RV Parks on Lake Travis: RV Camping, Campgrounds & Full Hookups (Plus Canyon Lake)

Lake Travis is the big Highland Lakes reservoir west of Austin, and “RV parks on Lake Travis” is one of the most-searched camping questions in Central Texas. The honest answer is shorter than the search volume suggests: there are two county-run RV campgrounds on the shoreline, one full-hookup resort a few miles back from the water, and a lot of older listings describing camping areas that are closed, primitive or tent-only. This guide sorts them out, then does the same for Canyon Lake, the Corps of Engineers alternative between Austin and San Antonio.

Quick answer: RV camping on Lake Travis means Pace Bend Park (20 improved back-in sites with water and electricity, $30 a night) or Arkansas Bend Park (18 improved water-and-electric sites, $30 plus day-use entry) — both Travis County parks with dump stations but no sewer at the site. For full hookups near Lake Travis, Sun Outdoors Lake Travis on Hudson Bend Road has 234 full-hookup RV sites, pools and a hot tub, priced by live quote. There is no verified full-hookup RV park directly on the Lake Travis shoreline. Canyon Lake’s Corps parks — Potters Creek and Cranes Mill — offer more developed public lakeside camping with water and electricity, booked on Recreation.gov.

That distinction matters because “Lake Travis RV park” can mean three different products: a developed county campsite, designated primitive tent camping on a cliff, or an inland resort using the lake as its location anchor. The lakefront public options trade sewer for water access; the private resort trades shoreline for full hookups, pools and easier large-rig screening.

Current conditions matter too. Recent high water left submerged trees, rocks and sediment around Lake Travis, while some county areas remained closed. Always check the live county park notice, water quality and boat-ramp status before towing in.

This guide is a supporting piece to our two city flagships — the RV parks near Austin guide and the RV parks near San Antonio guide. For the broader region, see the Texas Hill Country RV parks guide, and for trip routing between the lakes and cities, our central Texas RV camping guide. The statewide overview lives in best RV parks in Texas.

RV parks on Lake Travis#

RV park / campground	Shore	RV sites	Hookups	Cost/night	Max RV length	Reservations
Pace Bend Park (Travis County)	East side, Levi Cove	20 improved back-ins	Water + electric; dump station	$30 improved (+ day-use fee)	Site-specific, back-in only	Travis County Parks
Arkansas Bend Park (Travis County)	North shore	18 improved back-ins	Water + 20/30/50-amp electric; dump station	$30 + day-use entry	Confirm exact site	Travis County Parks
Sun Outdoors Lake Travis	Hudson Bend Rd, near the lake (not waterfront)	234 full-hookup	Water, sewer, 30/50 amp, cable	Live quote	30 ft standard; larger categories	Direct

Two takeaways from that table. First, the entire verified lakeside RV inventory on Lake Travis is 38 water-and-electric sites — small for a lake this size, which is why they book out for summer weekends. Second, if you need sewer at the site, you are staying at Sun Outdoors and driving to the water.

RV camping on Lake Travis: what to expect#

Lake Travis lies west of Austin on the Colorado River, a long, deep reservoir with limestone cliffs, coves and a shoreline that moves dramatically with drought and flood. Its lakeside camping is run mostly by Travis County, and it is the kind of camping where water access matters more than resort amenities: you come to swim, paddle, fish and launch a boat, and you accept a back-in pad with water and 30- or 50-amp power in exchange. Showers and restrooms exist at the improved loops but run on county maintenance schedules. Cell service is generally usable near the lake, unlike the more remote Hill Country campgrounds.

Because the lake is a flood-control reservoir, “current conditions” is not a boilerplate warning here. High water can close ramps, submerge shoreline trails and leave hazards under the surface for weeks; low water can strand ramps hundreds of feet from the lake. The county’s park pages carry a live banner for exactly this reason. Read it before you tow.

Pace Bend ParkPark details →#

Pace Bend is the most complete public camping choice on Lake Travis: a 1,368-acre county park with more than nine miles of shoreline. Its 20 improved back-in sites have water and electricity, showers and restrooms. They sit above Levi Cove on the east side, within walking distance of the lake. These are not sewer-hookup sites; the park provides a separate dump station.

The primitive situation is more limited than old campground summaries suggest. The county currently lists 30 designated tent sites at Kate and Johnson coves plus 15 at North Gracy. They have no water or electricity, and RVs are not allowed because the sites are undeveloped. Other west-cove areas were still closed for rehabilitation when checked. If you are towing, reserve the improved loop rather than arriving for primitive cliff camping.

