The best waterside camping in Texas

·

In Texas, waterside camping means waking up to the sound of rivers and lakes, with over 13,000 campsites to choose from. Prices start at just $6 a night, and the average is around $50. You’ll find showers, toilets, and campfires allowed at most spots. Many sites offer easy access to horseback riding, hiking trails, and wildlife-watching. Locals swear by 5D RANCH (1190 reviews) for its shady oaks and wide-open skies, 4R Ranch Winery Campsite (834 reviews) for its hilltop views and on-site tasting room, and Camping near Hamilton Pool (698 reviews) for swimming holes you’ll remember. Texas waterside campsites offer a practical base for exploring, whether you want to fish before breakfast or hike at sunset. Bookings fill up fast during spring and fall, so plan ahead if you want a prime spot by the water.

95% (18.9K)

Top-rated campgrounds

At Sparrow Bend River Retreat, the gentle curves of the river meet the curated comforts of a serene escape!

1. Sparrow Bend River Retreat

96%
(1236)
12 sites · Tents, RVs, Lodging · Pipe Creek, TX
Sparrow Bend River Retreat is a beautiful 8 acre multi-site vacation rental property with camping, RV sites and 2 vacation homes.With a private 300yard stretch of the crystal-clear, spring fed MEDINA RIVER your party will spend the day exploring its majestic cliffs and coves, paddling/floating the river (tubes and kayaks for rent), splashing in the shallows, playing yard games on the lawn or sunbathing on a massive bolder.Enjoy a delicious and memorable dinner in Lakehills (15min), Bandera (20min) or Boerne (25min). Or stay in and grill out over the fire, or at the provided grill.Camp sites each have a customized picnic table for you convenience.Spend you evening sharing laughs around the provided firepit as you take in the dazzling canopy of stars. (Firewood available for sale)Our family has always dreamed of hosting a place for families and friends to come enjoy nature however we would have never dreamed of finding a property as unique and beautiful as this. A lake when the water is high, a beautiful river when the waters low. All crowned by a majestic limestone bluff, complete with boulders, coves and endless room for adventures.This land was once a part of a wagon trail along the river and, if you're lucky, you can still find arrowheads along the paths.The property is gated with a high privacy fence along the neighboring borders for security.
Pets
Potable water
Toilets
from 
$55
 / night
Lake Godstone™ Top of Dam Group Campgound will accommodate up to 25 guests in guest provided small RV's, tents and campers.

3. Lake Godstone™ Lodging and Camping

98%
(244)
29 sites · Tents, RVs, Lodging · Graford, TX
Lake Godstone™, near Graford, Texas, is a thriving destination introduced to the market in 2017. Initially focused on families, church youth groups, and sports teams, it has since become a hub for a wide array of events, such as birthday and graduation parties, family reunions, church camps, and business team-building retreats. The venue boasts extensive facilities and activities, including: Accommodations: A 35-person lodge, a three-bedroom guest home, fully furnished cabins, primitive cabins, group campgrounds, RV and tenting campsites, and primitive tenting sites. Recreational Activities: Three sandy beaches, six partially covered docks with swim ladders and canoe moorings, kayaks, canoes, a rowboat, pedal boats, water lily pads, and a sports field complex featuring a lit basketball court, sand volleyball court, and baseball and soccer practice fields. Nature and Exploration: An observatory with a telescope, four miles of mountain bike and hike trails, two new fishing ponds, wildlife feed and water stations, a bird view house overlooking a beaver pond, an aquaponics greenhouse, and six miles of all-weather roads. Rental Options: UTVs, a golf cart, and a pontoon boat. Amenities: A comfort station with restrooms and showers, picnic tables, charcoal grills, large fire pits, shelters, a tree house shelter, a campground office, and a small store with a kids' sand playground. Lake Godstone's diverse offerings and scenic environment make it an ideal location for any retreat or gathering.
Pets
Potable water
Toilets
from 
$40
 / night
Fishers Of Men Ranch

