Cool weather means it's finally camping season! Where's your favorite spot?

[u/danarchist]

[u/Salt-Operation]

Far, far away. If I’m schlepping my camping stuff out somewhere I want it to be at least three hours away.

[u/hemppy420 → u/Salt-Operation]

Lake brownwood is our go to spot. 2.5 hours away

[u/Salt-Operation → u/hemppy420]

Went there in December of ‘24 for my birthday. It was magical with the tree leaves turning. Much more showy than Lost Maples.

[u/hemppy420 → u/Salt-Operation]

Nice! We were there for 4 or 5 nights starting Christmas day in '24. Practically had the whole place to ourselves that whole time.

[u/Salt-Operation → u/hemppy420]

Oh yeah, we learned the trick is to go right before or right after the hunting week. It was the same for us, our last day there it was a ghost town and we saw only one other couple in the entire park. It was awesome. Reminded me of Covid times and the limited population at parks.

[u/depraveycrockett → u/Salt-Operation]

I’m with you on that. If you see me out there don’t get too close okay?

[u/-32768 → u/depraveycrockett]

C'mon, don't be a recluse. I'll bring my bluetooth party speaker. Just got some new mumble rap!

[u/_no-its-not-me_ → u/-32768]

The fun new thing people bring to camp is lights. Like imagine your campsite lit up like a football stadium. You really gotta have 4x4 and at least half a days drive(really a full day)to get that old feel for camp.

[u/JohnGillnitz → u/_no-its-not-me_]

That drives me nuts.

[u/Salt-Operation → u/_no-its-not-me_]

I realized I was guilty of this a few years back. All of our camp lights go off after we finish cooking now, leaving only a campfire (if allowed) and some pop-up solar LED lanterns that cycle through rainbow colors. the lanterns are set on the ground at the perimeter of our camp.

[u/PiccoloAwkward465 → u/_no-its-not-me_]

You really need a group and a spot for primitive camping. I'm not sure if it's called that in Texas. Essentially it's just a place to put your tent and zero amenities. Gotta hump all your gear in.

[u/Salt-Operation → u/PiccoloAwkward465]

No public land like that in Texas. There’s primitive camping in the state parks but they are no fires allowed (for good reason) and, as you noted, you have to hump it all in.

I really wish we had national forests here like in the west and PNW. Logging roads give access and the hike is much more manageable.

[u/jdsizzle1]

Pace Bend. RIP the days when you could just show up and snag an open spot.

[u/Roguecop]

[u/margotsaidso]

If you haven't booked out a month in advance, it's hard to get anything without also having to take off work. We have so many people here in central Texas but way less parks and public land than you'd expect. 

[u/juliejetson → u/margotsaidso]

Try six months in advance.

[u/danarchist → u/margotsaidso]

So true. I remember as a kid we'd just show up whenever whenever.

[u/maryjdatx → u/margotsaidso]

TPWD has a "Camping This Weekend" tab on their website so you can see which parks still have open sites.

[u/a_manxome_foe]

Lost Maples

[u/2CHINZZZ]

South or East Rim at Big Bend

[u/TheDaydreamerB_album]

Pedernales Falls is a gem, especially in the fall!

[u/juliejetson]

We used to go to Inks Lake SP all the time when I was a kid. The last couple of times I went, people in the campsite next to us blasted music all night, and another time our campground neighbors let their off-leash dogs roam around into other people's campsites, which rightfully angered my on-leash dog. I don't do anything close to Austin anymore, heck, close to any city. I'll be dispersed camping somewhere far away.

[u/monkeyhoward]

Enchanted Rock

[u/Adventurous-Motor889]

Edit: insane how many camping recs there are here. Genuinely people presently in the left lane responding only to titles.

[u/mushybanananas → u/Adventurous-Motor889]

You can ask a question with a joke too.

[u/k2readone]

South Llano River SP

[u/Kianna9]

Had me in the first 3/4s.

[u/SolarKingofATX]

River Forest Haven. It’s 45 minutes east just past the airport and so awesome. The tree canopy, river, and huge campsites give you great privacy and peace. https://maps.app.goo.gl/Vt6RbapLnw3V1Ser7?g_st=ic

[u/3-Ballin]

Pedernales State Park is an easy trip as well. Gotta bring your own fire wood but we used kindling to start it.

[u/tones_balonious]

The highways for sure

[u/RealBlueHippo]

Urban camping in the alleyway between dirty sixth and fifth street

[u/jharg93]

Just was camping in San Angelo last weekend, it was already chilly.

Usually go to my buddy's land south of San Antonio though.

[u/VoodooIdol]

I've been camping all year. Not sure what your problem is.

[u/danarchist → u/VoodooIdol]

I prefer not to go to bed all sticky and stinky only to wake up covered in sweat at 630am. Much more pleasant when the evenings call for a light jacket and your sleeping bag stays pleasantly cozy until 9am.

[u/saposmak]

There's no body of water in Enchanted Rock.

[u/danarchist → u/saposmak]

Seasonally there is. This photo straight from tpwd

https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/enchanted-rock/gallery/E-rock_4876.jpg

[u/Ctznsvn7]

Lake Brownwood has a couple of endorsements in this thread, so that's a concrete place to compare with your usual sites. Check campsite availability and current fire rules before loading the car. YMMV on quiet, but a weekday arrival could help if avoiding packed campsites matters more than the shortest drive

[u/BettyGomez54]

muleshoe bend past spicewood is my close one. primitive sites right on the water, and a weeknight there is quiet enough that you forget you're under an hour from town. five bucks at the gate and you can reserve a site online now, so no more rolling the dice on a first come spot.

[u/aloof_nacho]

Chilis parking lot 45th and Lamar

[u/Gulf-Zack]

At home saving money!

[u/vegetabledisco → u/Gulf-Zack]

Camping is the cheapest vacation

[u/Gulf-Zack → u/vegetabledisco]

Especially in your backyard

[u/Downtown-Humor7488]

Would you IH35 me? I’d

IH35 me. I would IH35 me so hard

[u/titos334]

Canyon lake/Bastrop lake has been my go-to

[u/NydusRush]

I've done three out of four this year!

[u/Slypenslyde]

E1M8 way up in a corner, people don't look up enough man.

[u/tiowey]

Highway etiquette is way worse in the midwest