Stephen Austin State Park — Stephen F Austin State Park

This was a fun place to go camping. No real topography (i.e., hills - very flat) but lots of trees. Initially we were in the more expensive campground. Had showers, hot water and a Dyson hand blower in the bathrooms. However, there was also a couple of large scout troops that came to camp and they were LOUD. Playing football right behind our tent instead of in their area. Nice they outside, but made our experience less than enjoyable. So the second day we moved to the other camping location - primitive. Cheaper and SO much nicer. Quiet. So quiet. Bathrooms did not have showers, hot water or the fancy Dyson blower, but did I mention how quiet everything was. We even saw deer run through. So much nicer. Thankful to the Rangers for letting us switch campsites. All the campsites have to be reserved, so you need to check if the site is available to be reserved. There is a nice series of hiking trails around the area walking from the campgroun. We walked a total of four miles. Not too bad. So many beautiful stars that second night in the quiet with lots of dark.

I’ve camped here many times and the only bad experiences have been due to other campers, not anything with the park.

The proximity to the river can make some sites quite humid, which means winter camping can get very cold. There’s a good bit of bare dirt at the primitive sites, but the drainage is great so any mud dries out pretty quickly.

Beware the raccoons: they’re very bold and will happily haul off food… or anything else you leave out overnight. Also be aware of the bees - there are a LOT of them, which is nerve wracking if you’re allergic.