Best Camping in and near Meridian State Park

86% (7 reviews)

Anglers take note: this small lake packs a large diversity of fish.

Popular ways to camp

Community favorites near Meridian State Park

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Public campgrounds in the park
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Stay at a public campground in Meridian State Park

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Crosstimbers Campground

15 sites · RVs, Tents In Meridian State Park

Lakeside Campground

6 sites · RVs, Tents In Meridian State Park

from

$17

/ night

Cottonwood Cove Campground

1 site In Meridian State Park

from

$56

/ night

Shinnery Ridge East Campground

8 sites In Meridian State Park

from

$17

/ night

Cedar Ridge Campground

1 site · RV, Tent In Meridian State Park

Juniper Ridge Campground

7 sites · RVs, Tents In Meridian State Park

Shinnery Ridge West Campground

8 sites In Meridian State Park

from

$15

/ night

Top-rated campgrounds near Meridian State Park

94%

(596)

Gypsy Moon Hideaway

13 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents20 acres · Weatherford, TX

Located at the end of the road. There is over 20 acres. Some cleared and some still in original woods. Trees, grass and deer everywhere. There is over a quarter mile of Brazos riverfront property although you cannot get to the river on all of it due to it being in its natural state. There is a beach at the main camp that provides easy in and out of the water. the water depth varies with the rainfall but is usually between 2-4 feet deep.

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Pecans on the Paluxy - River Views