5. Fishers Of Men Ranch

98%
(195)
71 sites · Tents, RVs · Marble Falls, TX
Fishers Of Men Ranch is Perfect for Looking for a Private Place to bring yourself, family, and friends. Want to ESCAPE the HUSTLE and BUSTLE of Everyday Life! We’ve have the PERFECT Environment for Enjoying a Relaxing Stay here! We have Rustic, Rugged, Terrain to Hike, Discover, Explore, and Observe! Gorgeous 39 acres to Roam freely and find your favorite place to Get Away From It All! This is a GUEST RANCH ONLY! NO Dogs Allowed. Bill and Kaz will meet you at the Gate and Estcourt you into the Ranch and show you where to go. Need to Set up Arrival Time when giving information to Kaz for Invoice information she will ask for in a Text after you BOOK with HipCamp. You will LOVE it here at the Ranch because We are Different from other Camping places! We Strive to be Different! The April 8, 2024, Solar Eclipse was an AMAZING Experience with OVER 200 Guests on the Ranch to View the Eclipse! Everything went Extremely WELL Without A Hitch! Thank You Dave for bringing your 4 Telescopes and Screen to View the Eclipse! Several others brought their Telescopes and Fancy Cameras! Thank all of you who shared your Telescopes! The Ranch has OPENED UP More Camping Roads to make more room for More Tent Camping! Used allot of them during the Solar Eclipse! Bill and Kaz are already Working on improving MORE Campsites after the Eclipse! Opening these New Campsite Roads has also OPENED UP More to Explore! Kaz will be ADDING More Pictures of Latest Goings On on the Ranch! Be sure and Checkout our Pictures of the Ranch! Most pictures taken with Cell Phones! All Pictures of the Animals are found on the Ranch, come see the many Varieties we have here! When you Book EXPECT a friendly Text from Kaz asking for information that she needs from you being this Ranch is Private Property. FRONT GATE STAYS CLOSED AT ALL TIMES! To Keep All On The Ranch SAFE! All RV and Tent Camping is a PACK Your TRASH IN and PACK Your TRASH OUT! Because of the Volume of Campers coming, the Ranch can NO Longer take your Trash! Buzzard's, Raccoon's, Foxes, and Etc. will get into the Trash! Don't leave TRASH Outside! ALL CAMPFIRES MUST BE DROWNED OUT! WATER is Provided and you are EXPECTED to DROWN OUT Your FIRES! And if Bottles Used REFILL Them! FREE Firewood is Provided. Oak Wood for Cooking and Cedar wood for Campfire ambiance! Keep Campfires LOW! NO Bonfire! All TENT Camping is Primitive! NO Facilities! RUSTIC! BRING a Potty and Tent or SHOVEL and BURY it! ALL Campsites are VERY CLEAN and Keep It Clean! FOR RVers We have ALL HOOKUPS for Water, Electrical, and Sewer! On WEST Side. EAST Side has Electrical and Water ONLY, to Use DUMP Station, Working on More Sewer Hookups in Future. Unless LARGE CROWD, Most of the Time the West Side is Available for RV Camping! NO Throwing Rocks in Lake because hurts your feet when walking on bottom! We are ASKING Everyone to HELP Take Rocks OUT OF LAKE! FOR SAFETY ON YOUR FEET! If Everyone Takes Out 6 Rocks No Matter the SIZE that will HELP RID of the ROCKS Out of the Lake! Of Course You Can Take More Rocks OUT! "KNOCK YOURSELF OUT" (LOL) PUT ROCKS STACKED IN A PILE ON NORTH END OF LAKE and Bill and Kaz will pickup the Pile. (Thank You in Advance!) NO MUDDING with 4X4 Vehicles because leaves BIG Ruts in the Mud and messes up the Lake Environment! Keep the Lake area beautiful! Kaz always had a DREAM to help kids with Life Skills & Mentor in God’s Principles because she had Christian Mentors growing up! They were always there for her through her life and kept her focused down the right path and stayed out of trouble and learned a tremendous amount from them! Bill her husband supports her and they raised 7 children together and have 10 grandkids. Kaz father was Asperger's Autistic and from 5 years old started showing Kaz hands on learning skills that are still instilled in her today! She found this to be a Valuable Lesson from her Dad. These methods and skills through the years working with her own children and other children through the years with different organizations confirm to be very beneficial and encouraging for the children growing up. Bill and Kaz have shared equally through all they’re projects during they’re 40 years of marriage. They’re Jack Of All Trades, Artists, Shown in Art Shows, Remodeled Homes, Churches, Work on the Ranch Together, and Etc. They are able to teach others how to do things that can benefit kids till they graduate and have a better understanding of what they want to do in their lives as an adult and PLUS have the mentoring to guide them through life. The Ranch has its main Mission to work with youth but is open to Renting the Ranch House that Sleeps 1 to 20 guests, and RV/5th Wheeled Campers Camp Sites and Tent Camping for them to Enjoy the Marvels that God has Created and Lot's to Experience, Explore, and Observe! The Ranch is PERFECT for Hosting: Weddings, Special Events, Retreats, Family Reunions, Youth Activities, Church Activities, Boy/Girl Scouts, Boys/Girls Club, RV Camper Clubs, and Etc. to accommodate whatever you need for the special essentials you would like to have provided for your special event! The Fishers of Men Ranch (Name) is Biblical and was Given to Kaz by the Lord 4 years before finding the Ranch. You see that the Lord had something Special here for Bill and Kaz to do for others Long Before they purchased the Ranch the LORD had His PLAN for Bill and Kaz. They have owned the Ranch since, July 2016. (For Hosting a Special Event Call, Text, or Leave Voicemail to the Ranch Directly) (Hosting Special Events handled through Ranch) Fishers Of Men Ranch is a Family Friendly Environment and Christian Based!
Potable water
Toilets
Campfires
from 
$40
 / night
Bee Mountain River Resort

