Best Dispersed Camping in Texas
Looking for the best Texas dispersed camping? Dispersed camping is an excellent way to get away from technology and disconnect. Search nearby dispersed campsites or find top-rated spots from other campers.
Best Dispersed Sites in Texas (71)
1. Walnut Springs Area — Enchanted Rock State Natural Area
Willow City, Texas24 Reviews•64 Photos•18 SavesMoss Lake (eight sites) and Walnut Springs (12 sites) are a 1 to 3 mile hike over rugged terrain. We charge an excess vehicle fee of $6 per car, per night, for each vehicle over two per campsite. No ash-producing fires are permitted in this area. You may use containerized fuel stoves that can be turned off for cooking. Minors (under 17) who are not camping with a sponsored group must provide a written consent form to stay overnight. No hammocks allowed in primitive camping areas.
Magical, Mystical, Enchanted Climb the ancient dome for amazing Hill Country views.
The massive pink granite dome rising above Central Texas has drawn people for thousands of years. But there’s more at Enchanted Rock State Natural Area than just the dome. The scenery, rock formations and legends are magical, too!
Things to Do You can hike, backpack, camp, rock climb, picnic, bird, study nature, geocache and stargaze. (You cannot swim here or ride bikes on the trails.)
Hiking Explore nearly 11 miles of hiking trails. Take a virtual tour with our Interactive Trails Map.
All trails close 30 minutes after sunset, except the Loop Trail. The Summit Trail may close in wet weather. Check our trail status here or visit our Facebook page or Twitter feed. Rock Climbing Rock climbers must check in at park headquarters. You can pick up route maps there and read the climbing rules. Read through our Climbing Information before you come.
Pets To protect this Natural Area, pets are only allowed in the designated day-use picnic areas, the campgrounds, and on the Loop Trail (pets are not allowed on any other trail). Don't leave pets unattended, including in vehicles and at campsites, and keep them on a leash no longer than six feet at all times.
Shopping Our park store carries some gift items. You can buy wood for campfires at the park. Please bring your own drinking water, as it is in short supply due to the ongoing drought.
Get involved Enchanted Rock needs your help! We will match your abilities to our many needs. You might guide a group to the summit, lead a tour of the loop trail, provide information to park visitors, or help maintain park facilities. Visit our Volunteer page to learn more.
Join or donate to the Friends of Enchanted Rock.
Outfitters and guide services The following guides lead rock climbing tours at Enchanted Rock:
Austin Ascents, austinascents@gmail.com Outpost Wilderness Adventure, info@owa.com Rock-About Climbing Adventures, Adam@Rock-About.com Texas Climbing Adventures, info@texasclimbingadventures.com Ranger Programs Enjoy a star party or a nature hike led by a park ranger, or contact the park for special tours for your group.
Check our Events page for upcoming programs. Become a Junior Ranger! Pick up a Junior Ranger Activity Guide and borrow an explorer pack. Email us to schedule a school or youth group tour. Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Area Attractions Visit Fredericksburg for a taste of German culture in the Texas Hill Country. There you can shop, dine, visit museums and find outdoor activities. Stop by Llano, known as the “Deer Capital of Texas,” for museums, music and more.
President Lyndon B. Johnson was born near Johnson City. Learn about this colorful Texan at the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park. Tour the Texas White House and Johnson’s boyhood home. The Lyndon B. Johnson State Park and Historic Site and the Sauer-Beckmann living history farm are nearby.
Drive the Peach Loop, one of TPWD’s Great Texas Wildlife Trails. It will lead you to some of the best wildlife observation points in this area.
- Pets
- Tents
- Toilets
$10 / night
2. Magnolia Beach
Austwell, Texas20 Reviews•59 Photos•232 SavesBe aware of the tides and high tide line when choosing a beach campsite. Strong winds or storms can significantly elevate tides and create hazardous conditions along the Gulf Coast.
- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- ADA Access
- Tents
- Dispersed
3. Port Aransas Permit Beach
Port Aransas, Texas15 Reviews•56 Photos•127 SavesIn Port ‘A’, it’s all about fun in the sun and sand! The beaches of Mustang Island are fantastically unique. There are eighteen miles of uninterrupted public shoreline, open for street legal vehicles and all things beachy! The warm Gulf waters and soft Texas sand are the perfect backdrop for a day full of beach, recreational activities, and nights highlighted with moonlight strolls. Parking a car on the beach requires a $12 annual sticker that can be purchased at City Hall (710 W. Avenue A), our local grocery store Family Center IGA, from local convenience stores or from vendors located on the beach. The sticker allows the vehicle to park along the beach from the City Limit at Lantana Dr near Horace Cladwell Pier through Port Aransas Beach to the Kleberg County line (south of Bob Hall Pier) making it valid in Port Aransas and Corpus Christi. 58. An additional $40.00 permit is required for Port Aransas camping. Small campfires 3 ft. x 3ft. are allowed on the beach.
- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- Dispersed
- Trash
- Picnic Table
4. Bolivar Flats Dispersed Camping
Port Bolivar, Texas14 Reviews•56 Photos•277 Saves- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- Dispersed
- Trash
- Toilets
5. North Beach — Padre Island National Seashore
Padre Island National Seashore, Texas14 Reviews•38 Photos•195 SavesBe aware of the tides and high tide line when choosing a beach campsite. Strong winds or storms can significantly elevate tides and create hazardous conditions along the Gulf Coast.
- Pets
- Fires
- Electric Hookups
- Phone Service
- Reservable
- ADA Access
6. Neches Bluff Overlook Campground
Alto, Texas12 Reviews•49 Photos•187 SavesThis is a trailhead for the 4C Hiking Trail. Neches Bluff Overlook, located at the north end of the trail, offers a panoramic view of pine-hardwood forests in the Neches River bottomlands with picnic and primitive camping facilities.
- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- RVs
- Tents
- Group
7. Follett’s Island Beach
Freeport, Texas11 Reviews•35 Photos•238 SavesFollett's Island is the 13-mile stretch of public access beach along the Gulf of Mexico that protects Christmas Bay and the Intracoastal Waterway from severe weather, and provides the community with free entertainment and relaxation. Visitors of Follett's Island enjoy fishing, swimming, and camping along the beach year round. The beach is available via public access entrances along Bluewater Highway, or CR 257.
- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- Tents
- Dispersed
- Alcohol
8. South Beach — Padre Island National Seashore
Padre Island National Seashore, Texas11 Reviews•43 Photos•287 Saves- Pets
- Fires
- Electric Hookups
- Phone Service
- Dispersed
- Market
9. LBJ National Grasslands Forest Road 904 Dispersed Camping
Alvord, Texas11 Reviews•37 Photos•132 Saves- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- Dispersed
- Alcohol
10. McBride Canyon & Mullinaw Creek Camp — Lake Meredith National Recreation Area
Fritch, Texas10 Reviews•34 Photos•128 SavesThese areas are located south of the lake off of State Highway 136. There are large cottonwood trees that provide shade. The Mullinaw Creek area features the expanded Mullinaw Trails System . This trail system is open to hiking, biking, and horseback riding. NO OFF ROAD VEHICLES ALLOWED. No drinking water or flush toilets; vault-evaporator toilets only. Picnic tables, shade shelters, and grills. Horse corrals are located at Mullinaw Campground. The dirt roads can become impassable after rain.
- Tents
- Dispersed
- Trash
- Toilets
- Alcohol
Showing results 1-10 of 71 campgrounds
Recent Dispersed Reviews in Texas
194 Reviews of 71 Texas Campgrounds
- A
Austin M.
Scout
Public Ramp 1 Titus County Freshwater Supply District
Need a Vehicle
We hitchhiked here and got turned away for not having a vehicle to register with the campground. The grounds looked nice, but be advised that if you are traveling on foot you will not be permitted to enter.
Jordan P.
Traveler
Madera Canyon Roadside Park Dispersed
Super peaceful.
Awesome free camping. No cell service.
Thomas and James S.
Guide
Gulf Side Oasis Beach Dispersed
Gulf Oasis road 4
Absolutely breathtaking! Parked parallel to the dunes off the packed down sand! We’re a good distance from all the houses to avoid any potential issues. No permits required and the signs upon entering the beach make no mention.
- JJesse J.Traveler
Madera Canyon Roadside Park Dispersed
Nice roadside park with hiking trail
4 or 5 sites nicely spread out with picnic tables and garbage cans at each site, there are no restrooms or water, Madera Canyon trailhead starts from a small parking area near one end of the park and is a 2 mile loop trail with nice views, the trail information board says overnight parking is allowed at the picnic sites but not in the trail parking area, it does not specify how many nights, we stayed 2 nights in a class c with a tow vehicle, it was peaceful and the trail was a great hike. We had no Verizon service here.
- Yasmin S.
