Caddo Lake State Park Campground

We visited Caddo Lake for a weekend during July, and found it to be a pleasant experience. You need to reserve a campsite and register your vehicle for a small fee, which was pretty reasonable. Although most of the campsites were full, it did not seem crowded in the camping area, and we were still able to get a spot next to the water. During the night we could here raccoons and other critters crawling around, as well as fish (and maybe alligators?) If you look close enough, you can also see your neighbor's campfires. The park has nice trails to hike, albeit short, and there are old remains of brick structures which are cool to take photos with. The water itself is kind of murky, but the trees make for a spectacular scenic view. You can rent canoes and paddle around and fish, or you can fish from one of the piers which extends to the middle. We unfortunately did not have any luck, and neither did anyone we talked to, so fishing doesn't seem too great here. A cool aspect though are the alligators. If you walk out on the pier at night with a light, you can see their eyes as they swim around.

Weekend at Caddo Lake

My husband & I spent the weekend kayaking caddo 2 weeks ago. It is undoubtedly the most beautiful place we've been. He was in amazement because he'd never been before. He's from Cincinnati where places like this just don't exist. Camping was very affordable & there is plenty to do nearby if you get tired of nature.

Amazing beauty

Our big group went camping here and rented some shelters. We went on a boat tour and it was just gorgeous. We also went to a petting zoo. The campsites are good and in lots of trees. Will definitely go back, especially to kayak!

Beautiful!

The Caddo Lake State Park is the only true natural lake in Texas. Although the story is that the lake was formed by a giant log jam. The park and lake are notable due to the Cypress trees and Spanish moss that surround much of the lake. The park has campsites with full hookups, campsites with electricity and water and campsites with just water. I visited in July and had no problem finding a campsite. There are some hiking trails, but the main recreational activities center around the lake. In the nearby small town of Uncertain there is the Johnson Bait Shop where you can rent a canoe, kayak or boat to explore the lake. Within the state park, one can fish without a fishing license. There are a few piers from which to fish or one can fish from the shore. Be aware that there is poison ivy in the area and along the shore, so learn to identify it and stay away from it.

Caddo Lake State Park + Uncertain

This is a beautiful park which has access into the bayou. The park offers canoe rentals or bring your kayak which you can put in the “pond” and paddle around the amazing cypress trees that are draped in moss. There’s also a boat ramp in the park which has access to Caddo Lake. Sites have lots of trees. There are sites with screened in shelters if you need extra room. Make time to go to Uncertain, Texas and eat at Shady Glade Cafe for the best chicken fried steak you’ll ever eat (I highly advise splitting it). Take your kayak for some beautiful paddle trails. They are putting in new showers/bathrooms in the park that should be complete in September 2018\. You won’t regret camping here among the cypress trees.

Magical experience 

It's great that there is a State Park right on this special lake. Don't forget your camera! And bug dope, as the bugs might swarm you as soon as you step out of your vehicle (a little DEET keeps them away). Rent a canoe from the park or get a list of local outfitters and boat guides from the Visitor Center. If you're willing to take a short drive from the campground, a guided tour is a fun way to get the history of the area with kids (otherwise, you can read about it in the park's literature and paddle yourself). If you want to get up close and personal with the cypress groves and moss, I recommend advance reservations to be taken out on the water in a Go-Devil boat; the regular boats can't get close to the cypress knees in the shallow water. The bathrooms at the campground are likely to be far from your campsite (they're adding a new bathhouse in 2018, and the temporary ones are quite nice but were a long walk from our site). Bicycles are convenient if you can bring them. We had fun biking around the trails, too.

Unique place to explore

I've camped here over 10 times..cannot get there enough!

Most untouched scenery

Unique lake ,Beautiful trees all in it.I had a electric and water site, was very nice .on site 36 I was close to a pretty new bathroom they were clean.
With a Texas state park pass ,it was $15 a night.
AT&amp;T  0-1 bar

Beautiful trees

We totally lucked out getting a spot at Caddo lake on a holiday weekend during the pandemic. Normally we tent camp, but went with the kids and grandkids who have an RV. We were glad we were in the RV as it rained quite a bit. The campground is gorgeous with all the trees and Spanish moss and swamps. The bathrooms are really nice, great showers and spacious. The trails are well marked, the park roads make for good biking (no bike riding on the trails) and the fishing piers are nice. Even though the canoe rental was closed, there are rentals a short distance away.  During the pandemic, we think every other site was blocked off, it was nice not to have a super crowded park, but will sure be glad when this is over!

