBILE 

    CONS 

    20 total campsites but 2 are used for camp hosts 

    Picnic table chained to ground so not moveable and it was 30 ft from camper 

    Lots of road noise from TX236 

    One toilet/shower facility for the entire park for both day users and 20 campsites 

    Men’s toilet had urinal and toilets out of service during our 3 night stay 

    Toilet/shower facility not climate controlled 

    Lots of feral cats throughout campground 

    No fire wood for sale in park 

    No WIFI

  • Sean B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Mar. 7, 2025

    Cedar Creek Park Campground

    Beautiful clean and free

    Only a small amount of campsites, big open fields and mature oak tree shade. Water at most and firerings are provided next to covered picnic tables. Quiet, lots of wildlife, has boat ramp and dock as well as large shelter house with bbq for days use by larger groups. First come first served and free. No showers and only a vault toilet.

  • George B.
    May. 24, 2021

    Mother Neff State Park Campground

    Secluded and quiet

    The other reviews sum up the area around the cg, so I thought I'd share an opinion of the cg itself. The pads are level concrete with a gravel patio area, a metal picnic table, a nice fire ring and a lantern pole. The front gate locks at 8:30 but they give you a pass code to get in with. Verizon cell service is pretty good here. We have seen a number of deer here along the outskirts of the camping area, and a rattlesnake crossing the road in front of camp. We didn't use any of the facilities, so I have no opinion there.


Guide to Woodway

Tent campsites near Woodway, Texas center around the Brazos River watershed with elevations ranging from 400 to 700 feet above sea level. The region experiences hot, humid summers with temperatures regularly exceeding 95°F, while spring and fall offer milder conditions for outdoor activities. Most campgrounds in the area require advance planning during peak seasons from March through October when local reservations fill quickly.

What to do

Fishing opportunities: At Iron Bridge, campers can fish along the Leon River that runs directly through the campground. "Very secluded and low volume area. I would consider this a rough site. Not for thin skinned people expecting a beautiful oasis," notes Jason O. The primitive setting attracts anglers seeking smallmouth bass and catfish.

Nature exploration: The trails around Lawley Land provide access to wilderness experiences within 30 miles of Woodway. "We want to get some survival wilderness experience and this was definitely the right place for that. It has a nice lake where you can swim," reports Jenny A., who appreciated the secluded setting for family activities.

Rock hunting: Several camping areas near Woodway contain limestone formations with fossils and occasional arrowheads. At Iron Bridge, one reviewer mentioned that there are "tons of arrowheads laying around if your lucky to spot one," making it a destination for amateur archaeologists and geology enthusiasts.

What campers like

Clean facilities: Cedar Creek Park Campground receives consistent praise for its maintenance. "We had an amazing time with our children. You don't have to worry about dirt and glass on the ground," states Alexandra F. The campground's cleanliness makes it particularly suitable for families with small children.

Stargazing: Paradise Acres offers exceptional night sky viewing with minimal light pollution. A camper named Chris K. commented, "Very quite and loved looking up at the stars!" The site's location away from urban centers creates prime conditions for astronomy enthusiasts.

Spacious sites: Many campers appreciate the layout at Cedar Creek Park Campground. According to Zoey T., "Quiet. Spaced out. Most had grill and water access and the lake is a super clean rock bottom one. Super peaceful." Sites provide adequate separation for privacy while maintaining access to key amenities.

What you should know

Navigation challenges: Finding some campgrounds requires detailed directions. Zoey T. warns about Cedar Creek: "Definitely ignore google to get here though... just follow the road to the end (no turning off) there are campsites to your right and left once you reach the water."

Security concerns: Some previously popular locations have experienced deterioration in visitor experience. At Iron Bridge, one camper noted, "This place has gone down hill. There is a bad element that hangs out here. I would not recommend this place at all."

Limited facilities: Most tent sites near Woodway offer minimal amenities. Jason O. describes Iron Bridge as having "a passable boat ramp, few covered picnic tables and a cornhole 'bathroom' there. No ele or water." Campers should plan to bring all necessary supplies.

Tips for camping with families

Beginner-friendly options: Naughty Oaks Farm provides 15 tent sites with access to toilets and showers, making it suitable for families new to camping. The farm setting offers structured spaces within 25 miles of Woodway.

Swimming access: Several sites provide water recreation for children. Jenny A. mentions that Lawley Land "has a nice lake we're you can swim. You can pop off fire work here or shoot off guns. My kids had a great time."

Safety considerations: Parents should note that wildlife encounters are common in the region. Jason O. suggests "having some sort of personal protection for the critters that come in the wee hours of the night" when staying at more remote locations like Iron Bridge.

Tips from RVers

Site limitations: Though primarily known for tent camping, some locations like Sand Creek Campground accommodate smaller RVs. The campground offers drive-in access but lacks hookups, making it suitable only for self-contained units under 25 feet.

Road conditions: Access roads to many campgrounds deteriorate seasonally. One reviewer at Iron Bridge noted that "Road and parking lot need maintenance," highlighting the importance of ground clearance for vehicles accessing primitive camping areas.

Weather preparation: Summer temperatures require adequate cooling systems for RVs. Without electric hookups at most tent-focused campgrounds, RV campers should prepare alternative cooling methods or plan visits during cooler months when temperatures consistently stay below 85°F.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Woodway, TX is Iron Bridge with a 2-star rating from 5 reviews.

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

TheDyrt.com has all 10 tent camping locations near Woodway, TX, with real photos and reviews from campers.