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Best Equestrian Camping in Texas

1,444 Reviews

Nothing thrills the heart of a true explorer like the stunning diversity of outdoor adventure that awaits in the state of Texas! From the beauty of the Gulf Coast to the High Plains, Texas offers terrain that varies between mountains, woodlands, rolling hills, semi-arid plains and high desert. With more than 78 state parks and numerous wildlife areas, historic sites and natural attractions, Texas truly has something for everyone.

Insiders know that camping in Texas is much more than just hanging out around the campfire. In a state that boasts everything is bigger, natural features as well as wildlife areas are vast and rich, begging the weary traveler to indulge in all the sights and experiences this type of diversity provides. The variety of parks, campgrounds and backcountry offers the full range of adventure for those looking to ‘rough it’ all the way to those who choose to enjoy nature with a few more comforts.

South Central Texas is a prime area of the state to explore. Known far and wide as the Hill Country, it is so named for its rolling hills and woodlands. Famous for its excellent wineries, historic small towns and natural beauty, the Hill Country also boasts a unique offering for campers known as Enchanted Rock State Park.

Enchanted Rock is a large pink granite dome that rises 425 feet above the surrounding terrain and is the largest granite monadock in the United States. Indians, Spaniards and early settlers all had stories of magical, spiritual or unexplained happenings around the rock which gave the feature its name. These days, one of the most intriguing sights is at night, after a rain. The wet dome seems to glitter in the moonlight and while regarded as a simple play of light on the granite, the effect adds to both the mystery and enchantment of the area.

Another intriguing site in the Hill Country is Jacob’s Well, a short 78 miles southeast from Enchanted Rock State Park. Fed by a natural artesian spring, Jacob’s Well consists of a large pool connected to a vast underground cavern system that sprawls more than 4300 feet. The spring is connected to the Trinity Aquifer and emits thousands of gallons of water each day where visitors can enjoy the cool 68 degree water. Jacob’s Well is a popular and welcome retreat from the famous Texas heat!

Texas is the second largest state and for some, camping in Texas can, and does, turn into a life-long pursuit. With so many hidden gems, and areas to explore, it could take decades to experience it all. The Dyrt has you covered though! For the secret hideaways and must-see adventures in Texas, check back often to see the latest insider tips and places to explore!

Map showing campgrounds in TexasExplore the Map

Best Equestrian Sites in Texas (165)

    1. Pedernales Falls State Park Campground

    86 Reviews
    Johnson City, TX
    Website
    +1 (830) 868-7304

    $10 - $100 / night

    "a crown jewel of the Texas Parks system. Hiking, horse riding, swimming, floating. At one with nature. Bird watching."

    "This was some of the best TEXAS camping we've done. We found a really nice spot that was on the cliffside and had an incredible view of the hill country. It was isolated enough from other campsites."

    2. Dinosaur Valley State Park Campground

    60 Reviews
    Glen Rose, TX
    Website
    +1 (254) 897-4588

    $18 - $70 / night

    "Every camp spot has its own water source and electricity hookup, makes a huge difference at the hot Texas summer days and perfect for spending the nights not in a complete dark in case you’re using only"

    "This Texas state parks is one of favorites. I have been quite a few times since I was a kid and it never gets old. It is just inside of Glen Rose, Texas, located along the Paluxy river."

    3. Cedar Hill State Park Campground

    61 Reviews
    Cedar Hill, TX
    Website
    +1 (972) 291-3900

    $25 - $30 / night

    "Lake is nearby, and fishing permits in Tx are cheap and easy to grab online. Fairly quiet, but the sites themselves are private a shaded for the most part."

    "Although a small park, the design is thoughtful and you don't feel like you are so close to the huge DFW area. "

    4. Fortress Cliff Primitive — Palo Duro Canyon State Park

    50 Reviews
    Canyon, TX
    Website
    +1 (806) 488-2227

    $16 / night

    "The hiking trails are well maintained and are very enjoyable to walk along. The campsites are nicely spaced and have big picnic tables."

