7 Amazing Camping Spots Around Austin – and Where to Store Your Camping Equipment

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, traveling and vacationing might not be in the stars this summer. But that doesn’t mean you can’t go camping close to home and enjoy outdoor adventures. Nature’s still there for exploring!

That’s easy for Austin residents. There are multiple gorgeous camping sites located within a short driving distance from the city. Austinites can spend a few days with their families and have a fun and inexpensive holiday, while still social distancing. Here are some of the best camping sites you can find around Austin:

1. Lockhart State Park

Lockhart State Park is located only 30 miles from downtown Austin. Although it’s not a huge park, it’s beautiful, quiet and ideal for families with young kids. It provides a few miles of trails, a creek for fishing and a golf course. Every camping site has water and electric hookups, picnic tables, fire rings and upright grills. If you’re an RV owner, you’ll be happy to know that there are campsites that can accommodate large trailers and motorhomes.

2. McKinney Falls State Park

Only 13 miles from the state’s capital, McKinney Falls State Park sprawls across 641 acres and features more than 80 campsites that include tent pads, picnic tables, water and electricity hookups and fire rings. The state park offers hike and bike trails, and rangers here have programs focused on birding and geocaching. A special feature of McKinney Falls is Onion Creek – it flows through the whole park, allowing campers and visitors to fish and swim.

3. Cedar Breaks Park

This park is located about 25 miles north of Austin, overlooking Lake Georgetown. There are numerous campsites nestled in the shade of the mesquite trees that are thriving here. You can hike or bike throughout the park or follow the San Gabriel River Trail that leads to a gorgeous swimming spot called the Blue Hole. The lake also provides opportunities for water sports, so you can get active while staying cool.

4. Tejas Park

Tejas Park is the classic camping experience a short drive from Austin – the park is only about 30 miles outside of the city, on the south shores of Georgetown Lake. The campsites are pretty basic: A tent pad and a ground ring fire, without electricity hookups.

Water is available, but at a distance, so, if you love roughing it in nature, this is the place for you. There are great opportunities for fishing and boating, and you can hike through beautiful juniper forests and prairie grasslands.

5. Bastrop State Park

Bastrop State Park is also just a short, 30-minute drive from Austin, and contains the mysterious Lost Pine Forest. It’s made up of a unique population of trees closely genetically related to the vast expanse of pine trees located in Piney Woods – more than 100 miles away! The Lost Forest went through some wildfires and flooding during the past few years, but it’s now recovering, so you get the chance to see nature being reborn. There are campsites for both tents and RVs with water and electricity hookups, picnic tables, fire pits and grills. You can go hiking, biking, fishing and swimming, or geocaching and wildlife watching.

6. Emma Long Metropolitan Park

The park is actually within the limits of Austin’s metro area, so it’s very accessible, and provides 1,142 acres of woodlands and lakefront beach. The park has multiple camping sites, both with and without water and electricity.

There are opportunities for swimming and sunbathing on the shores of Lake Austin, and for hiking and biking the shaded trails inside the park. You can also take advantage of the volleyball and basketball yards – games that can still work well for social distancing.

7. Pedernales Falls State Park

The Pedernales Falls State Park is situated at about 25 miles west of Austin, and the short drive is well worth it. The large, 5,200 acres park offers scenic views of the Pedernales Falls, where the river transforms into a landscape waterfalls, sprawling over a distance of more than 3,000 feet.

The limestone steps forming the falls are about 300 million years old. The hiking trails have different degrees of difficulty, so everyone can exercise at their comfort level. The primitive campsites, without water and electricity, are closed during the pandemic, but the rest of them are available to campers.

How to deal with your camping equipment – check out some of the best self storage facilities in Austin

Camping is a fun way to bond and relax with your family, even during the pandemic. However, camping also involves a lot of equipment: Tents, sleeping bags, foldable chairs and tables, outdoor cooking gear, bikes and kayaks, etc. Storing all that stuff at home is a real challenge for most families. One way to keep your equipment without cluttering your house or garage is by renting a self storage unit in Austin. Here are some great options for storing your camping and outdoors sports equipment:

• Public Storage, 9814 West Gate Blvd, Austin, TX

This Public Storage facility offers a wide variety of unit sizes, starting with 5X4 ones and going up to large 15X25 units and covered parking spaces. Whether you’re planning to store just a tent and a few sleeping bags, or you have a collection of outdoor equipment – bikes, ATVs, boats and so on – your needs are covered.

Amenities include drive-up access, security cameras and an onsite manager. The facility is completely fenced, and access inside is controlled through electronic gates. Prices start at $28 per month for the small units and go up to over $200 per month for the larger ones.

• CubeSmart Self Storage, 10707 North Interstate 35, Austin, TX

The CubeSmart facility not only provides storage units in various sizes, but also RV parking. That makes it perfect for all sorts of campers – if you prefer sleeping in tents or if you like to hit the road in a recreational vehicle.

You can opt for climate-controlled units, and there’s an onsite manager that can provide information and assistance. The facility is fenced and gated, and there’s drive-up access to units and free parking for customers. Prices start at under $50 for small units, and go up to around $300 for extra-large, climate-controlled ones.

• Extra Space Storage, 5656 North IH 35, Austin, TX

The Extra Space Storage facility provides 24-hour access, which means you can pick up your camping gear and be on your way toward adventure before sunrise. They offer storage units starting from 5X5, 10X5 and 10X10 and going up to huge 30X20 ones. You can book almost all sizes in either the regular or climate-controlled options.

Other amenities include elevators, onsite manager and security cameras and a gated and fenced perimeter. Prices start at around $40 per month for small units and hover between $300 and $400 for the largest sizes.

Keep safe this summer and make the most out of the amazing camping spots available around Austin. Do you have a favorite campsite? Let us know in the comments!