Ranger
Sexton Pond Dispersed
Sexton Pond.
If looking to be near a campground but still out on your own then this is the place. I got lucky enough had the place to myself for almost 2 weeks, give or take the few groups that tried to tough the biting fish. I will share a tip. They seem to sit dormant at 10pm and 3am for a hour each. No biting. Please clean behind as you found it.
- Yasmin S.Ranger
Angelina River/Hwy 59 Dispersed
Angelina 59 Boat Ramp
If you like fishing this is a popular fav spot among locals. You can float the river most either way overall. Sand bass is a fav when in season.
- JJoe K.Traveler
Brazoria Beach
Easy hard packed sand to drive on
Drove in on a Monday and love it already. They were combing the beach section I came in on and I picked the first spot that was at least 100 yds away from the only two others that were there. So far so great.
- AAngela R.Guide
Port Aransas Permit Beach
Another Great Stay
This is our second time to Boondock on the beach. We were at marker 25 and once again thoroughly enjoyed it. It was Labor Day weekend so it was PACKED. People will pile in on top of you, but that’s the way it is. Not enough beach for so many people. The meter maid lady will harass you endlessly, but we just ignored her and continued having fun. There is a 3 night maximum in a 21 day period. Don’t try to outsmart the meter maid. She takes pictures of license plates and writes down the departure dates. She enjoys enforcing the rules.
- SStephanie W.Scout
Thomspon Grove Campground
Not camping
It’s a picnic area
- AAngela R.Guide
Port Aransas Permit Beach
Great Stay
We are Boondocking at MM 27 there are of course no hookups but I.B Magee allows you to dump and fill your tanks for $10. People pile on top of you during the day and we got a $281 ticket for parking parallel to the beach (we thought you only had to be perpendicular at the posts). That’s all the bad. Literally it. The beach is beautiful, the breeze is so nice we didn’t even run our generator during the day, the people are so fun, and the luxury of not packing our stuff up to drive to the beach every day is wonderful. We are already planning our next trip.
- mmatt M.Traveler
5 Mile Camp Primitive Dispersed Camping
No trespassing and dog warning signs
The coordinates bring you to what looks like a driveway that has signs for no trespassing and beware of dogs. After looking at the map, it looks like that’s the only way to get back there, so I’m assuming the homeowner who shares that road put those signs to keep people away.
- mmarty E.Guide
Elephant mountain WMA
Permit? or No Permit?
The area around Elephant Mountain is beautiful and the mountain itself is a huge bluff sticking up out of the otherwise flat landscape. The campsites are basic with a vault toilet in a little shack. It was adequate for what I needed... just an overnight. But it's very hard to tell if a permit is needed. Dyrt says Yes, and the info at the entrance says yes, but there's no indication how to get one. I did not have a permit and nothing happened, but I was a bit paranoid. I'd say the landscape is the best part of this campsite.
Emma H.Scout
Thomas Lake Park
Amazing!
Site and road to it are both well-maintained. Absolutely gorgeous views of the water. We got the best sleep we’ve ever had camping with the soft grass and our sleeping pad. Watch out for mud spots in the grass.
- Jinoo J.Scout
Limestone Lake Park
Beautiful lakeside spots!
Got in around 11pm on a Friday night and there were plenty of spots open. Woke up to an incredible view and more people around (but still not too crowded). Great spot for boating & fishing too.
- MMadeline G.Traveler
SH 207 Palo Duro Canyon Overlook
Private Picnic Area Car-Camp Spot
Loved it here! But the listing on here is misleading; it is actually a picnic/rest overlook area that allows car/RV camping but I’m sure no tents. There are no bathrooms or water but very nice picnic tables, trash cans, a grill, and shaded paved areas. Lots of grass and trees, dogs allowed, and a parking lot. We had one neighbor when we stayed one night and the view can’t be beat. Would definitely come back- a few people come and go and it seems to be a hidden gem.
Coleena and John Diggidy Dog H.ScoutBrazoria Beach
Great spot during the middle of the week
Does not have the white sands of South Padre, but not much of a chance of getting stuck unless you really try. Dodge 2wd 1500 pulling 10 ft trailer with no issues getting in and out. Very quite during the week. There is some trash around and that is sad. We picked up every day but still needs help fosterm all. Weekend it get a bit crowed and becouse of the hard pack sand, some people we're going alot faster then the 15 mile an hour speed limit. Weelend also brings vender trucks coming down the beach all the time. We were a bit irritated at 1st but then bought ice-cream LOL We live in Fort Worth and the trip here is about 200 miles shorter then South Padre so it will be a great place to hit when we dont want to travel that extra 200
- RRonald S.Scout
LBJ National Grasslands Forest Road 904 Dispersed Camping
Very remote
Remote dispersed. Great camping for north central Texas. The sites are a good distance between them. You can drive along the roads and look for them. We spotted 22 sites, there may be more. Download maps before getting here. Cell is not the best. No bathrooms, water, etc. Pack in/pack out. Downloadable hiking maps availability on other apps. Only saw 3 other cameras while we were here. Great hiking.