Caddo lake state park, July 2020

When we called to make our reservation there was only one spot left and it was at the Mill Pond camping area. I was a little hesitant because this area is water hook up only. However, it is the only camping area in the park with water view. So, we sprung for a generator and reserved the spot. On arrival, we were surprised to find that there were plenty of open spots even after being told several times there were not. My assumption was that this had to do with Covid 19 and limited capacity regulations. Nevertheless, the Mill Pond camping area is the way to go. Easy access to the pond and breathtaking views made this my favorite camping location so far. It also could have been the swampy nature reviving my Louisiana roots. Other pros to Caddo State Lake park were the very long scenic hiking trails that included beautiful rock stairs, canoeing through the pond out into the bay, adorable cabins, and wildlife. We spotted a deer, paddle fish, and a baby gator! About four miles from the park is a National Wildlife Refuge with walking trails and auto-tour route. There are several canoe trails on Caddo Lake. I strongly suggest putting in at Crip's Camp to explore the"Old Folks Playground" paddle trail for some very unique scenery.

  

Check out our entire trip highlights here   https://champagneondeck.com

Swamp Haven

Very well maintained park with easy access to all areas.  Newer restroom new Woodpecker hollow ground entrance is highly recommended for those needing a shower.  Due to Covid, park is currently NOT renting watercraft.  Family Dollar very close and recommenced for any items needed..including food, beer, water, etc. Finding a way to get on the water a must! Beautiful park and we will be back!

Bayou country in upper east Texas


Camping in the pines was wonderful. Very nice bathrooms, private. Firewood is available for a donation. Canoes available. Water, sewer and electric hookups very close to trailer. Quiet and good site spacing. We would definitely stay here again. We stoped for 1 nIght on our way to Florida.

Great place to camp in the fall.

The park is nice but if you tent camp you will hear traffic noise all night long. Each car seemed to take forever to go by and within minutes there was another. It’s worth the visit to go out on the lake. The trees in the water are beautiful and eerie at the same time. There’s a great little restaurant on the water  in Uncertain. I think it’s called The Riverbend Restaurant. Worst ticks I’ve ever experienced!!

Nice park , only natural lake in Texas. Road noise and ticks.

Another great Texas State Park. I didn't see as much security as I usually do but the whole area is clean and well kept.

The bathrooms are amazing with fully enclosed toilet/shower/changing station for family bathrooms. As someone traveling with a toddler it is a HUGE relief to lock him inside while I shower.

We tent camp and while our site was perfect (#32) others were awful.  It's very common for tent pads to be placed far away from the electrical box, so that's not a big deal... but after a rain storm it was apparent that a lot of tent pads need attention. The pads are dirt and many were uneven enough that 50% were well under water. Our pad was right next to the electrical box and someone had evened it out so while it rained and rained, we were good. So if you are tent camping pay close attention to the location and evenness of your tent pad. No amount of tarps would have saved some of these sites! 

The trails are good and it's a very unique location.  Reminds me of South Florida! 

Lastly, the Armadillo circle is right next to the road. Okay maybe not right next to but you will hear traffic all night. 

Great for $15/night!

Awesome! Be picky with tent sites

Beautifully creepy with its Spanish moss covered trees all through the lake. Quiet and great trails for you and the doggies!

Only natural lake in Texas!

Caddo Lake State Park looked amazing in pictures—shaggy, mossy trees in the bayou ecosystem, spring greenery, shady campgrounds—so my two friends and I booked it. It’s actually a very nice state park. The bathrooms are immaculate and have soap and TP, the campgrounds have water and electricity for cheap, and they have pre cut firewood you can pay for by donation. They had so many amenities compared to other campgrounds I’ve been to. However, I am more accustomed to having several miles of hiking trails. We hiked every single trail in 2.5 hours. The next day we were looking forward to canoe rentals, but unfortunately the park isn’t doing that during COVID. The park staff by the way is very friendly and helpful. They have several cute and kid friendly maps. The ranger at the desk also gave us the phone number of a boat dock in town, but by the time we got there all the boats were taken. I feel a bit guilty for the lower rating here, but we were pretty bored the second day then got rained out and left early instead of staying a second night. Our campground in Armadillo run was too swampy and our gear got muddy. Wish we’d had our own kayaks to bring!

All the amenities but little to do

We loved the cabin, it made winter camping with kids do-able! Loved hiking and exploring! A ton of CCC history and beautiful bald cypress here!

Amazing SP

Stayed at site 47. Great park. Another park that the CCC left its mark on. For a West Texas kid, Caddo feels otherworldly. Fun fishing, many big sites, decent bathrooms. 

