Camping Destination-Texas
Texas offers campers a variety
of camping opportunities. Texas has a varied landscape and no
matter where you travel in Texas, you can always find a great
camping spot.
West Texas has both desert and
green with many national parks that have campgrounds. North Texas
has lush with green and campers will enjoy the many lakes available.
South Texas has many national parks with mountains and rivers
to explore. East Texas has national forests for camping.
The Texas National Forests are
mostly located in East Texas. The Texas National Forests the Angelina,
Sabine, Davy Crockett and Sam Houston National forests. These
forests make up “Piney Woods” area of East Texas.
The forests offer timber, water, forage, wildlife and recreation.
Primitive camping is allowed in marked areas. Most camping grounds
don’t have water, sewage or RV hook-ups. In some places,
motor vehicles are not even allowed. The forests are worth the
rustic camping though.
The Guadalupe Mountains are located
near El Paso, Texas and Carlsbad, New Mexico. This historical
area includes many artifacts from ancient Indian tribes. The park
has a mild desert climate suitable for a variety of family and
outdoor activities. The mountains offer many hiking and walking
trails, camping, backpacking, wildlife viewing and horseback riding
trails. You can see an abundance of wildlife such as mule deer,
elk, jackrabbits, and occasionally a mountain lion. Javalinas
and black bear also live in the Guadalupe Mountains. Bypassers
on the road often overlook the park. If you look forward to getting
away from the world for a while, the Guadalupe Mountain offer
privacy and a rustic feel.
Big Bend National Park includes
the Chisos Mountains – just off the “big bend”
from the Rio Grande River.
On the Texas and Mexico border,
the river unites with the desert, where the water helps to make
a spectacular flora and fauna.
The Chisos Mountains and Big Bend
National Park can best be explored by hiking or mountain biking.
Other activities you can try at Big Bend National Park include
river rafting, camping and wildlife watching. The hiking and biking
trails make it easy to backpack.
Camp can be set up along the trails
and the mountains offer an opportunity for rustic camping.
Looking for a more comfortable
stay while in the mountains? The Chisos Mountain Lodge offers
a comfortable hotel stay and provides comfortable overnight stays
year round. Food services, convenient stores, gift shops and guest
services can be found near the trailhead. They offer variety of
rooms and cottages for your overnight stay.
RV and campsites are available
in the Chisos Mountains and all have well-defined campgrounds.
The mountains have 25 RV hook-ups
in the Rio Grand Village Campground with water, sewage and electricity.
The campgrounds have water and lighted bathrooms, but don’t
have showers.
The Palo Duro Canyon offers more
even more camping spots. Palo Duro Canyon for example, is located
south of Amarillo, Texas. Accommodations include cabins for rent
as well as tent sites. RV sites with electric and water hook-ups
that make your Texas camping a little less rough. The park has
many public restrooms and some with showers.
All sites have small grills for your use. At the entrance to the
canyon, horseback riding is available for guided tours through
the canyon. Daily entrance to the Palo Duro Canyon is $4.00 with
children 12 and under free. There are many overnight options available
from backpacking sites to equestrian sites. Two vintage cabins
may be rented for overnight stays as well. Palo Duro Canyon also
offers great hiking and biking trails for day use.
Most of the park locations in
Texas offer trails and wildlife viewing. The Palo Duro Canyon
State Park has an outdoor amphitheater and they have a summer
show that is produced annually called “Texas.” The
cities nearby the parks are also great for side trips while camping.
Not far from the Mexican border, Laredo offers shopping for both
American and Mexican goods. Carlsbad, New Mexico has the Carlsbad
Caverns that feature family fun all year.
While camping in Texas, you should
be prepared for a variety of weather. The weather in Texas is
unpredictable and sudden storms can come from nowhere. Rain gear
is an essential while in Texas. In the West Texas dessert, you
should be prepared for it to get chilly at night. Northern and
Eastern Texas, and parts of South Texas can be very humid in the
summer months and you will need lots of water during the day.
It is best to have extra clothes available for sudden weather
changes as well.
Most campgrounds have running
water and public restrooms. Many of them will also have small
grills, so you may only need to bring charcoal to build a cooking
fire. Adequate wood can be hard to find in West Texas and you
may have to bring some logs with you. The small sticks and tall
grass in West Texas is generally very dry and will help keep your
fire going. Be aware that in certain parts of Texas, they have
been experiencing severe droughts and enacted fire bans over the
summer.
Texas in general offers
a variety of options while camping. Most of the Texas lakes offer
campgrounds for your fishing trips with nearby marinas and bait
shops. The fall and spring provide the best camping weather in
Texas, while summers can get hot and humid. It may get cool at
night but the days will be great for hiking and wildlife viewing.
