Luxury Caves! Futuristic Domes! The Great Glampification of Texas
How high-end camping turned into a statewide phenomenon.
How high-end camping turned into a statewide phenomenon.
I marveled at the thousand-year-old Big Tree and stargazed with a pod of pelicans.
Mossy cypresses seem to float in the clouds at Martin Dies Jr. State Park, which offers otherworldly paddling and hiking trails.
Ethan and Amanda Langley restore classic travel trailers for road warriors from all over North America.
This far-flung spot has a rich history, excellent fishing, free beach camping, and no crowds.
Plus: a Motown dance party and an existential visit to West Texas.
When demand surged for pandemic-friendly RVs and camper vans, Austin-based rental company Outdoorsy was ready to capitalize on the trend.
One Austin-based rental website saw bookings spike by 4,500 percent. Plus: six tips for first-timers.
Make sure to stop for camping essentials on the way in. And maybe a burger or pizza.
Inundated with homework and distracted by their devices, our youngest Texans (and their anxiety-prone parents) are at risk of losing their connection to our state’s many natural wonders. Here’s how to untame the next generation.
The romance of doing everything by hand.
Our estimable advice columnist on when teenagers should be allowed to go on unchaperoned coed camping trips, whether Coloradans hate Texans, and more.
Offering fine advice since 2007.
Out of more than half a million acres of state parks and natural areas, we’ve chosen the ten best trips—where to camp, what to do, and what to look for when you head to the nearest town
Our outdoors guru on exploring the state’s parks, getting lost, and being next to alligators.
Thirty-year-old Rodrigo Ulloa-Esquivel of El Paso attempted to "leave no trace" by burning his used toilet paper, but ended up starting a devastating wildfire in New Mexico's Lincoln National Forest.
Where it is: 6 miles southwest of Huntsville What you’ll do: Relax and unwind under the East Texas pines Where you’ll sleep: Claim your spot in one of five serene camping areas What you’ll learn: Want to fish but don’t know how? Register for one of the TPWD’s Go Fish!
Where it is: 3.5 miles north of QuitaqueWhat you’ll do: Hike the rough breaks between the Caprock and the Rolling PlainsWhere you’ll sleep: In your tent at the mouth of South Prong CanyonWhat you’ll learn: The park is home to the state’s official bison herdThe colors are what strike you at Caprock Canyons
Where it is: 10 miles north of Denton What you’ll do: Biking, horseback riding, and kayaking, but don’t forget to stop and watch the sunset Where you’ll sleep: Camp near the water’s edge, which is close to numerous sites in Quail Run What you’ll learn: How to speak mountain-biker, as
Where it is: 2800 S. Bentsen Palm Dr., MissionWhat you’ll do: Look at birds. Eat. Look at birds. Sleep. Look at birdsWhere you’ll sleep: Book a spot at a local RV parkWhat you’ll learn: Chachalacas are named for their call, a rowdy cha-cha-lacWe imagine that a lot of people visit
Even more camping suggestions, from El Paso's Franklin Mountains to Caddo Lake in East Texas.
How I learned to (sort of) love camping.
Nothing marks an expert camper more than a mastery of the essential skills, so study up on these backwoods tricks before your next expedition.
With more than 600,000 acres of state parks, historic sites, and natural areas, Texas can be a perfect playground for every type of outdoor adventurer—if you know where to go. We do.
To experience the majesty and peril of the desert on my own terms, I spent a week alone in the Solitario, the most remote area of Big Bend Ranch State Park. I confronted my darkest fears—and made small talk with an insect.
A complete guide to the coolest stretch of the Guadalupe: 22 miles of tubing, rafting, and all-around fun in the sun.
Camping gets you back to the basics: blisters, chiggers, and, yes, deep satisfaction.
Today’s high-tech camping gear has stolen a march on your old kit bag.
How you can—and why you should—go camping in the middle of the week.
Perhaps. At least they’re on the right track and trying hard.
Cooking over an open fire is no mystic art. And it helps if you start everything in your kitchen at home.