Best Camping in and near Mission Tejas State Park

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Explore the pineywoods of East Texas and a replica of Mission Tejas.

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Stay at a public campground in Mission Tejas State Park

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Mission Tejas Campground

17 sites · RVs, Tents In Mission Tejas State Park

from

$9

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Top-rated campgrounds near Mission Tejas State Park

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The Ranch At Beulah

4 sites · Lodging365 acres · Elkhart, TX

Gorgeous private property with plenty of trails to explore, creeks to swim in and even a one of a kind outdoor kitchen area with a pizza oven. Other amenities include a volleyball pit, tomahawk throwing range and a fishing pond. We are experienced hosts that make sure you have a perfect camping trip. We are not the cheapest but we aim to provide a premium experience through offering you pizza ingredients, firewood and anything else we can that would make your stay more enjoyable. We are always on call to help if anything goes wrong.

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Two Creeks Crossing Resort

180 sites · Lodging, RVs82 acres · Livingston, TX

Welcome to Two Creeks Crossing Resort, a new RV park experience located in the East Texas pine forests with direct water access to Lake Livingston. Bordered by two large, boat-navigable creeks, you can choose from many waterfront and waterview RV spots and cabins in a casual, relaxing resort-style setting. Preserving the natural features of the land, Two Creeks Crossing Resort is the perfect getaway, far enough to leave your cares behind yet only minutes away from restaurants, wineries, and local activities. Located an hour and a half from Houston and three hours from Dallas, Two Creeks Crossing Resort is a convenient retreat to enjoy nature and country living in a resort atmosphere.

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Secluded Cabins on the Lake

4 sites · Lodging2 acres · Crockett, TX

These three cabins are hand-built, with families in mind, to share with other families. They are located on Houston County Lake. Stewart Cove is perfect for people who are looking to unplug from the outside world and reconnect with their families and nature. The property is perfect for child-friendly adventures or romantic getaways. Enjoy this peaceful lake view surrounded by beautiful pine trees. The Property: - Secluded lake cabins on Houston County Lake. 2-acre property - Panoramic windows of Houston County Lake from the living room - Deck with an incredible view and surrounded by beautiful pine trees - City water and electric Things to do: - We have a Covered Pavilion with a basketball hoop and pickleball court - 60-foot waterside from the large hill into the lake (Weather permitting) - Swimming in the lake - Fishing in the lake - Bird watching (We have eagles, blue herrings, pelicans, etc.) - Several kayaks with adult and child lifejackets free to use - Cement deck near the lake with cafe lights - BBQ pit, bench swing, and picnic tables - Sandbox for kids - The fire pit is great for smores - You can pull your boat right up to the shore Other Things to note: - The owner's primary residence is two lots over and private. Things to Bring: - Sunblock - Bug spray - Outdoor towels - Coffee Sheets, blankets, pillows, and towels are provided for each cabin. You'll need to bring your outdoor towels for swimming. The last 5 miles of the drive are on a "Red Dirt Road" and it can be bumpy or even slippery if it's rained recently. I've never heard of any issues in any vehicles but it's a county road. You will leave with red dirt on your vehicle but that's part of the appeal, the secluded getaway :) Once you start down the driveway you'll see the lake through the trees, making the rough 5-mile ride worth it.

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Texas State Railroad Campground

71 sites · RVs, Tents15 acres · Rusk, TX

The Texas State Railroad Campground is located in the beautiful East Texas town of Rusk and is a great spot for a fun southern escape! We offer campsites with water only, water and electricity or full hookups with 50-amp service and sewer. The Grounds offer picnic tables, grills, fire rings, laundry facility and WiFi! There are separate showers and restrooms onsite, a water splash pad, nature trails and a campground office complete with sundries and firewood for purchase. The 15-acre Cherokee Lake is where fishermen will find a variety fish including crappie, catfish, striped bass, sauger, walleye, smallmouth bass, bluegill and largemouth bass. Whether they are casting, spinning or flying fish, chances of getting a bite are good! Onsite, travelers may look forward to historic sightseeing. For the history buff, there's plenty of other historic sites, a number of green spaces of nature walks and scenic viewing and of course, visitors may expect great local eateries and bars to enjoy. Whether it's for a night or two, we hope to see you soon!

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The Fabulous Bok Vegas, Texas

50 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents25 acres · Palestine, TX

If you're yearning for a day filled with laughter, learning, and heartwarming encounters, the Fabulous Bok Vegas Petting Zoo (open by appointment - under construction), RV Park and Campground is a destination you shouldn't miss. Farm Day Passes are also available. Whether you're a local looking for a peaceful escape or a traveler seeking unique experiences, this charming sanctuary promises an unforgettable adventure. You can enjoy hiking, wildlife, interacting with farm animals at the Fabulous Bok Vegas Interactive Petting Zoo, tours, educational presentations, archery and more. The farm is close to fishing at Lake Palestine, First Monday in Canton and shopping in historical Palestine and Athens town squares. We are a family owned and operated 25-acre farm. We log and mill our own wood for construction projects, so expect to see stacks of limbs here and there as we continue to expand, especially during a burn ban.