5 sites · RVs, Tents5 acres · Glen Rose, TX

Pitch your tent or boondock your RV on the Paluxy River under giant pecan trees. Enjoy the scenic view of our beautiful river. Our private property is located near the historic square of glen rose but feels like you are miles away in the country. Have fun kayaking, swimming, fishing, or just sit back and enjoy the views. We have 5 different spacious sites to choose from. Most have a tree break area in-between for privacy. Or rent all 5 and have the entire property to yourself. Updated river photos will be posted on our Facebook page, or message me for updates. Unfortunately, I'm not able to control the river. It goes up and down depending on rain and temperatures. The river gets pretty low during July and August. Wheeler Branch Reservoir(only a few miles from camp) is a great spot to swim and fish when the river water levels are lower. Very small lake that is good for swimming and kayaking with a dock, clear waters. We have 5 different sites. All of them overlook the Paluxy River, have rock fire pits, seating areas, patios, and stairs down to riverbed. You will have access to one of the most beautiful parts of the Paluxy River. During drought conditions and high temperatures I always recommend keeping your head above water and avoiding stagnant areas in the river. In order to reserve a spot you must be 21 or over. This is not a extremely remote place where you can party and go crazy. We want everyone to be able to sit back, relax and enjoy the views. Site Big Pecan: This is the farthest site upriver and has one of the largest pecan trees I've ever seen. The trees provide great shade cover during the summer. This site has an awesome rock patio seating area with 2 wooden Adirondack chairs overlooking the river with stairs to provide easy access down into the water. It also has a rock firepit with 2 wooden Adirondack chairs on a rock patio. Also includes a kids sand box, and a picnic table with shade umbrella, and numerous extras available to rent. Site 1 Limestone ledge: Firepit seating area overlooking the river with 4 Adirondack chairs and a shade umbrella, separate rock patio closer to the water overlooking the river with 2 wooden rocking chairs, stairs down to riverbed, huge pecan trees, kids play set with sand box, 1 picnic table, shade umbrella, and a 10' x 10' raised tent deck platform overlooking the river. Site 2: Firepit seating area overlooking limestone riverbed with 3 Adirondack chairs, picnic table with a shade umbrella, 10' x 10' raised tent / deck platform, stairs down to riverbed and shallow area of the river for kids to play. Awesome view of the river with trees / shrubs on each side for privacy. Site 3: Firepit seating area overlooking the riverbed, 2 wooden Adirondack chairs, 2 picnic tables, 1 shade umbrella, 2 sets of rock stairs to the riverbed, shallow area of the river for kids to play. Awesome view of the river with trees / shrubs on each side for privacy. Site 4 Farthest site downstream. Nice rock patio overlooking the river with two wooden rocking chairs. Easy access for RVs and trailers. Rock stairs to the river for easy access. Fire pit with rock patio around it with 4 wooden Adirondack chairs. Picnic table with shade umbrella. Kids sand box. Shallow areas for kids to play in the river. Deeper fishing hole about 100 feet down river. Great area to sit in the river with a lawn chair. Awesome view of the river with trees / shrubs on each side for privacy. A lot of people buy two sites for more privacy and room for larger groups. For example, many purchase Big Pecan and site 1 together. Or sites 2 and 3. kayaks, wood, outdoor games, frisbee golf baskets and disc, grill and utensils, propane firepit, and other extras available for rent. Please select those during checkout Tips: Bring river shoes, nose plugs, swimming essentials. Parts of the river can be very slippery. Bring life jackets, especially for children. Bring the essentials for any camping trip including: sunscreen, bug spray, anti-itch meds, etc. Chairs and sunshades to sit in the river are always popular. The Paluxy river ranges from just a few inches deep to 5 feet deep in our camping area. There are more swimming holes a little deeper up and downstream. Water is available at the entrance. No restroom - pack in, pack out. Bring your own potty and water. If you are not familiar with dry camping do some research. There are all types of methods for restrooms, heating, cooling, etc. available now to make it enjoyable. Dogs are allowed on leash. Please do not allow your dog to roam freely if they are aggressive in nature. Clean up after them. Cancellation Policy: You may cancel up to 3 days before your stay for a full refund. Weekends during peak seasons (March - June & September - November) are non-refundable unless canceled and another camper reserves the site. I do offer partial refunds for extreme weather conditions. Activities Nearby: Dinosaur Valley State Park (Hiking, Biking, Swimming) - 4.5 miles Fossil Rim Wildlife Center (Drive through the park) - 3.9 miles Historic Glen Rose Square (Eat, shop) - .5 miles Big Rocks Park (Free, Kids love to crawl on the huge boulders and wade in the river) - 1.3 miles Oakdale Park (Swimming pool, playground) - 1.4 miles Paluxy Heritage Park / River Walk (Free, Pretty walk, Connects to Big Rocks dam)- 1.2 miles Somervell County Museum (Free, donation) - .7 miles Wheeler Branch Reservoir - (small lake, good kayak fishing, clear)Expo Center (Rodeos, dog shows, different events depending on schedule) Places to eat:*Hammonds BBQ - 2 miles*Sexton Feed Mill Grill/Bar (River View) - .7 miles Los Primos Mexican Food/Bar - 1.7 miles*Mama Mia Mexican Cuisine -*Riverhouse Grill (Lil more upscale) - .4 miles*The Green Pickle (Hamburgers) - .7 milesLa Vita Italian Food - .7 miles*Big Cup Eatery (Breakfast, Dinner) - .9 miles* Storiebook Cafe (Sandwiches, wraps)- .8 miles Beehive Cafe - (hamburgers, Mexican food)Simple Simons (Pizza, calzones) -Snyder's Tavern Bar - .5 miles Blackies Bar/Grill - .7 miles Bull Lion Ranch Winery - .7 miles*Shoo-Fly Soda Shop (Ice-cream, pies) - .7 miles*Loco Coyote Grill/Bar (BBQ) - 8.8 miles Crave Bakery (coffee, pastries) - .8 miles*Grounded Coffee Shop (Coffee, salad bar)Debbie’s Restaurant (Breakfast) -Tiger Corner (Pastries, Sandwiches) -Subway -Sugar Biscuits (Lil Everything) -Teriyaki Chinese Food -Sunshine Doughnuts - *Rough Creek Lodge (upscale reservations, lunch $25, Dinner $125) - 15 miles*Overlook Cafe Fossil Rim (Free by bypassing main entrance, hamburgers, awesome view, petting zoo, gift shop) - 4 miles 7-Eleven Laredo Taco -Tacote (breakfast burritos, lunch) Cancellation Policy: You have until 3 days before your arrival to cancel for a full refund. This is strictly enforced for weekends or holidays. Credits for future stays are not available due to insurance reasons. Cancel as soon as you can. If you cancel after the 3 day period, but I am able to fill the site a refund will be given minus any fees incurred. Please understand there is only 5 sites at this location. A late cancellation hurts our business and those families that wanted to reserve a spot.

