This Affordable Lakeside Texas Campground Is An Outdoor Haven With Fishing And Scenic Trails

Up in the northeast corner of Texas, where the towering trees of the Piney Woods protect lush habitats teeming with wildlife, there's an expansive lake perfect for water adventures, fishing, camping, birdwatching, and stargazing. It's called Lake O' the Pines, and it covers 18,700 acres across five counties. Plus it's 20 minutes from Texas' historic town of Jefferson that's filled with architectural wonders and 40 minutes from the charming downtown of Marshall, offering fun, nearby day trips.

There are four campgrounds spread across the lake, but Alley Creek Campground stands out for its amenities, affordability, and shade coverage (a must during the brutal Texas summers). Tent-only, non-electric campsites start at just $18 a night and RV electric sites start at $28 a night. So whether you are looking for the best way to maximize your budget on an RV road trip or searching for a cheap yet picturesque spot to set up your tent, it would be hard to do better than Alley Creek Campground.

Although Alley Creek is one of the smaller campgrounds at the lake, campers still have a lot of campsites to choose from. There are 30 tent sites that include a fire ring, a picnic table, and a lantern pole, and 49 RV sites with water and electric hookups. Restrooms with showers are located throughout the campsite. If you're bringing a group, there's a group campsite ($175 a night) that includes 12 RV sites with water and electric hookups plus a group shelter that includes restrooms with showers. The best part about Alley Creek Campground is that it's a lesser-known area, which means you can immerse yourself in nature without big crowds.

Once you've chosen the best campsite at the campground, you'll have access to the area's boat ramp, playground, and swimming beach. The season starts on March 1 and ends September 30, so there's plenty of time to get your camping trip scheduled. Keep in mind that no off-road vehicles are allowed and visitors of campers need to leave by 10 p.m. Reservations can be made online at recreation.gov.

Would you like to look for some birds? In the summer, you can find great blue herons, great crested flycatchers, and great egrets near the water at Lake O' the Pines. You can also spot some eastern bluebirds and American robins near the campgrounds. If you're into fishing, Lake O' the Pines is about to be your new favorite spot. It's an excellent place to catch largemouth bass, channel catfish, and crappie. You'll have plenty of opportunities to snag white bass, sunfish, blue catfish and flathead catfish too. 

The boat ramp at Alley Creek Campground fits boats of all sizes, so whatever kind of boating adventures you have planned, you're good to go. You can also head to one of the lake's two marinas, Big Cypress Marina and Bullfrog Marina, if you want to rent a boat or jet ski. Of course the campground also has its very own swimming beach, if you'd rather just dive in and cool off on a steamy summer day. Outside of the water, there are plenty of trails around the lake for you to hike, including the easy half-mile Alley Creek Trail that's perfect for families. Whether you spend your vacation outside enjoying nature or you take a local trip to Jefferson for some city fun, you'll be glad to have your home base at the Alley Creek Campground.