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B&R Lakeside Cabins & RVs

16 sites · Lodging, RVs3 acres · TX

Lake Livingston is a large 23+ mile lake. We bought the property in 2014 and did upgrades on weekends, love the views, fishing, campfires, and meeting people so we opened the first cabin in April of 2018, now have 5 cabins and 9 rv sites and welcome you to enjoy the lake as much as we do. Every season of the year is a little different and all are wonderful! We are in nature, and across street from wetlands, yet only 2 miles from city grocery store and restaurants! There are 3 piers, fishing, picnicking, beautiful sunsets, nature watching, small watercraft rentals, guide paid pontoon tours, swimming, bonfires, bbq’s with firewood available on site for purchase if desired. Use for short term rental retreats, or long term.

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Caddo Springs Farm

9 sites · RVs, Tents75 acres · Frankston, TX

72+/- acre hunter's/fisher's paradise/working farm on Caddo Creek, South of Tyler Texas. This property is the perfect combination of pasture and woods, loaded with beautiful mature trees, and has a large pond away from the highway for quiet and solitude. Activities: Pick pecans or blackberries, watch the wildlife, pet the sheep, go fishing...plenty of space for all your camping activities. We have 1 electrical hook up or spend the night under the stars near the pond in a tent. This is a disabled/veteran owned working regenerative farm. We have a RV for rent if that is your style. Message me for details.

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The Rock Pit

10 sites · RVs, Tents100 acres · Groveton, TX

Learn more about this land:The Rock Pit is a 5 acre swimming hole located in Trinity County that has been there over 50 years. Long ago they had dug out an area on a hill for rock on the dirt roads, and hit and underground water table. There are no fish in the Rock Pit, as the pH is 4.5, so no fish will live in it. I recall swimming there as a small boy, and wanted to share my memories with others. Depth ranges all over, but the deep end is around 15 feet. I have 2 kayaks currently, but bring yours if you have them, along with your vests.There is fishing in Lake Livingston, my place is north of it. There is access to Lake Livingston via White Rock Creek. A public boat ramp in on Highway 94, just outside Trinity. Or you can go back towards Trinity, to highway 357 and go to a ramp closer to the big lake.Tall pine tress, a few Oaks, and maple trees surround the place. Bring your mosquito repellant, as you are in the country!The place is raw right now, but I am planning improvements such as a few A frame cabins, a showering area and so on. So many things to do!

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Mallard Haven

6 sites · Lodging40 acres · Grapeland, TX

Mallard Haven Retreat is located off US 287, halfway between Palestine on the north and Crockett on the south. The retreat and associated activities are part of our overall program,which is to provide a refuge away from the frantic pace of daily life. We are somewhat sequestered from the outside world so as to provide immersion in the sights and sounds of nature. The setting is designed to be a place for relaxation and restoration of the soul and body through reading, journaling, quiet reflection, or simple camp activities such as hiking. Campers and visitors are expected to respect the land and natural features of the property as a gift from our Creator to be used and appreciated. We treat the property carefully and honorably, in acknowledgment we are the 'stewards' of the land.

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M Rockin C Ranch

21 sites · RVs, Tents95 acres · Grapeland, TX

M-Rockin-C Ranch, owned and operated by retired US veteran, is raising egg laying chickens, pastured boiler chickens, goats (Nigerian Dwarfs, Pygmy and a Nigerian-Pygmy cross), rabbits (California - meat/pets) and also have grass-fed beef (Brangus, Angus and F1 Hybrids). We have expanded our rabbitry soon to include Rex and Harlequin breeds as well. The drought of 2022 and 2023 caused us to have to cut fencing which we are still working to repair in order to bring back our heritage hogs. Turkeys are raised only when pre-paid by customers. We are currently working to get bees again for local harvested honey in Houston County, Texas. All my poultry and livestock are free ranged and live on pasture supplemented with non-GMO feeds using no antibiotics or hormones. My goal is growing all the livestock in an environment outside where they can live normal lives eating bugs and grass, enjoying the sun and rain and through holistic management creating more sustainable pastureland for the future. Our main rule is please enjoy observing the ranch life but do not harass the animals. We live in the country please do not be too loud or cross outside of our ranch boundaries. My neighbors have lived here or moved here for their own peace and solitude as well... be respectful of that and enjoy your stay in the country. The ranch is located in the Piney Woods of eastern Texas and consists of 95.26 acres mostly in open grazing land with dispersed pine and oak trees in small groupings and along the fence lines. The ranch has a nearly a 1/4-acre upper pond and an elongated narrower lake that is close to 1 and a 1/2-acre below the upper pond to the west. There is a fenced in just over 1/2 acre area just north of the upper pond. The ponds gain water from natural spring flow and rainwater. Cook Creek runs through the entrance area off of FM 2022 on the northwest side of the property. The creek is year-round but normally is only a few inches deep but does have a few deeper pools of water. The ranch has about 65+ acres of gentle rolling hills of open pasture. The pastures consist of bahia, maxio and angusta ryegrasses, with mostly coastal grasses with some red and white clover mixed with natives. The ranch also has a diverse group of wildlife including but not limited to coyotes, white tail deer, roadrunners, racoons, possums, wild pigs and hawks of different species. We have spotted a golden eagle on the ranch within the last few months. We have a couple juvenile bald eagles on the north-northwest side of the property. Our large great blue heron is back from his migration south. Several kingfishers are nesting near the large lake. Several other migratory birds and waterfowl also traverse the ranch during their travels north and south through the area. The night sky is amazing! If nothing else brings you here. You must come enjoy the view of the milky way and thousands of stars visible in our south-east Texas night sky. Photos of the night sky have been added to the listing... do not miss them! I really enjoy just leaning back in a zero-gravity chair and getting to view the sky when not looking through my 8in Meade Coma-Free Smith-Cassegrain telescope. I often have the scope setup and visitors are more than welcome to come view the wonders that our night sky has to offer on most clear nights. Bring apples and carrots to get close to our draft mules and horses. They will love you for the treats and offer great photo opportunities for those treats. They might follow you back to your campsite though if they get too be too much trouble just shoo or scare them away. Bring a fishing pole to see if you have any luck catching a bream, sunfish, small mouth or largemouth bass. We do have turtles as well. The biggest and meanest is the alligator snapping turtles best to just cut the line than try to take your hook or lure back from these guys.