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Hideout Ridge

8 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents50 acres · Covington, TX

50 acres covered in large oak trees. We offer several miles of hiking trails, a three acre vineyard, a beautiful pond, secluded camping and abundant wildlife. Located in north western Hill County 15 miles from I-35, Hideout Ridge looks out upon the highest point in the county. Each camp site is separated by trees. A cedar bathhouse with a toilet and hot water shower is a five minute walk from the tent sites and non potable water is available from the tap. A fire pit is available except during dry conditions . The host lives on the property.

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EcoRich Ranch

8 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents100 acres · Bluff Dale, TX

Come stay on our 100 acre Richard Creek Valley getaway, gently tucked away on the north slope. There are four campsites on the property and they are all at least 150 yards away from each other. Each site is private. When the ground is dry there is access for all vehicles. When the ground is muddy, Brookside, RiverRock, and Richardson Creek campsites require a 4-wheel drive and have alternate routes to get to them. Ancient Oaks is an all-weather site. You can enjoy hiking and swimming in Richardson Creek when water levels permit. Canoeing from Bakers Crossing put-in which is only 3 miles away. Some places to check out while you are here include Dinosaur Valley State Park, Dinosaur World, Granbury Historic Square, Stephenville Rodeo, Bakers Crossing River Put-In, Oakdale Plunge Pool, and BigRocks Park in Glen Rose. Please no loud noises after 9:00 pm as this is quiet time, out of respect for other campers.

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DeerCreek Campground

7 sites · Tents57 acres · Cleburne, TX

Property is on the farm where I grew up about 9 miles northeast of Glen Rose off of Highway 67. It has various trees on property with cedar, live oak, post oak, etc. Campsites are in front of a wide waterfall which is about 5 feet in height. You can fall asleep with the sound of the waterfalls! We have three ground tent sites and two 14 by 14 deck sites if you want to be up off the ground. Each site has a fire ring and electricity. There are well-marked trails across the creek which go to a meadow and a big treehouse I built several years ago. Glen Rose has several restaurants known for barbecue and Mexican food. Granbury is 25 minutes away with lots of shopping and restaurants around their historic town square. Glen Rose also has a town square.

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Sandy Bottoms River Company

32 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents7 acres · Weatherford, TX

Learn more about this land: Sandy Bottoms River Company is a diamond in the rough offering primitive tent with river access, river bank tent camping, RV spots, RV rentals, cabins and a vacation home. Note, SBRC offers accommodations on several different properties within the general area. Address will be given prior to check in. $28 Primitive remote tent camp is a short walk across the street to a 3 level dock for access to the sandy Brazos River. River tent sites give you the option to upgrade and camp on the river with a 300' of sandy beach to play on. $50.00 for direct primitive river front tent camping. All of our spots are heavily shaded! Porta Potties, fire rings, picnic tables and water available at all campgrounds. If you are looking for an RV, cabins or vaca home to rent for your stay, message us for more details. Enjoy 123 miles of river connecting Possum Kingdom to Lake Granbury for tubing, fishing, kayaking, paddle boarding, swimming, wildlife watching, and the great outdoors. We also rent tubes, tents, kayaks, canoes, standup paddleboards, pedal boats, canopies, grills and fishing poles. BOOK today for tubing, kayaks and standup paddleboard! $5 BYOTT {bring your own tube and transportation} $20 per person for tube day pass, transportation and tubes included! If you are interested in golf we can make accommodations at our local course. Check us out at Sandy Bottoms River Company @ Facebook

