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Camping in Texas: campsites, permits and passes

Camping in Texas starts in one of a few places: Texas State Parks for state park campsites, Recreation.gov for federal campgrounds, or free dispersed camping on National Forest land. Here's where to book each, plus permits, passes and licences.

Most people go to:

State park campsites

Texas state park campgrounds are booked through Texas State Parks ↗. Book as early as you can for summer and holiday weekends, and check each park's page for cabins, yurts, group sites and pet rules.

National parks in Texas

• Big Bend National Park
• Guadalupe Mountains National Park

Campgrounds in national parks are booked on Recreation.gov. See every park, monument and historic site in Texas on the National Park Service Texas page ↗.

National forests and free camping

Texas's national forests include Sam Houston, Davy Crockett, Angelina, Sabine. Developed campgrounds are booked on Recreation.gov (some are first-come, first-served), and most national forest land allows free dispersed camping away from developed sites, usually for up to 14 days. Check the forest's rules and any fire restrictions first.

Permits and lotteries

• Popular state parks such as Enchanted Rock can sell out day passes on weekends; reserve ahead.

Fishing and hunting licences

Licences for Texas are sold by the Texas Parks and Wildlife ↗, online or at local retailers. Rules and seasons differ by species and water, so check before you go.

Passes

The America the Beautiful pass covers entrance fees at national parks and many federal lands in Texas. State parks usually sell their own day or annual passes; see Texas State Parks.

Best time to camp in Texas

Spring and fall are best. Summer is hot; winter camping is pleasant in many parks.

Questions

Packing checklists

Nearby states (South Central)