    "This is a pretty big state Park located in the Panhandle of Texas. It is sometimes referred to as a mini Grand Canyon.

    There are plenty of trails for horseback riding, mountain biking, and hiking."

    5. Brazos Bend State Park Campground

    47 Reviews
    Thompsons, TX
    Website
    +1 (979) 553-5101

    $12 - $75 / night

    "A quick, 45 minute drive southwest will get you out of the concrete jungle that is the sprawling Space City metropolis and into one of the lushest, greenest parts of Texas."

    "Hikes and wildlife are good too, lots of easy trails along water for the kids, cool ponds, great little observation tour to climb."

    6. Lost Maples State Natural Area Campground

    42 Reviews
    Vanderpool, TX
    Website
    +1 (830) 966-3413

    $10 - $20 / night

    "Lost Maples State Natural Area has some beautiful hiking trails and backpacking areas."

    "Close to the river. Nice spaces with covered tables and scattered trees. Hiking, pet friendly. Showers were clean and well kept. No sewer hook up but dump station is right off the road."

    7. Honey Flat Camping Area — Caprock Canyons State Park

    40 Reviews
    Quitaque, TX
    Website
    +1 (806) 455-1492

    $17 - $22 / night

    "* Burn Ban in Effect - No firewood or charcoal - Only Propane

    • Night sky is awesome
    • If you are expecting shade…forget it
    • Bison roam free and they are bigger than you
    • Horse flies are everywhere"

    "We tent camped here in august, 2018 and had the entire tent campsite lakeside to ourselves. The bathrooms were great, clean, hot water, all good things."

    8. Isle du Bois Campsites — Ray Roberts Lake State Park

    35 Reviews
    Aubrey, TX
    Website
    +1 (940) 686-2148

    $15 - $60 / night

    "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."

    "Bring your horses for a equestrian trail as well. Great beach for some sand castles and swimming. And don't forget to hit the Dam store and get the dam special. Good burgers there."

    9. Hackberry Campground — Palo Duro Canyon State Park

    35 Reviews
    Canyon, TX
    Website
    +1 (806) 488-2227

    $26 / night

    "For most people, it is a long drive to this park. The Palo Euro Canyon State Park is located in the Texas Panhandle. From Central Texas it is a 8-9 hour drive. The long drive is worth it."

    "We had some major trails running directly behind our specific site which made late nights and early morning walkabouts so easy!"

    10. Sea Rim State Park Campground

    37 Reviews
    Sabine Pass, TX
    Website
    +1 (409) 971-2559

    $10 - $120 / night

    "One of my Texas relatives mentioned this area to me in regards to my birdwatching. Decided I had to make the trip as I do love birds and the water."

    "We managed to kill most of the ones that followed us inside and then we watched as our tent was covered from the outside in a thin layer of them."

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Recent Equestrian Camping Photos in Texas

33 Photos of 165 Texas Campgrounds

Equestrian Camping Reviews in Texas

1444 Reviews of 165 Texas Campgrounds

  • Alexandra
    Jul. 15, 2021

    North Prong Primitive Campsite Camping Area — Caprock Canyons State Park

    Amazing site

    This is my favorite place to camp in Texas, second only to BiBe (though I haven’t been to Palo Duro yet). A truly beautiful site. We hiked out at 11pm and the moon was so bright we almost didn’t need headlamps. Lots of bison poop, and lots of coyote howling. The sites were pretty spread out, and the central area had a decent pit toilet. Completely surrounded by red rocks - loved it. Close access to some of the park’s major trails, and an easy hike out to the site.

  • Eby H.
    Aug. 30, 2016

    Pace Bend Park - Lake Travis

    One of my favorite spots in Texas

    Pace Bend is one of my most favorite places to camp in Texas.