6. Bee Mountain River Resort

98%
(211)
10 sites · Tents, RVs · Cleburne, TX
Nature and wildlife filled with fun and relaxation, Bee Mountain River Resort is a one-of-a-kind property. Private, spacious and beautiful, we are blessed with 1.5 miles of sandy beaches along the Brazos River where campers leave the stress and white noise of life’s hectic pace behind. Visitors enjoy our quiet and beautiful surroundings along with the good company of family and friends. And best of all, you get to play on some of the finest water in Texas for boating, fishing and water sports. Adults and kids love it here because it’s a great place to hang out, to be active, and to have some good old fashion fun. Our customers are usually groups of friends and family; many of them have camped here for years. A few even claim to have grown up on the river and, to some extent, that might be true. Bee Mountain Resort is a secluded off-the-grid campground that's been around since the '70s. And it's pretty well known to the locals. I first discovered the Brazos River back in 1985 looking for smooth water to ski on. And having developed so many great memories camping over the years, I can confidently say our resort is classic and old school. Change comes pretty slow on the Brazos.....and we happen to like it that way! Family, friends, kids and pets all love our amazing getaway; it's a rare gem best shared with good people. Every campsite is located directly on the river and all of them are huge. Firewood, ice, kayaks, paddleboards and generators are available at low prices. Great tasting water from our 500' deep well, clean restrooms and a camper dump station are located on premises. We are very pet friendly providing your pet is friendly.
Pets
Potable water
Toilets
from 
$60
 / night

In Texas, waterside camping means waking up to the sound of rivers and lakes, with over 13,000 campsites to choose from. Prices start at just $6 a night, and the average is around $50. You’ll find showers, toilets, and campfires allowed at most spots. Many sites offer easy access to horseback riding, hiking trails, and wildlife-watching. Locals swear by 5D RANCH (1190 reviews) for its shady oaks and wide-open skies, 4R Ranch Winery Campsite (834 reviews) for its hilltop views and on-site tasting room, and Camping near Hamilton Pool (698 reviews) for swimming holes you’ll remember. Texas waterside campsites offer a practical base for exploring, whether you want to fish before breakfast or hike at sunset. Bookings fill up fast during spring and fall, so plan ahead if you want a prime spot by the water.

95% (18.9K)

Top-rated campgrounds

At Sparrow Bend River Retreat, the gentle curves of the river meet the curated comforts of a serene escape!

1. Sparrow Bend River Retreat

96%
(1236)
12 sites · Tents, RVs, Lodging · Pipe Creek, TX
Sparrow Bend River Retreat is a beautiful 8 acre multi-site vacation rental property with camping, RV sites and 2 vacation homes.With a private 300yard stretch of the crystal-clear, spring fed MEDINA RIVER your party will spend the day exploring its majestic cliffs and coves, paddling/floating the river (tubes and kayaks for rent), splashing in the shallows, playing yard games on the lawn or sunbathing on a massive bolder.Enjoy a delicious and memorable dinner in Lakehills (15min), Bandera (20min) or Boerne (25min). Or stay in and grill out over the fire, or at the provided grill.Camp sites each have a customized picnic table for you convenience.Spend you evening sharing laughs around the provided firepit as you take in the dazzling canopy of stars. (Firewood available for sale)Our family has always dreamed of hosting a place for families and friends to come enjoy nature however we would have never dreamed of finding a property as unique and beautiful as this. A lake when the water is high, a beautiful river when the waters low. All crowned by a majestic limestone bluff, complete with boulders, coves and endless room for adventures.This land was once a part of a wagon trail along the river and, if you're lucky, you can still find arrowheads along the paths.The property is gated with a high privacy fence along the neighboring borders for security.
Pets
Potable water
Toilets
from 
$55
 / night
Lake Godstone™ Top of Dam Group Campgound will accommodate up to 25 guests in guest provided small RV's, tents and campers.