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Bee Mountain River Resort

10 sites · RVs, Tents100 acres · Cleburne, TX

Nature and wildlife mixed with fun and relaxation, Bee Mountain River Resort is truly a one-of-a-kind property. Private, spacious and beautiful, we are blessed with 1.5 miles of sandy beaches along the Brazos River and the paved road leading you here dead ends right at our front gate. Customers are usually groups of friends & family; many 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 River 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 in 1985 looking for great water to ski on. Having developed many great memories camping here, I would describe our ranch as classic and old school. Change comes pretty slow.....and we like it that way! Family, friends, kids & pets all love our amazing getaway. A rare gem that's best shared with good friendly people. Each and every campsite is located directly on the river and all of them are huge. Firewood, ice, kayaks, paddle boards 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.

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High Hope Ranch

10 sites · RVs, Tents1000 acres · Walnut Springs, TX

Welcome to High Hope Ranch, a sprawling 1000-acre sanctuary nestled atop the majestic Texas Hill Country. As you traverse the rolling hills, you'll be greeted by breathtaking vistas that stretch out to the north, offering sweeping views of The Great Plains beyond. Immerse yourself in the rich history and natural wonders of the ranch, where millions of years of geological evolution have left their mark. Explore the rugged terrain and discover prehistoric ravines carved by ancient oceans, adorned with fascinating oceanic fossils such as sand dollars, sea urchins, and ammonites. Our camping sites offer a primitive yet immersive experience, allowing you to connect with nature in its purest form. Pitch your tent amidst fields of vibrant bluebonnets in April, or revel in the splendor of the Milky Way under the October sky. For a truly enchanting experience, set up camp alongside the flowing creeks at sites like Uchawi, where the soothing sound of water creates a tranquil ambiance. Embark on an adventure along over 20 miles of hiking trails that wind through the ranch's diverse landscapes, offering endless opportunities for exploration and discovery. Be sure to schedule a visit to our working farm, where you can interact with friendly animals like pigs, goats, and Zoey the Donkey, gaining insight into sustainable farming practices and animal husbandry. Before you depart, don't forget to visit our Farm Store, where you can stock up on a variety of farm-fresh delights, including pasture-raised meats, canned goods, and freshly harvested produce grown right here on the ranch. At High Hope Ranch, we invite you to escape the hustle and bustle of city life and embrace the serenity and splendor of the Texas Hill Country. Whether you seek adventure, relaxation, or a deeper connection with nature, our ranch offers a sanctuary where dreams take flight and memories are made to last a lifetime. Welcome to High Hope Ranch, where the spirit of the land beckons you to explore, discover, and thrive.

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Big Rocks on the Brazos

4 sites · RVs2 acres · Waco, TX

Big Rocks on the Brazos is located on our family property along the Brazos river. Our RV sights are deeply snuggled into a location directly next to the river where it is peaceful and quite. The area is great for a weekend getaway or a family vacation. Book your stay now! *NOTE : NO TENT/CAR CAMPING ONLY RVS & TRAILERS WITH THEIR OWN RESTROOMS*

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Middle Bosque River Camp

6 sites · RVs, Tents11 acres · Mc Gregor, TX

a combination of cleared horse pasture with wooded acreage, sloping downward to 400 feet of river frontage on the Middle Bosque river. Four dedicated small self contained RV sites with pic-nic tables and BBQ grills, numerous tent sites in the woods or near the river. Fishing, kayaking, hiking, trail-biking & exploring. Area has deer, wild turkeys, and other wildlife.