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Country Chic RV, Campsites & Cabins

5 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents9 acres · Huntsville, TX

Are you looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city? Come stay at our Retreat property with over 8 acres. We have cabins, tents and a few RV / Camper spots with hookups for our guests to enjoy, unwind and relax. Experience the Gift of Time at our Lakefront Campsite where the fishing is great. You'll discover we also have a Community Fire Pit, Volleyball, Tether Ball, Outdoor Ping Pong/Table Tennis, a nice Picnic area and more! Our campsite is Holy Unique offering our guests a chance to not only camp but immerse in our Tabernacle in The Wilderness. We are the first and only retreat center in our local community to offer our guests an intimate and private wilderness sabbatical retreat that includes an opportunity to have an immersive experiential tour of topnotch MUSEUM QUALITY, FULL SIZE REPRODUCTIONS OF THE TABERNACLE FURNITURE, CLOTHING AND BIBLICAL ARTIFACTS. We have one of the BEST Tabernacle Collections in the WORLD. Retreat with us! Stop by our Tent of Meeting and you’ll see for yourself that The Tabernacle was a very functional facility! Come, Draw Near!

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Riveted Retreat

2 sites · Lodging5 acres · Midway, TX

We have 5 acres available to guests that is surrounded by pastures and forest. There is a creek bordering the property that is dry much of the year and flowing in the spring after heavy rains. There are trails to the creek, and a road along the pastures. Wild blackberries grow along the drive in the spring, beauty berries in the summer, and grapes throughout the property. A great off-grid stay with septic, well water, and solar or generated power. We are pet friendly - please contact us to ensure your pets meet our (minimal) requirements. Please clean up after your pet and an additional security deposit may be collected.

The best camping near Mission Tejas State Park guide

Overview

About

Texas’ first Spanish mission—Mission San Francisco de los Tejas—was built in 1690 and summarily abandoned and burned down just three years later. Today, a replica built by the US Civilian Conservation Corps is the centerpiece of Mission Tejas State Park. About two and a half hours from both Dallas and Houston, the park is nestled in the pineywoods section of East Texas, characterized by rolling hills and soaring pine trees. Over eight miles of trail meander through the dogwood forest and historic sites, while fishing is popular at the pond. Mission Tejas Campground is the park’s only campground.

Tips for snagging a campsite

Mission Tejas Campground is small, with just 15 developed campsites and five primitive hike-in sites. Booking ahead is key to securing a spot.
The 15 developed campsites sites are reservable up to five months in advance. Reservations can be made online or by calling (512) 389-8900.
The five primitive sites are walk-in only (no reservations available).
For same-day reservations, available campsites are listed on a whiteboard at the headquarters building.

When to go

Mission Tejas State Park is open year-round. In late March, the pink and white dogwood blooms make the area sing with color. Summers run hot—from June to September, the average high is 90°F or above. (The closest swimming hole is 12 miles away at the Ratcliff Lake Recreation Area.) For peak fall foliage colors, come in November. Winters are mild with highs in the 60s and lows in the 40s.

Know before you go

Mission Tejas State Park is in the northern section of the Davy Crockett National Forest. If you can’t get a reservation, the national forest has many excellent camping options, including the nearby Neches Bluff Campground.
The closest towns for food and gas are Crockett and Alto.
Mission Tejas’ developed campsites feature picnic tables, fire rings, and grills, plus access to hot showers, restrooms, and a dump station. Ten RV-friendly sites include electric hookups.
The park’s restored mission is reservable as a wedding venue.
Before Europeans arrived, the Caddo Indians lived in this area. Three of their earthen mounds dot the landscape at the Caddo Mounds State Historic Site, just 10 minutes away.