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Camping near DFW (Denton)???

Joined
Nov 2, 2007
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Location
North TX
First Name
Scott
Do you guys know of any good places to go camping near DFW? I'm looking for more of a place to camp out of the truck (tent on ground) and just chill out. Preferably by some sort of water source. Maybe a dead end road out by a lake or creek? I guess a dedicated campground would be ok, but not really what I like. Preferably close to Denton, but DFW area is fine. Any little hideaways you guys know?

What do you all think of Mineral Wells SP?

Texas sucks by the way... to many people, not enough seclusion!

Louisiana Native---
Out.

Thanks,
Scott
 
Texas sucks by the way... to many people, not enough seclusion!

Louisiana Native---
Out.

Thanks,
Scott

It's not Texas, its the metroplex...enough seclusion...just not anywhere near the metromess. It seems like it takes days to get out. Growing up in El Paso I could drive for 30 minutes and be out in the middle of nowhere.
 
I have heard good things about camping at a park off FM 455...lake ray roberts i think is the name of the park. I have ridden around the area but never camped. there is some decent riding around there.

being from the east( yes I am a **** yankee, I came here with a U-haul) I am amazed by the amount of open space here in TX, even around the metromess.
 
I have heard good things about camping at a park off FM 455...lake ray roberts i think is the name of the park. I have ridden around the area but never camped. there is some decent riding around there.

I have camped at Lake Ray Roberts SP several times and really lke it. Not sure how much seclusion you are looking for though.

- Bill
 
The LBJ grasslands are not far. Though with hunting season open there may be too many people tromping around with shotguns this time of year for your liking.

Linky

I have camped at Cottonwood Lake, and Valley View when hunting season was not on and our little group had the places to ourselves. Tadra Point is a focal point for the horse crowd. Lots of friendly people and good looking animals.
 
Let me rephrase the "sucks" part... It blows! Nah, its just that in Louisiana, you are allowed to camp free in the National forests. NF and State park campgrounds only cost about 7 bucks for a walk in camp site with no facilities. Texas $12 plus $5 bucks per person. $22 to go camping?? After a portion of our taxes go to state and national parks... just kind of irks me.

I think whats bothering me as much as the cost to go camping, is the fact that where I lived before I moved to Denton had some of the best camping, riding, hiking, biking, etc in Louisiana. Most of it within 30 minutes. And it was all no charge to use.

Its just been so expensive and a headache moving to Texas.... and I'm trying to find a cheap way to go spend time with the family without driving to Oklahoma or Arkansas.


Any ideas/suggestions for LBJ grasslands?
 
Cottonwood was free, Valley View was $4.00, several of the other sites are free, some are $2.00. Those with fees have honor boxes that you stuff the dollars into. Call the office to see if they have maps in stock, they are $10.00 and well worth it for the details provided. I am pretty sure that you can park anywhere along the roads and toss the tent down on a pretty spot.
 
Cottonwood was free, Valley View was $4.00, several of the other sites are free, some are $2.00. Those with fees have honor boxes that you stuff the dollars into. Call the office to see if they have maps in stock, they are $10.00 and well worth it for the details provided. I am pretty sure that you can park anywhere along the roads and toss the tent down on a pretty spot.

Good information! That's the kind of stuff I'm looking for! Going to go check out LBJ this weekend.
 
Good suggestions so far. The grasslands are good options in some different areas too. Then the State parks offer something for almost any interest a different rider might have. Some are Bike friendly. The next ones on my list inlcude Copper Breaks, Caprock Canyons, Fort Richardson, for ideas. I hope to be at Caprock for their stargazing event this month. One can check the Parks for their respective event plans and choose something of interest.:rider::eat:
 
Hickory Creek is a COE park, not state, so there's no admittance, just site fee, and it has both 'utilitied' and primitive camping, primitive being cheaper. Direct link for reservations:
http://www.reserveamerica.com/campi...ode=NRSO&parkId=71200&topTabIndex=CampingSpot

There are also at least two more COE parks on Lake Lavon which aren't bad, just a little too cityslicker-weekenders for me.

There's more inexpensive stuff around than may be at first obvious. Somewhere I found a pdf of a "Texas Public Campgrounds Guide" which has a boatload of resources.

Keep trying!
 
The LBJ grasslands are not far. Though with hunting season open there may be too many people tromping around with shotguns this time of year for your liking.

Linky.

Thanks for the grasslands and natl forest info, Ed. That was a resource I had not known about. Think I'll wait till the guns are gone though. :eek2:
 
You're in Dallas dummy, of course it's crowded! :lol2: Appologies to Texas are in order.
 
Thanks for the grasslands and natl forest info, Ed. That was a resource I had not known about. Think I'll wait till the guns are gone though. :eek2:

Just don't fly overhead looking like a dove and you'll be okay.