Great spot

The park was beautiful &amp; clean. Huge trees. The walk to the bathroom was a little far but the bathroom was new. The park rangers patrolled constantly. 
We were in Armadillo Run loop. It was Beautiful but traffic from the highway was pretty loud. 
We brought kayaks and drove to a nearby boat ramp to put in. (Outside the park, called Crip’s camp) From what I had read online, it should have been fairly easy to find a paddling trail but it was much harder and very, VERY easy to get lost. After talking to a few people who paddle their quite often, I have a plan for our next trip. 
***The water at the state park does not really connect to Caddo Lake. It can be fairly misleading. Definitely do your research. The lake is HUGE and you can easily get lost. 

Beautiful park 

Pros: 
There is only one site right next to it... I don’t like being cramped between two sites 

Trees for hammocks 

Site is right on the water. I don’t kayak but I think you could easily get in the water from the site. 

Lots of history at this park and some short, beautiful trails

Cons: 
Site is a little small for multiple tents 

Lots of tree roots sticking up so it’s easy to trip. They also hurt if you fall out of the hammock on them 🤦🏻‍♀️ I did both 

The picnic table is old, warped and unbalanced 

Bathroom is a little bit of a hike. We drove to it.

Very humid

We were at Mill Pond site #64. Right on the water, it was really beautiful. I’d heard after heavy rains this campsite goes underwater.. something to keep an eye on. We didn’t have a kayak when we were camping but were able to rent one nearby and had a blast on the water. Didn’t see any gators though. 

Great site on the water 

A Texas C.C.C. state park in east Texas on Caddo Lake. Beautiful sites and canoe rentals for the old mill pond. Tent sites, RV sites and shelters along with cabins.

Down on the bayou 

I arrived after a storm hit the area and had to wait until the park team cleared downed trees from the park roads. They did an efficient job. Stayed in Squirrel Haven campground with 30 amp and water hookups. Site 44 was level. There’s a good amount of space and cover between campsites. Dump station in the campground. 

The restrooms were clean. I didn’t use the showers. 

  

Highlights for me are the hiking and kayak trails in this park. Also, the lake itself with its cypress trees and Spanish moss. This is such a beautiful area. The park itself is older, but I find that’s part of it’s charm. Definitely worth a visit.

Unique Texas state park

I’ve been here twice and really enjoy it! AT&amp;T service is pretty good here too. It’s only 20 min from Jefferson which is a must do. Go eat at Big Pines Lodge and check out Uncertain flea market 1st and 3rd weekend while you’re there ❤️

Really nice getaway

Camped at site #63 in the Mill Pond Camping Area - tent area. This site backed up onto Saw Mill Pond - beautiful cypress swamp. Bugs were not too bad. Gravel drive on site. Level tent pad. Water only; no electric. Clean fire ring. Lantern post. Large site, good separation from other sites. Campground is heavily wooded, lots of shade. Campground is clean &amp; nicely maintained. One restroom is at the entrance to the Mill Pond camping area, just off of a day use parking lot. No shower in this restroom. A newer, nicer restroom/shower house is located in the Woodpecker camping area. Quiet campground; no issues. Good AT&amp;T service. Despite saying it's allowed in the campground features list, alcohol is prohibited. Excellent T-Mobile 5G service.

Magical state park

Very well kept, great park staff, excellent boat ramp and pier.  Could use more camping spots especially for tent campers.

Nice campgrounds, need tent sites

Went right after Memorial Day weekend and basically had the campground to ourselves. Campsite 64 had a large flat surface to accommodate a six person tent (North Face Wawona 6) with a vestibule. Great place for a weekend getaway from the DFW area ~3 hr drive). Overall the park has nice amenities, easy hikes, and great canoeing-kayaking!

Perfect place for a weekend getaway!

PROS 

Saved $42 With TX STATE PARK PASS 

No fee to reserve online. 

No sales tax. U

pon arriving at Site 23, we had no power at the pedestal. Called Park Headquarters and 2 park personnel were at our site in 10 minutes and resolved problem 

Site 23 level asphalt 

Site 23 partial shade 

Aluminum picnic table, 2 hook lantern pole and metal fire pit with cooking grate 

Donation firewood available 

Soap and hand dryer in toilet/shower facility 

3 bars TMOBILE when not storming 

  

CONS 

No overnight security gate closure 

Site 23 was 1/3 covered with poison oak and remaining living area covered with tall weeds. 

Some highway noises. 

Two PARK HOSTS occupy sites in Woodpecker Hollow. That reduces full hook up sites to 6. One of those sites were used as a temporary dump station due to out-of-service park dump station 

Woodpecker Hollow toilet/shower facility needs some deep cleaning 

11 windows in Woodpecker Hollow women’s toilet/shower and only 4 were open. Camp host said rest of windows were painted shut.  Floors were continuously wet and slippery. What a mess! This place needs a fan or two.

Most pets we saw were NOT on leash   

No privacy from surrounding campsites 

No ranger drive thru Woodpecker Hollow 

No park WIFI