Pace Bend Travis County Park is about an hour away from Austin, Texas (where we live) and they have some of the best camping spots I’ve seen around this area. It is our favorite spot to camp, we even have a specific site we usually try and get there early so that we can have it!
They have over 400 primitive campsites, which are first come first serve, no reservations. No worries, because there is ALWAYS availability. They also have 20 RV campsites, which we have never used so we can’t comment on what they are like. If you want an RV campsite, they recommend that you try and make a reservation by calling the park, but it is not required. (You can check out their website HERE.)
Primitive Campsite amenities:
- Vault/outhouse style toilets (which are gross)
- NO Showers! Showers are only available to the RV campsites
- Picnic tables
- Fire rings
- Drive up campsites, no hiking in
- Nearby hiking trails
- Drinking water is available in the park, but I personally recommend you bring your own!
- Shaded campsites with trees for privacy (which is the main reason we love Pace Bend so much!
- Campsites on the cliffs, near the River, or on the beach!
Some things you should know before coming to Pace Bend:
Bring your own Firewood, no collecting your own inside the park. We actually came across teenagers drinking and chopping on nearby trees. It is incredibly disrespectful! There are gas stations right outside of the park that DO sell firewood. You can have FUN camping without being disrespectful.
Bring CASH (or checks) because they don’t accept credit or debit cards
The beach area tends to become the party area for the younger crowds, or people who just wanna have fun. So if you don’t wanna be near that area, then steer clear. If you camp on the right side of the park, their noise echos (not horribly because we didn’t mind) but the sound does travel.
They do have areas that are really great for groups that want to camp near each other
Sound echos really badly around some campsites because of the river and cliffs, so be mindful and respectful of the people around you.
There are NO park rangers during the night to enforce the quiet hours. (They are there during the day to threaten to fine you about your dog being off leash and to make sure that you have paid.) But if you do have a problem with people being noisy nearby, you must call the non-emergency police line.
There is someone at the front gate until 9 or 10 PM on the weekends, but during the week they close a little earlier, I believe around 6 or 7 PM. If you do come late, after there is no one at the gate, go ahead inside and grab your camping spot, but in the morning you go back and pay.
All in all we love Pace Bend, even with some of the bad experiences we have had with loud and disrespectful neighbors! The only thing this park is missing are REAL restrooms and showers for the primitive campers. We recommend this park to anyone we talk to about camping!
