Johnson Branch — Ray Roberts Lake State Park, near Valley View, Texas, is a fantastic spot for campers looking to enjoy the great outdoors. With a mix of tent sites, RV spots, and even cabins, there's something for everyone, whether you're a seasoned camper or just starting out.

The campground is known for its clean and well-kept facilities, including bathrooms and showers, which make it easy to stay fresh during your stay. Many visitors have praised the beautiful views and the privacy of the sites, with one camper reminiscing about the “idyllic” atmosphere that reminded them of summer camp. The manicured grounds and grassy areas create a cozy feel, even when sites are close together.

For those who love water activities, the nearby lake offers opportunities for fishing and swimming, while the hiking trails provide a chance to explore the natural beauty of the area. Just be prepared for a bit of a trek to your site, as some campers noted the walk-in distance can be lengthy. Bringing a cart for your gear is a smart move, and don’t forget a canopy for some shade during the day.

With a friendly vibe and plenty of amenities, Johnson Branch is a solid choice for a camping getaway. Whether you're here for a night or a longer stay, you'll find a welcoming atmosphere and a chance to unwind in nature.

This recreation area is part of [Ray Roberts Lake][1]

[1]: http://www.recreation.gov/recreationalAreaDetails.do?contractCode=NRSO&recAreaId=513&agencyCode=130

Johnson Branch — Ray Roberts Lake State Park

The Dyrt is here to help plan your best camping near Valley View. Aside from great camping spots, you'll find hiking and many more outdoor experiences. Thinking of traveling with kids? You're in luck—Valley View is surrounded by family-friendly activities. At The Dyrt, campers like you share their favorite spots, plus tips and photos. No matter where you're headed in Valley View, you'll find the best spot for you and your camping crew.

Valley View

The Best Camping Near Valley View, Texas

Roberts Lake State Park has two main campgrounds, the Isle du Bois unit and Johnson unit.  These are what I would call twins.  They are very similar in layout, scenery and activities.  They are on opposite sides of the lake.

Johnson Branch unit has good camp sites if you have a tent or a camper.  There are several walk-in camp sites and several large sites for campers and RV's.  The facilities are clean.  Make sure that you spend a lot of time in the lake because it gets hot.

Johnson Branch is a nice camp on Ray Roberts Lake

Very nice state park, not near as busy as Isle Du Bois. Both of these campgrounds at Luke Ray Roberts are very well kept. The beach area at Johnson Branch is not as nice as Isle Du Bois, but everything else is very similar. Johnson Branch is not near as crowded around the water, because if this. Overall it has great camp sites with lots of trees. Fall is wonderful at both Johnson ranch and Isle Du Bois.

Great state park

It’s was very windy but we had loads of fun! We learned what native plants we can eat!

Camped with Cub Scouts 

*   Several sites have covered picnic tables
*   Really nice beach area but water shoes are recommended because of Zebra Mussles
*   Bank Fishing - No license needed
*   Kite Boarding
*   Paved hiking/biking trail
*   Clean bathrooms and showers

Juniper Cove sites with good shade 18, 19, 20, 21, 23, 24,

Juniper Cove sites with very little shade 1, 2, 3, 4, 38

If you want a quick weekend from the busyness of the Dallas Metroplex, Ray Roberts State Park is about an hour north from downtown. Ray Roberts consists of two state parks on opposite sides of lake, Ray Roberts - Isle Du Bois Unit and Johnson Branch Unit. Johnson Branch is on the west side of the lake closer to I-35E. Johnson Branch (Juniper Cove) does not feel as claustrophobic and congested as Isle Du Bois as the various campsites are a little more spread out and offset.

A Quick Weekend Getaway 

I mean, a bad day camping is still better than a good day at work. We stayed in the Walnut camping circle and got site 62. The site was actually pretty nice. It had the most trees over the sites around us, to give us a “in the woods” feel. One thing wasn’t great about the site was the the fire ring is pretty close to the street, and sits in front of the parking bump (this was an rv site). We brought our Bonfire Solo Stove, so we were able to have a fire pit further off the road for a little privacy. Another thing that wasn’t my favorite was a paved walkway came right past the back of our site. People couldn’t really see us, but we could hear them as the walked/talked/yelled down the walkway. The last “con” I have to say it that on the Johnson Branch I didn’t see a store on the map. We didn’t need to buy anything, but other places we’ve been have stores and that’s where we’ve gotten the 411 on good hiking and places to see on the grounds. One of the nice thing was the tree coverage, like I said. We had a lot of trees so we could but up some lights and a slack line for the kids to play on. The tent pad was big enough for a 6 man tent and a four man tent, with room to spare, which was nice. The other nice thing from our site, was that we were about 1/4 mile from a little playground for the kids. The playground wasn’t anything grand, but it broke up the days for the kids some, which as all parents know is a gift. 