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Coyote Creek Farm

8 sites · RVs, Tents30 acres · Waco, TX

Established 1996, The farm is situated just minutes from Magnolia-Silos, the Dr. Pepper museum, Baylor University, the Texas Ranger museum, BSR Waterpark, the Waco Mammoth National Monument (US National Park Service), and plenty of magnificent restaurants. There are no power lines over the property so I invite you to bring a kite to fly! You may even see one or two of mine in the sky. The theme of Coyote Creek Farm is tranquility. It is camping without someone crowding into your space. It is freedom from the hectic pace of the city. There is a well maintained Compost Toilet on the property as well! Each individual campsite has a portable potty bucket provided. Nearly any spot you are on has an amazingly delightful view. You can see the sun rise over the trees or the sun set behind a gently sloping hill. You will have access to all of the 30 acres. There are paths to walk, a stocked tank to fish in, (bass, catfish and blue gill), and oak and pecan trees to sit under and view the clouds as they drift overhead. The noises you hear will be cattle calling to their little ones, birds singing, and in the evenings, coyotes howling.

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The Dusty Nickel

8 sites · RVs, Tents52 acres · Cleburne, TX

Learn more about this land: Step away from the hustle and bustle of city life back to a quiet ranch setting. Set on a beautiful working cattle ranch surrounded by hills, this camping area gives you the peace and serenity you are looking for. Spend the days exploring the ranch, playing in the seasonal creek, fishing in the stock tank, or feeding the wild cows. Then, spend the nights looking up at the stars, sitting by the campfire and enjoying the night time sounds of the wild. When you need time away from the ranch, visit nearby Cleburne State Park, Dinosaur Valley State Park, the Brazos river, historic Glen Rose, or enjoy a Cleburne Railroaders baseball game. Although there is plenty of room for all campers at the Dusty Nickel, we want to leave room for our grass fed cows to roam too, so we are limiting it to 4 camping spots per night. There isn't electric, sewer or water at the sites, however, water is available near the house to refill tanks etc. The owner does live on site, but will respect your privacy and you can be out of the direct sight of the house depending where you camp.

The best camping near Meridian State Park guide

Overview

About

Fun on the water is the name of the game at this 72-acre lake. Anglers enjoy calm waters to fish for bream and largemouth bass in the no wake lake. The small park even loans out fishing gear, and rents kayaks, canoes, and paddleboards year-round. A fishing license is not required in the park.

If you’re in the mood to stay on dry land, you can hike five miles of trails. The Bosque hiking trail circles the lake and offers scenic overlooks. Lucky birders may spot endangered golden-cheeked warblers, which nest in the park March to July.

The park offers 31 camping spots, spread over several areas. Full hookup sites are pull-through and best for RVs more than 20 feet long. Tent campers can book primitive sites, sites with water and electric or sites with just water. Close proximity to Dallas and Fort Worth makes this park a convenient weekend getaway.

Notable campgrounds

Screened Shelters: Enjoy the rustic charm of screened-in shelters, offering a breezy refuge amid the park's natural splendor.
Full Hook-up Campsites: Conveniently set up your RV or tent with all the comforts of home at these well-equipped sites.
Group Camps: Ideal for larger gatherings, these campsites provide ample space for friends and family to connect with nature.

Tips for snagging a campsite

Book early, especially if you're planning to visit during the busy seasons of spring, summer, and fall.
Take advantage of the online reservation system to secure your spot with ease.
Call the reservation phone line for personalized assistance and additional information.
Explore nearby camping options if the park reaches capacity to ensure your outdoor adventure can proceed.

When to go

The best times to visit Meridian State Park are during the milder seasons of spring and fall, when the Texas landscape bursts with color and wildlife. Summer offers a warm escape for water activities, though it's the peak season. Winters are quieter, offering a peaceful experience, but prepare for cooler temperatures.

Know before you go

Check water safety tips and park rules to ensure a safe and enjoyable visit.
Accessibility information is available for those with mobility concerns, including wheelchair-accessible trails.
Remember, the park office hours are from 8:15am to 4:45pm daily.
Reservations are recommended for both camping and day use to guarantee entry.
Stay connected with the park's updates by following Meridian State Park on Facebook and Instagram.