3. Lake Godstone™ Lodging and Camping

98%
(244)
29 sites · Tents, RVs, Lodging · Graford, TX
Lake Godstone™, near Graford, Texas, is a thriving destination introduced to the market in 2017. Initially focused on families, church youth groups, and sports teams, it has since become a hub for a wide array of events, such as birthday and graduation parties, family reunions, church camps, and business team-building retreats. The venue boasts extensive facilities and activities, including: Accommodations: A 35-person lodge, a three-bedroom guest home, fully furnished cabins, primitive cabins, group campgrounds, RV and tenting campsites, and primitive tenting sites. Recreational Activities: Three sandy beaches, six partially covered docks with swim ladders and canoe moorings, kayaks, canoes, a rowboat, pedal boats, water lily pads, and a sports field complex featuring a lit basketball court, sand volleyball court, and baseball and soccer practice fields. Nature and Exploration: An observatory with a telescope, four miles of mountain bike and hike trails, two new fishing ponds, wildlife feed and water stations, a bird view house overlooking a beaver pond, an aquaponics greenhouse, and six miles of all-weather roads. Rental Options: UTVs, a golf cart, and a pontoon boat. Amenities: A comfort station with restrooms and showers, picnic tables, charcoal grills, large fire pits, shelters, a tree house shelter, a campground office, and a small store with a kids' sand playground. Lake Godstone's diverse offerings and scenic environment make it an ideal location for any retreat or gathering.
Pets
Potable water
Toilets
from 
$40
 / night
Fishers Of Men Ranch