Seriously, there can be shooting going on at the Grasslands any time. Gun deer season doesn't open up until Nov. 7 (the youth season opens the weekend before that, I believe). It's a pretty big area.
 
You're in Dallas dummy, of course it's crowded! :lol2: Appologies to Texas are in order.


No, in Denton.


I like Texas, dont get me wrong. Faster roads and *surprisingly* more courteous drivers. But something that I noticed immediately about Denton, and this is going to sound extremely racist to some, but its sooo much more peaceful in Denton (than Natchitoches, LA), due to an extreme swing in ethnic demographics.
 
Touche'.

Dallas/DFW/Denton are pretty crowded. I'm suprised you would consider that area peaceful but it's all relative. Before I left for DC, I thought Austin was a bad city to drive in. Now, I think Texas traffic is wonderful even in the DFW.

You ought to take the kids south to Sam Houston State park or the hill country. Both areas are wondeful to camp in. A warning though, if you try to go west from Denton it doesn't get any better and eventually turns to barren wasteland like El Paso. :lol2: We're a great place to film apacolypse movies.
 
Lots of good dirt and rocky roads to ride in LBJ also. Camping at a national forest would be the same price in LA or TX. I would look SW for dinosaurs at the state park but I can't remember the name. Clear water and dino footprints in it.

Best way to beat the cost of Texas state parks camping is to buy the annual pass. It was $60 last year and it covers entrance fees for all in one car. Then you just pay the campsite fee. I have spent time in many parks free (with the pass) where I just rode around and went swimming during the day. Then I took a bunch out for fishing at the beach at Matagorda SP and no one had to have a fishing license (again with the annual pass).
 
The absolute best place to camp and ride dirt bikes within 3 hours of Denton is Broken Bow, OK. It is incredibly scenic and the camping is cheap or free. I have stayed there a couple of times in the state park tent areas and they never came around to take my money.
 
No, in Denton.


I like Texas, dont get me wrong. Faster roads and *surprisingly* more courteous drivers.

Apology accepted.:chug:

The Grasslands is probably the coolest place to camp near DFW, Fairfield state park is nice, but probably not the same level of isolation that you're looking for. It's a long way from DFW but if you've got a 3/4 day weekend coming up, and like riding on sand/the beach, I don't think you can beat Padre Island National Seashore. 60~Miles of beach front for $5. Just keep riding till you're alone enough ;)

I'm not sure exactly where but I think there's some free camping areas up in the Talihina OK area in the national forest. Good riding up there too.
 
Touche'.

You ought to take the kids south to Sam Houston State park or the hill country. Both areas are wondeful to camp in. A warning though, if you try to go west from Denton it doesn't get any better and eventually turns to barren wasteland like El Paso. :lol2: We're a great place to film apacolypse movies.

I want to go to the Hill Country.
I've made the drive on I-10 to El Paso...:doh: 18 hours of the most boring HWY ever!

Lots of good dirt and rocky roads to ride in LBJ also. Camping at a national forest would be the same price in LA or TX. I would look SW for dinosaurs at the state park but I can't remember the name. Clear water and dino footprints in it.

Best way to beat the cost of Texas state parks camping is to buy the annual pass. It was $60 last year and it covers entrance fees for all in one car. Then you just pay the campsite fee. I have spent time in many parks free (with the pass) where I just rode around and went swimming during the day. Then I took a bunch out for fishing at the beach at Matagorda SP and no one had to have a fishing license (again with the annual pass).

Dinosaur Valley SP. Will check it out soon, as well as Mineral Wells.

Pass sounds like a good investment.

I want to go to Matagorda SP. Actually. Been wanting to go there for a while, just spend a few days on the beach. I wonder what the Nov. Lows are, on the beach?

The absolute best place to camp and ride dirt bikes within 3 hours of Denton is Broken Bow, OK. It is incredibly scenic and the camping is cheap or free. I have stayed there a couple of times in the state park tent areas and they never came around to take my money.

Apology accepted.:chug:

The Grasslands is probably the coolest place to camp near DFW, Fairfield state park is nice, but probably not the same level of isolation that you're looking for. It's a long way from DFW but if you've got a 3/4 day weekend coming up, and like riding on sand/the beach, I don't think you can beat Padre Island National Seashore. 60~Miles of beach front for $5. Just keep riding till you're alone enough ;)

I'm not sure exactly where but I think there's some free camping areas up in the Talihina OK area in the national forest. Good riding up there too.

Been looking at Broken Bow. Have been to Talihina area. Stayed at Queen Wilhamena lodge, and camped in primitive campsite during a hellatious lightening/hail storm... no rain though!
 
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