This campground area located at the end of Forest Service Road 271. It has eight campsites with picnic tables, fire rings and lantern posts. Tent camping is available here. Individuals must utilize the adjacent parking area and walk into the camping units. The area is very primitive with no potable water or electricity. Kelly's Pond is a trailhead for the Sam Houston Multi-Use motorized trail.

Kelly's Pond Campground

Stopped at Kelly's Pond when hiking the Lone Star Trail. It is a pretty basic camping ground.

There is a compost toilet, but no water. There is a pond near by if you want to filter water though.

The grass was pretty high when I was there, so we camped on what is really the parking lot. At the real campsites, there were picnic tables.

Campsites are first come, first serve and cost 5$ per person per day.

As well as the Lone Star Trail, there are many other trails in that area that you can check out

A good stopping point on the trail

Looking for a single, free spot to camp for a few days? This little pond is tucked back in the San Houston National Forest a few minutes off the interstate. I use this area to prepare for longer trips since it is so close to home

Free Camping and OHV parking for National Forest

We didn’t actually camp on the campgrounds themselves as they were quite full of dirt bikers and being two young women we didn’t feel comfortable. We camped along Kelly’s Pond Rd leading up to the campgrounds and had a nice night. Our site neighbors partied all night long (good music though so it’s okay) and we had a hiker appear who I assume was doing the Lone Star Trail who camped just behind our campsite on a small trail off the road. Overall nice site but I will probably find a different area to camp in next time I visit Sam Houston. 