5. Fishers Of Men Ranch

98%
(195)
71 sites · Tents, RVs · Marble Falls, TX
Fishers Of Men Ranch is Perfect for Looking for a Private Place to bring yourself, family, and friends. Want to ESCAPE the HUSTLE and BUSTLE of Everyday Life! We’ve have the PERFECT Environment for Enjoying a Relaxing Stay here! We have Rustic, Rugged, Terrain to Hike, Discover, Explore, and Observe! Gorgeous 39 acres to Roam freely and find your favorite place to Get Away From It All! This is a GUEST RANCH ONLY! NO Dogs Allowed. Bill and Kaz will meet you at the Gate and Estcourt you into the Ranch and show you where to go. Need to Set up Arrival Time when giving information to Kaz for Invoice information she will ask for in a Text after you BOOK with HipCamp. You will LOVE it here at the Ranch because We are Different from other Camping places! We Strive to be Different! The April 8, 2024, Solar Eclipse was an AMAZING Experience with OVER 200 Guests on the Ranch to View the Eclipse! Everything went Extremely WELL Without A Hitch! Thank You Dave for bringing your 4 Telescopes and Screen to View the Eclipse! Several others brought their Telescopes and Fancy Cameras! Thank all of you who shared your Telescopes! The Ranch has OPENED UP More Camping Roads to make more room for More Tent Camping! Used allot of them during the Solar Eclipse! Bill and Kaz are already Working on improving MORE Campsites after the Eclipse! Opening these New Campsite Roads has also OPENED UP More to Explore! Kaz will be ADDING More Pictures of Latest Goings On on the Ranch! Be sure and Checkout our Pictures of the Ranch! Most pictures taken with Cell Phones! All Pictures of the Animals are found on the Ranch, come see the many Varieties we have here! When you Book EXPECT a friendly Text from Kaz asking for information that she needs from you being this Ranch is Private Property. FRONT GATE STAYS CLOSED AT ALL TIMES! To Keep All On The Ranch SAFE! All RV and Tent Camping is a PACK Your TRASH IN and PACK Your TRASH OUT! Because of the Volume of Campers coming, the Ranch can NO Longer take your Trash! Buzzard's, Raccoon's, Foxes, and Etc. will get into the Trash! Don't leave TRASH Outside! ALL CAMPFIRES MUST BE DROWNED OUT! WATER is Provided and you are EXPECTED to DROWN OUT Your FIRES! And if Bottles Used REFILL Them! FREE Firewood is Provided. Oak Wood for Cooking and Cedar wood for Campfire ambiance! Keep Campfires LOW! NO Bonfire! All TENT Camping is Primitive! NO Facilities! RUSTIC! BRING a Potty and Tent or SHOVEL and BURY it! ALL Campsites are VERY CLEAN and Keep It Clean! FOR RVers We have ALL HOOKUPS for Water, Electrical, and Sewer! On WEST Side. EAST Side has Electrical and Water ONLY, to Use DUMP Station, Working on More Sewer Hookups in Future. Unless LARGE CROWD, Most of the Time the West Side is Available for RV Camping! NO Throwing Rocks in Lake because hurts your feet when walking on bottom! We are ASKING Everyone to HELP Take Rocks OUT OF LAKE! FOR SAFETY ON YOUR FEET! If Everyone Takes Out 6 Rocks No Matter the SIZE that will HELP RID of the ROCKS Out of the Lake! Of Course You Can Take More Rocks OUT! "KNOCK YOURSELF OUT" (LOL) PUT ROCKS STACKED IN A PILE ON NORTH END OF LAKE and Bill and Kaz will pickup the Pile. (Thank You in Advance!) NO MUDDING with 4X4 Vehicles because leaves BIG Ruts in the Mud and messes up the Lake Environment! Keep the Lake area beautiful! Kaz always had a DREAM to help kids with Life Skills & Mentor in God’s Principles because she had Christian Mentors growing up! They were always there for her through her life and kept her focused down the right path and stayed out of trouble and learned a tremendous amount from them! Bill her husband supports her and they raised 7 children together and have 10 grandkids. Kaz father was Asperger's Autistic and from 5 years old started showing Kaz hands on learning skills that are still instilled in her today! She found this to be a Valuable Lesson from her Dad. These methods and skills through the years working with her own children and other children through the years with different organizations confirm to be very beneficial and encouraging for the children growing up. Bill and Kaz have shared equally through all they’re projects during they’re 40 years of marriage. They’re Jack Of All Trades, Artists, Shown in Art Shows, Remodeled Homes, Churches, Work on the Ranch Together, and Etc. They are able to teach others how to do things that can benefit kids till they graduate and have a better understanding of what they want to do in their lives as an adult and PLUS have the mentoring to guide them through life. The Ranch has its main Mission to work with youth but is open to Renting the Ranch House that Sleeps 1 to 20 guests, and RV/5th Wheeled Campers Camp Sites and Tent Camping for them to Enjoy the Marvels that God has Created and Lot's to Experience, Explore, and Observe! The Ranch is PERFECT for Hosting: Weddings, Special Events, Retreats, Family Reunions, Youth Activities, Church Activities, Boy/Girl Scouts, Boys/Girls Club, RV Camper Clubs, and Etc. to accommodate whatever you need for the special essentials you would like to have provided for your special event! The Fishers of Men Ranch (Name) is Biblical and was Given to Kaz by the Lord 4 years before finding the Ranch. You see that the Lord had something Special here for Bill and Kaz to do for others Long Before they purchased the Ranch the LORD had His PLAN for Bill and Kaz. They have owned the Ranch since, July 2016. (For Hosting a Special Event Call, Text, or Leave Voicemail to the Ranch Directly) (Hosting Special Events handled through Ranch) Fishers Of Men Ranch is a Family Friendly Environment and Christian Based!
Potable water
Toilets
Campfires
from 
$40
 / night
Bee Mountain River Resort

6. Bee Mountain River Resort

98%
(211)
10 sites · Tents, RVs · Cleburne, TX
Nature and wildlife filled with fun and relaxation, Bee Mountain River Resort is a one-of-a-kind property. Private, spacious and beautiful, we are blessed with 1.5 miles of sandy beaches along the Brazos River where campers leave the stress and white noise of life’s hectic pace behind. Visitors enjoy our quiet and beautiful surroundings along with the good company of family and friends. And best of all, you get to play on some of the finest water in Texas for boating, fishing and water sports. Adults and kids love it here because it’s a great place to hang out, to be active, and to have some good old fashion fun. Our customers are usually groups of friends and family; many of them have camped here for years. A few even claim to have grown up on the river and, to some extent, that might be true. Bee Mountain Resort is a secluded off-the-grid campground that's been around since the '70s. And it's pretty well known to the locals. I first discovered the Brazos River back in 1985 looking for smooth water to ski on. And having developed so many great memories camping over the years, I can confidently say our resort is classic and old school. Change comes pretty slow on the Brazos.....and we happen to like it that way! Family, friends, kids and pets all love our amazing getaway; it's a rare gem best shared with good people. Every campsite is located directly on the river and all of them are huge. Firewood, ice, kayaks, paddleboards and generators are available at low prices. Great tasting water from our 500' deep well, clean restrooms and a camper dump station are located on premises. We are very pet friendly providing your pet is friendly.
Pets
Potable water
Toilets
from 
$60
 / night

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Happy farmer sitting in a truck in a grassy field
Happy farmer sitting in a truck in a grassy field