Meh, but st least we were still camping

Enjoyed a night here. Site was right on the water. Level and clean. Lots of hiking trails. You really can’t go wrong with Johnson Branch on Lake Ray Roberts.

Nice Texas St Park! Class B heaven

Concrete back in sites with full hookup’s! Also fire rings, covered patio table’s. Great place for fishing kayaking and hiking!

Well kept State Pak

We found Lake Ray Roberts as a nice swimming spot near Dallas to go cool down during the hot Texas summers and we LOVE it to go grill and hang out as a day long activity. So when my husband and I decide to start camping 🏕 we chose this park as our first trial, and we found it a bit inconvenient for Car camping since the spots are walk up and you gotta leave your car behind in a parking lot. Also, is very primitive style, so clean bathrooms and close-by water is not really part of the package. We loved the view from
our spot and if you are up for a primitive experience within a park, then this is great. Just not for us and the type of camping we wanna do 😊 

Beautiful lake, OK campground

This was prefect for what we needed. This was our first camping trip with our new gear so we just needed a site with bathrooms. Stayed in site 26 Juniper cove which is right next to the bathrooms. Next time would pick a spot on the water but was good for the night. 

First camping trip

One of the more expensive Texas state parks. Standard electric at 25/night. Large bathrooms and lots of trash bins. Actual pay phones (who knew those still existed?) the trails are for DORBA (Dallas Off Road Bicycle Association) so maybe that explains the horrible lack of signage. Bicycle fix it station.

Great security.  I was with my 3 year old after dark, maybe 8PM at the playground on the water. No lights so I used our lamplight. I noticed a truck in the parking lot with its lights on. We were there maybe 90 minutes and the truck kept moving.  When we left, they left. I spotted it down the road and saw they were camp rangers. Bodes well that they were keeping tabs on the facilities even if it was just a mom and kid.

Very clean and moist spots are secluded. Lots of REALLY great primitive spots if that's your thing. 

Expensive but almost worth it

We stayed at site 136 in dogwood canyon, and it was lovely. Next time I'd stay at 137 for a bit more isolation, as you could see the boardwalk from our campsite as the area is sparsely wooded. Couldn't see the parking lot due to brush, but it was a very short walk and that was nice. Composting toilets are the only ones available in the area(even at the parking lot) and you have to walk/drive to the electric sites for showers or flush toilets. You could see the toilet in our area from the campsite, but did have to walk around a bushy area to get to it but it was doable in the middle of the night. There is a firewood vending machine there that's very cool and is reasonably priced for good wood.

  

Don't drive five hours like we did for this campsite, but it was nice. We had a quiet section even during spring break, and if you're a fisherman there's easy access to a couple of coves that look like they would be great fishing spots.

Nice sites, solid choice

We camped here with some friends and had a nice experience overall. We didn't realize the spot didn't have much shade, but will be better prepared for that next time. The site was clean, waterfront and separated from the next site by brush and tall grass which was well kept. Water onsite btw our camp spots was convenient, but the walk from the site to our car and bathroom was a long one, so happy we brought our wagon to transport our items back and forth. Onsite beach area on nice and fishing hole for this kids was nice. Regardless, we will be back. 

Great camping only 45 away from home

We had the best time here. The camp was clean and well
Kept. Beautiful views and easy check in process. I would highly recommend. It can be a bit of a trek carrying all your gear to your site but that’s the only downfall I think. 

Beautiful and Clean 

Had a great time here. Found our site and got setup quickly. All gravel pad and site. Aluminum picnic table.

Clean grounds, bathroom, showers. Firewood for sale. 

ATT Service Spotty



First Time To The Park

Stayed here for only a night, but it was so idyllic—definitely wish I could’ve stayed longer!

The site I stayed at wasn’t on the edge by the lake, but I was okay with that. I still had a great view of the water and sunset; I wasn’t wanting to swim or fish so I was happy where I was!

Lots of families and groups coming to camp here, but everyone seemed to have a shared respect for each other. I felt like I was at summer camp again.

The sites are so well manicured and like the other reviews stated, they’re cut in a way that gives you privacy. The sites are fairly close together but the grass makes it feel like you have your own little oasis. 

Overall, it was well-organized, easy to contact the office, and a great experience.

Note: Most campsites have a lengthy walk-in distance so be prepared! Bring a cart; it’ll speed things up massively. And definitely bring a canopy or tarp; there isn’t much cover here. But at night, the temperature was quite comfortable, albeit windy.

Photos of Johnson Branch — Ray Roberts Lake State Park

Real photos from real campers