    Not far from the old (and new!) Backyard (a great place to see live music in the live oak capital of Texas), Pace Bend is a quick drive away. A perfect spot to pitch a bunch of tents, jump off cliffs, swim and barbeque. Maybe 45 minutes from downtown Austin (without traffic).

    I won't lie the cliff diving kinda freaks me out. Be careful is all I'm saying!

    There are several primitive campsites throughout the park with picnic tables, grills and toilets. Additionally there are 20 RV hook-up type sites that offer running water, electricity, restrooms and showers.

  • G
    Sep. 29, 2016

    Wild Horse Equestrian Area — Caprock Canyons State Park

    Caprock Equestrian Camp

    Caprock Canyons is as good as it gets for equestrian sites in Texas. Stay away from summer temps, but go in late fall or early spring and plan to stay awhile. Lots of trails to explore in the area and plenty of pen space at Wild Horse. Take the Wild Horse Trail from there for the scenic windmill tour.

  • Erik F.
    Oct. 10, 2016

    Shaffer Bend Recreation Area

    Weekend Trip

    Shaffer Bend Rec. Area has a beautiful setting in the Texas Hill Country right off of Lake Travis. At the gate entrance you have wonderful landscape views. All of the camp sites are situated next to or a short walk to the water.

    The camps are clean. Most are equipped with a picnic table and fire ring. In the large camp area, some have BBQ pits with a couple big communal grill/smoker. The same area has a horse pen as well if you're an equestrian enthusiast on top of a camper. It is a primitive campground. The large camp area has a couple port-a-poties. At the gate entrance there are men's and women's rooms with running water. That's about 3 miles from the camp sites. So, be prepared to dig holes, bring your own portable toilets, or hold it.

    Considering you're on the lake, the water access is surprisingly limited. There are a few areas along the water you can walk in, but there's not a dock or boat access. I recommend sandals or water shoes since there's a fair amount of plant life along the shore. The same areas you can walk in would be good for kayaks though. The camp sites are situated along a narrow section of the lake. So, there would be plenty to explore.

  • Matt S.
    Sep. 21, 2016

    Isle du Bois Campsites — Ray Roberts Lake State Park

    Bring your horse to Isle du Bois unit - Roberts Lake State Park

    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.

    Isle du Bois is a little different in that it has legitimate equestrian camp sites with horse pens built into each site. The park has several equestrian trails and is perfect if you like to ride and camp with your horse.

    The rest of the park has several walk-in camp sites and then a section for campers and RV's. It is a good park and I would normally rate this park as a three but I think that all of the equestrian activities and amenities for horses moves it up to a four.

  • B
    Jun. 12, 2018

    Platter Flats

    Great hosts

    The park hosts and volunteers are very friendly, responsive, and work hard with the resources available to them. They deserve 5 stars This 2 star review is on the park only.

    This campground is one part regular campground, one part equestrian campground. Having horses is not a requirement to camp in the equestrian area and that is hany when the "regular" area is filled. The sites are pretty close together and the entire park feels packed together when it comes to camping space.

    The facilities are extremely outdated but there are new bath/shower combos coming online very shortly in the equestrian section. In the meantime there are 2 shower stalls available for men and 2 for women in the entire camp. There are pit toilets in the equestrian area and only 1 flush toilet for men located in the "regular" area until the new ones come up in the equestrian area. Possibly only 2 for women available.

    The worst thing was the traffic. People would drive to swim, fish, use the restroom, visit others in adjacent campsites or just cruise around with no aim from 8 AM to 10PM Thursday thru Sunday afternoon. The outer gates close at 10 PM but some drove around inside the park after that anyway. The equestrian camp area has dirt/gravel road and all the traffic creates a dusty environment. The Main road to the entrance which runs along the south side of the equestrian area also leads to the Platter Flats Recreation area which has no gates nor closing time so there is activity on the road all day and night.

