New at this forum

[gregor]

Hello,
Was checking out camping in Texas and came across this forum. I am retired now and my wife retires very soon...Then we become RVers.

Any suggestions for campgrounds in Texas?

We like:
canoing
hiking
quiet
great scenery
warm weather in Jan/Feb
And of course we have our 3rd member: our Labrador who also loves camping.

thanks,
greg

[Troop198]

Thats such a loaded question (if you only knew), I am sure you will get lots of great answers, if you want to start, visit the Texas State Parks website at http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/

You can "find a park" by area of the state or by faclities Note its one big diverse state. We have been to at least 20 of the state parks and all were good for different reasons.

I know folks like private campgrounds and COE parks too.

Our favorites are Daingerfield in east Texas, Fairfield in central, Caprock Canyons in NW, Davis Mountains in West Brazos Bend South and Inks Lake in central. Need more specifics me know.

[Shannon]

Originally Posted by Troop198

Thats such a loaded question (if you only knew), I am sure you will get lots of great answers, if you want to start, visit the Texas State Parks website at http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/

You can "find a park" by area of the state or by faclities Note its one big diverse state.

That will list all the Texas State Parks, State Natural Areas and Historical Sites, but not all parks. For all parks in the state, including city and county parks, that's where WildTexas.com proves useful -- our complete list of Texas Parks lists over 510 parks, and there are still more to be added!

[gregor]

Thanks Troop198 & Shannon,

I spent all last evening going through those websites you listed. I love the way the National Parks have detailed their pages with relative information.

What is the weather like say in North West/East Texas in mid to late October?

thanks again,
greg

[rockhill]

October is beautiful in east Texas. Very pleasant temps and generally the best time of year. North west Texas (talking panhandle region), can be subject to great swings. Mostly nice but if an early cold front approaches you will be sandblasted by dust storms. Same state, two completely different eco zones

[Troop198]

October as noted is great weather for most of Texas. Visit
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/exptexas/splash/

for water type information in the state parks. Once you narrow down the state, let the forum help you plan.

[DayTripper]

Greg,

October through November, even early December, is really a good time to camp in East Texas. With a few exceptions -- Lost Maples State Park and Guadalupe Mountains National Park -- the best fall color in Texas can be found in the northeast part of the state. Some of the best state parks to view this color are Daingerfield, Bob Sandlin, Tyler, Atlanta, and Martin Creek. You can see patches of color at other parks in the area, too, but these are my favorites. All of these have a lake (some large, some small), and most provide plenty of firewood at a reasonable cost (regulations state no gathering of firewood in state parks, though lots of folks do).

Tyler SP has some really good bike trails. All have hiking trails, though most are rather short. Reservations are necessary as many folks like to camp in the fall here. Weather is truly ideal for the most part; an occassional "blue norther" may blow through, but heck, that makes that fire even better! Weekends can be noisy with families, but during the week you will find some very peaceful settings.

I hope you enjoy your time here.

[ploddinTod]

Originally Posted by DayTripper

Greg,

October through November, even early December, is really a good time to camp in East Texas. With a few exceptions -- Lost Maples State Park and Guadalupe Mountains National Park -- the best fall color in Texas can be found in the northeast part of the state.

What you say about the colors of NE TX, Daytripper, is very true. Last fall I was very surprised to see the color display as I drove US 59 to Arkansas for a hiking trip in November.
There's something very nostalgic about the sight of colorful leaves wisping across the highway on a crisp autumn day.

[gregor]

Thanks everyone for the websites. There is much more to Texas than I ever dreamed. Now we have to try and pick one spot from all these amazing parks.

thanks so much,

greg