- BBrooke L.Traveler
Bolivar Flats Dispersed Camping
Joint bachelor/bachelorette
Me and my fiancé went to Bolivar Flats to camp out with our friends and had a really awesome time!
- AAustin B.Traveler
Neches Bluff Overlook Campground
Simple camping
Love this location everything was so simple nothing extra just simple relaxing camping and beautiful scenery
- TTyler M.Scout
SH 207 Palo Duro Canyon Overlook
Great Spot for the Night
What a great find. Small lot, but stunning views of the canyon below and enough room for the low traffic it seems like this sees. Some Verizon signal but only by the fence line.
Boundless W.Traveler
Lake Quitman West Dam
Primo
Boondocking at its finest!
Roger W.
LegendBolivar Flats Dispersed Camping
Great Sunrises . Not Busy In Winter
Bolivar Beech: A nice experience during the week. However, there is lots of activity on the sunny weekends. I have heard that it is very crowded with campers during spring break and in the summer. Also, there is a gated community being built behind the section of beach near Retilion Rd. I spoke with two city officials with Nuisance Abatement. There is talk of instituting a 2 week limit.
(Scale 1- bad, 5-Very good(70 yr olds in 17’ trailer.)
Overall Rating: 4 - would be a 5 but for heavy usage of day users during sunny weekends. Many are great. Few are not. One child came behind our camper and helped herself to our collection of shells while her mom watched. Careful of your belongings.
Price 2023: $10 to the right of Rettilon Rd. Free to the left of Rettilon Rd. Security: None Usage during visit: Campers: Light this time of year Site Privacy: None Site Spacing: Plenty of room to spread out and most campers do. ‘Pad’ surface: Sand Reservations: No Campground Noise: Noisy on weekends. Quiet, for the most part at night, but for the occasional party persons.
Road Noise: None Through Traffic in campground: Lots of folks driving the beach on the sunny weekends. Minimal during the week. Dispersed Camping . Potable Water Available: Bring what you need. Generators: Allowed. Bathroom: One pit toilet in our area, at the beach end of Rettilon Rd . It is very full after the weekend. Bring your own TP. It runs out.
Showers: No Cell Service (AT&T): 2 to 3 bars Setting: Beach, dispersed Recent Weather: S50s at night and 60s during the day.
Solar: Great Host: No Rig Size: Largest.- RRon P.Scout
South Beach — Padre Island National Seashore
South Beach, Padre Island National Seashore
We've spent many winter months around the Corpus Christi, Texas area and visit South Beach frequently. Plenty to do; fishing, sunbathing, bird watching, photography, and on some evenings after dark you can spot deer and coyote come out of the sand dunes to feed on seaweed and fish remains. We prefer to camp at nearby Malequite campground for $5 a night with water, bathrooms and showers. The visitor's center has some supplies.
- JJon D.Guide
Neches Bluff Overlook Campground
Very Quiet and Beautiful!
This place was great! Nice, clean vault toilet, many sites, and rather empty. Any car should be able to make the dirt road in dry to moderately wet conditions, if it's been seriously stormy, I'd avoid without AWD/4WD because the road is dirt/sand.
- JJon D.Guide
Kelly's Pond Campground
A Nice Slice Of Solitude
Kelly's Pond was a great one-nighter for me. It was very quiet, and I had no issues.
It did appear that some individuals have/had made this a more permanent home, I had been here previously to do some "scouting" if you will, and noticed some of the same campers. They weren't bothering anyone, but if that's something that makes you uncomfortable, you might spring the pocket change for Cagle down the road.
- AAshli D.Traveler
Lake Winnsboro Park
Super cute and quiet
This was a great little spot! Free, quiet & clean. There were very clean portopottys for use as well.
- 115116 D.Scout
Magnolia Beach
Rough
No sand, only rocks. One set of bathrooms was very dirty and the other set were locked. All the best area say no camping.