    There is a long equestrian trail that goes over to Lakeside Park across the lake that can also be hiked pretty easily that has a couple secluded spots to swim along the way. The trail is well marked and easy to follow. There are large map signs on each end of the trail and markers along the way.

    I would not recommend visiting this park on a weekend unless traffic doesn't bother you. It should be noted there is a rail freight line and siding not far from the camp and once the vehicle traffic slows down, the trains seem to start. The train horns at crossings may be a bother to some.

  • Neil T.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 13, 2020

    Wild Horse Equestrian Area — Caprock Canyons State Park

    Well maintained and accessible canyon exploration

    Wild Horse Campground Spot 74 

    I showed up at the welcome center with a reservation for primitive camping, not realizing the only spot to set up my RTT would be the parking lot. A nice lady working the desk, slide me into a spot that had cancelled earlier that day at the Wild Horse Campground. 

    Wild Horse is the equestrian camp and each spot has horse pens, picnic table, fire ring(though burn ban was in effect while we stayed) and water. No restrooms. The campground is behind a drive through gate that you have to close to keep the buffalo out. 

    Only one slot had horses while we were there. Several had mountain bikers staying in them. Everyone besides us and the horse folks were in ground tents. Plenty of room for us and the horse trailer setup didn’t look too cramped either. Slots are well spaced out, but not much privacy– see tree comment below. 

    Not much shade to be had except what little you get from scrubby mesquites, but if you are looking for lots of shade, this probably isn’t the park for you. The park itself is great. Easy to get around. Lots of well-marked trails. Bring water and what for snakes. Gorgeous canyon views and features. 

    Very quiet after sundown.

    Quitaque(kitty-quay) is a couple of miles from the main entrance and has a convenience store, a grocery store and a couple of cafes. We drove ten miles further to Turkey, Texas for dinner– very cool setup at Hotel Turkey. Good food, good music and fun casual outdoor atmosphere. Be sure to check their website for hours. Speaking of website, we had no service on Verizon cellular except very slow spotty connections from 10 pm to 7 am. Service in Quitaque and Turkey was very spotty and very slow. 

    Definitely glad we stopped here. Wouldn’t hesitate to do so again.

  • J
    Aug. 19, 2020

    Water Canyon Campground

    A solid stop

    Every year, we drive from Texas to Apache National Forest. Cibola is halfway. Every year, we make sure to stay the night at Water Canyon. First: the views. Secondly, the amenities. A level spot, with a fire ring, table and maintained vault toilets for $0. The most spacious spots are the first two, after that a six man tent is the largest tent you’ll fit on a level spot. We have never really explored further than our camp site, as our children are small and out number us. But for 12-36 hours, it is a beautiful stay that includes campfires, lizards and the occasional equestrian that lets our kids treat their horses. Treasured memories, unplugged and free.

  • R
    May. 11, 2021

    Platter Flats

    Love! So fun for kids!

    Half of the campground is an equestrian camp. There are great hiking trails and beautiful views. Good shady spots.

    We had two kids with us and we loved walking around the campground and seeing all the horses! But remember it will also smell like them so camp on that side at your own risk.

    Also there was no attendant and we switched sites for the weekend with no issue 🤷‍♀️🤫

Guide to Texas

Horse camping in Texas offers a unique opportunity to explore the state's beautiful landscapes while enjoying the companionship of your equine friends. With a variety of campgrounds equipped with horse-friendly amenities, equestrians can find the perfect spot to set up camp.

Tips for equestrian camping in Texas

  • When visiting Pedernales Falls State Park Campground, be sure to check the availability of horse trails and plan your rides accordingly.
  • At Dinosaur Valley State Park, keep an eye out for designated horse trails that allow you to explore the park's unique dinosaur tracks.
  • Always bring enough water and supplies for both you and your horse, especially when camping at remote sites like Big Bend Ranch State Park, where amenities may be limited.

Campers appreciate these amenities for horses

Most campgrounds have horse-focused amenities like trails and water access

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