Check out our top 5 Texas camping spots before you plan your next outdoor vacation!

What makes a vacation a good vacation? A chance to get out of the house, unwind, and unplug from your daily routine? Time to relax and take in beautiful scenery that isn't your computer background? Maybe it's a chance to make lasting memories with friends and family. If that sounds like a good, or maybe even great vacation, then consider grabbing a tent and heading into the great outdoors on a Texas camping trip! 

Fortunately, Texas is huge and as such, there is no shortage of quality camping spots - if you know where to look! Whether you're looking for a place to park your RV or prefer more primitive options, today we'll show you the 5 best places for camping in Texas.

5. Bastrop State Park

First on our list is Bastrop State Park in Bastrop, Texas. At over 2,000 acres, the park is well on its way to recovering from the wildfire, known as Bastrop County Complex Fire, which burned 96% of the park in September 2011. 

This beautiful park offers a variety of camping options, including cabins built between 1933 and 1939. Nestled between groves of pine trees, these stone cabins are perfect for family camping trips or for group vacations. Of course, there are plenty of spots for those who prefer tent camping, too. 

Activities and amenities at Bastrop State Park:

• Cabins
• Golf course
• Camping
• Fishing
• Hiking
• Swimming
• Picnic areas
• Biking trails
• Scenic views

4. Inks Lake State Park

If you're familiar with camping in Texas, then you may have heard of Inks Lake State Park. This lakeside campground is ideal for all manner of water activities in addition to your standard outdoor campground fare, making it a favorite for Texas campers. 

Located in Burnet County, Texas, Inks Lake boasts the quintessential Texas Hill Country scenery. This peaceful lake sits beneath rocky outcrops of limestone, surrounded by ample Central Texas vegetation, like cedar, live oak, prickly pear, and yuccas. 

Inks Lake is also home to the famous swimming hole known as "The Devil's Waterhole." This swimming spot is an extension of the lake that is almost completely surrounded by cliffs, creating a unique destination for hikers and boaters alike.

Activities and amenities at Inks Lake State Park:

• Cabins
• Tent camping sites
• Fishing
• Swimming
• Boating
• 9 miles of hiking trails with interactive trial maps
• Backpacking trails

3. Colorado Bend State Park

Next on our list is Colorado Bend State Park. The park is just west of Lampasas on the beautiful Colorado River, which creates a variety of natural wonders to explore and enjoy. 

The combination of the river and limestone bedrock creates a unique set of geological features, called "karst" features, which includes sinkholes, caves and springs. With several noteworthy trails, such as the Spicewood Springs trail and the Gorman Creek trail, you can hike through this wondrous landscape, explore creeks and springs, relax on the water, marvel at the 70-foot Gorman Falls, or even venture below ground with guided cave tours. 

Activities and amenities at Colorado Bend State Park:

• Drive up campsites
• Walk-in tent camping sites
• Primitive hike-in camping sites
• 35 miles of hike and bike trails
• Cave tours

2. Big Bend National Park

Most of the Texas camping spots we've included on our list are Texas State Parks, which makes Big Bend a unique addition to our list. Covering over 800,000 acres, this national park is truly massive. In fact, it's so large that it contains the entire Chisos mountain range within its borders - the only mountain range to be completely contained within a national park!

Located in the western region of Texas, the appropriately named Big Bend sits on the Rio Grande River near the Texas-Mexico border.  As a national park, it is home to protected populations of more than 1,200 species of plants, more than 450 species of birds, 56 species of reptiles, and 75 species of mammals. Big Bend even has its very own species of bluebonnet that dapples the red rocky landscape with shades of blue each spring!

Big Bend is a magical place with a diverse landscape that accommodates campers of all kinds. There are RV friendly sites, family-friendly developed sites, backpacking trails, and even backcountry trails for adventurous campers looking to put their offroad vehicles to the test.  

Activities and amenities at Big Bend National Park:

• Developed campsites
• Backcountry, undeveloped (primitive) camping
• Off road vehicle trails
• Stargazing
• Hiking
• Biking

1. Enchanted Rock

Just outside Fredericksburg, a giant bubble-like dome of granite can be found rising up from the landscape. Our final entry on our list of Texas camping destinations is Enchanted Rock!

As the name suggests, Enchanted Rock is a breathtaking campground. Although there are many beautiful places to go camping in Texas, none of them quite compare to the...enchanting...experience that this geological formation offers.

Formed millions of years ago in the Earth's crust, this now exposed dome of solid granite can be seen from miles around as it rises up from the surrounding landscape. The Summit Trail leads directly to the top of the dome where hikers can get a one-of-a-kind view of the park - and beyond. 

To those who might have visited this park in the past, it's easy to understand why Enchanted Rock has captured people's imaginations for hundreds of years. In fact, the very name "Enchanted Rock" comes from the legends and folklore of local Apache, Tonkawa, and Comanche tribes that viewed the rock as a place of mystical importance. 

Apart from hiking and sightseeing, Enchanted Rock is a popular destination for rock climbing enthusiasts, and offers a number of climbing routes. The park offers plenty of camping options, from family sites with vehicle access to more primitive, backpacker-friendly sites in the park's interior. 

If you've not yet had the opportunity to visit, Enchanted Rock is a must-see destination for anyone who enjoys the outdoors and the natural wonder that Texas provides. 

Activities and amenities at Enchanted Rock:

• Hiking trails
• Family campgrounds
• Rock climbing and bouldering
• Primitive camping and backpacking
• Stargazing

Honorable mentions

If you're an avid camper, or simply enjoy the great outdoors, you've probably got a list of your own favorite places to go camping in Texas. While we've picked five great spots for our list, the truth is that there are far too many to mention! The following parks may not have made our top 5, but they are absolutely worth mentioning. Who knows - maybe they'll make your list!

Davis Mountains State Park. Far from the city lights, Davis Mountains State Park is a great place for stargazing. For an even closer look at our corner of the universe, you can head to the nearby McDonald observatory! 

Padre Island National Seashore. Can't decide between camping and a trip to the beach for your next vacation? Good news - you don't have to choose!

Guadalupe Mountain National Park.  Home to the tallest peak in Texas (Guadalupe Peak), this national park is brimming with the natural wonder of West Texas.



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