Outdoors / Camping & state parks
Texas has more than 80 state parks (about 89 sites in all) - from piney woods and Hill Country rivers to desert mountains and Gulf beaches. They're one of the best deals in the state: a campsite, a trail, and a night under big Texas stars for not much money. Here's what to know before you go.
Know this first
The best parks fill months in advance, and busy ones (like Enchanted Rock) reach capacity and close to walk-in visitors, especially on weekends and school holidays. TPWD strongly recommends reserving a day pass ahead (up to 30 days) to guarantee you get in. You can still walk up at parks that aren't full.
TPWD Day Pass FAQs ->If you visit parks more than a few times a year, the Texas State Parks Pass ($70/year) waives the per-person entrance fee for you and everyone in your vehicle - and adds camping and store discounts. It doesn't guarantee a spot when a park is full, so still reserve.
TPWD Park Pass details ->The whole guide
Four short sections. Start anywhere - each one ends with the official link.
Entrance fees, the money-saving park pass, day passes, and how to reserve.
Plan & book ->Site types and costs, check-in times, and a program that lends you the gear.
See sites ->Campfires, pets, quiet hours, alcohol, drones, and a few that surprise people.
Know the rules ->National parks, forests, and lake camping - and how to book them.
More places ->A few favorites
Examples to get you started - there are dozens more. Each links to the official park page for fees, sites, and alerts.
Hill Country
A massive pink granite dome and a Dark Sky park - it sells out, so reserve a day pass.
View on TPWD ->Panhandle
The 'Grand Canyon of Texas' - the second-largest canyon in the U.S., with cabins and glamping.
View on TPWD ->Hill Country
Tubing and swimming on the Frio River, with classic CCC-built cabins.
View on TPWD ->Hill Country
The Pedernales River stepping over limestone, about 30 miles west of Austin.
View on TPWD ->North Texas
113-million-year-old dinosaur tracks in the Paluxy riverbed near Glen Rose.
View on TPWD ->Panhandle
Home of the official Texas State Bison Herd and red-rock canyons, plus a 64-mile rail-trail.
View on TPWD ->West Texas
High-desert mountain scenery near Fort Davis, with the historic Indian Lodge.
View on TPWD ->Hill Country
A calm Highland Lake (the level rarely drops) for swimming, kayaking, and fishing.
View on TPWD ->Gulf Coast
Five-plus miles of Gulf beach for swimming, fishing, and beach camping near Port Aransas.
View on TPWD ->Gulf Coast
Gulf beach and bayside marshes, with beach camping close to Houston.
View on TPWD ->A few terms you'll see when you book and pack.
Your entrance fee, reserved ahead, that guarantees you can get into the park that day.
Reserve up to 30 days out.
A campsite connection for an RV - water, electric, and sometimes sewer.
'Full hookup' has all three.
A basic tent site with few amenities, often a short hike in.
Usually just a fire ring and nearby water.
Free, primitive camping outside of a campground - allowed in national forests, not state parks.
Pack everything in and out.
A free or discounted entry pass for seniors, people with disabilities, veterans, and others.
Get it at any park with proof.
A county order that bans outdoor fires when it's dry - it changes daily.
No campfires during a ban.
The federal interagency pass for national parks and forests - separate from the Texas pass.
About $80 a year.
Quirks worth knowing
Quick answers
Usually yes - a daily entrance fee per person age 13+. The $70 Texas State Parks Pass waives it for a year, and kids 12 and under are free.
At popular parks it's strongly recommended - reserve a day pass up to 30 days ahead, because busy parks sell out and close to walk-ins. Quieter parks you can usually just drive up to.
Up to 5 months for campsites; up to 30 days for day passes.
Roughly $10-20/night for primitive sites up to $20-40 for full-hookup RV sites, plus the entrance fee. It varies a lot by park.
Yes - the Texas Outdoor Family program lends you everything and teaches the basics for $75 (one night) or $95 (two nights), up to 6 people.
Usually, in the fire ring - unless your county has a burn ban. Always check the burn-ban map first, and ask at primitive sites.
No - drinking or even displaying alcohol in public is prohibited, and all outdoor areas count as public.
Yes, on a leash no longer than 6 feet, but not inside park buildings.
Almost never - only one designated area (Martin Dies, Jr. State Park) or with a filming permit.
Big Bend and Guadalupe Mountains national parks, the national forests (free dispersed camping), and Corps of Engineers and LCRA lakes. Federal sites use recreation.gov or are first-come; LCRA uses ReserveAmerica.
Official sources
Texas State Parks (part of TPWD) runs the parks; federal sites have their own rules and booking. Texas Porch explains; they decide. Confirm fees and availability, and check burn bans, before you go.
Caution: Fees, the reservation window, and burn bans change, and details vary by park. The official park pages and reservation portal are the final word.