• Hookups: Water + electric at improved sites; primitive elsewhere; dump station
• Sites: 20 improved RV/tent sites; 45 currently open primitive tent-only sites
• Cost: $30 improved; $15 primitive; county day-use fees are additional
• Max RV length: Site-specific; all improved sites are back-in
• Reservations: Travis County Parks (recommended)
• Best for: Swimmers and paddlers, travelers wanting a lakeside spot over hookups

Current-condition check: On August 5, 2026, the county warned of submerged hazards after Lake Travis rose. Collier and Tatum ramps were open, Tournament Point was closed, and September camping was available. Recheck the park banner before departure because ramp and camping access can change faster than an article.

Arkansas Bend ParkPark details →#

A smaller Travis County park on the north shore, Arkansas Bend has 18 improved back-in campsites, each with water and 20/30/50-amp electricity, picnic table, grill, lantern hook and fire ring. The loop normally has restroom/shower rooms and a dump station. Each site allows up to two vehicles and eight people.

Do not assume it is available today. On August 5, 2026, the county said water to the restrooms and campsites had been shut off for maintenance and access to those areas was temporarily closed. Phase II — 20 additional improved sites and 18 cabins — was still under construction, so those future sites are not current inventory. When it reopens, Arkansas Bend is the quieter of the two county campgrounds and the better pick for anglers who want a north-shore launch.

• Hookups: Water + electric (20/30/50 amp); dump station
• Sites: 18 improved, back-in only
• Cost: $30/site/night plus day-use entry
• Max RV length: Confirm exact site dimensions
• Reservations: Travis County Parks; recommended for peak dates
• Best for: Quieter lakeside camping, anglers, budget travelers

Full-hookup RV parks near Lake Travis: Sun Outdoors Lake Travis#

For full hookups, step back from the shoreline. Sun Outdoors Lake Travis on Hudson Bend Road lists 234 RV locations across five full-hookup categories: Deluxe back-ins, Premium pull-throughs, Premium back-ins, motorcoach pull-ins and Standard back-ins. All publish water, sewer, 30/50-amp electricity and cable.

Standard sites fit RVs up to 30 feet. The other categories are marketed for larger RVs with slides, but enter the complete dimensions rather than relying on “any size.” Pools, hot tub, fitness center, playground and dog park make this the amenity choice, and it is the only option in this guide that works well for a week-long stay with a big rig in July heat. Rates are live quotes and climb on summer weekends and event dates. We also cover it in the RV parks near Austin guide.

Hudson Bend is the peninsula between the Mansfield Dam and Lakeway; marinas and boat rentals are minutes away, and downtown Austin is roughly 25 miles east depending on traffic. If you want to launch a boat, check the marina and public-ramp status separately — the resort does not have its own lakefront.

Field tip: Lake Travis levels and access conditions change. Before reserving for swimming or launching, check the current county notice and ramp status instead of assuming the map reflects today’s shoreline access.

Which Lake Travis RV campground should you pick?#

• You want to wake up by the water and can dry-dump on the way out: Pace Bend, improved loop. Reserve months ahead for summer weekends.
• You want quiet and a north-shore launch: Arkansas Bend, once the county lifts the maintenance closure.
• You have a 35-foot-plus rig, need sewer, or are staying more than a few nights in summer: Sun Outdoors Lake Travis.
• You are traveling with a tent, not an RV, and want cliff camping: Pace Bend’s primitive coves — but not with a trailer.

When to book Lake Travis RV campgrounds#

The two county campgrounds behave like every small lakeside loop in Texas: summer weekends and holiday weeks (Memorial Day, July 4, Labor Day) are gone as soon as the county releases the dates, weekday nights in June and July are easier, and October through April is often wide open. Travis County releases camping availability in batches rather than a fixed rolling window, so the practical move is to check the park page monthly in late winter and grab a summer weekend the day it appears. Sun Outdoors Lake Travis has far more inventory and rarely sells out entirely, but its live-quote pricing rewards booking early and midweek. Spring is our favorite window at both: the lake is usually full after winter rains, wildflowers line the county roads, and afternoon highs are still comfortable for a water-and-electric site without air conditioning.

Canyon Lake: Corps parks and Guadalupe River resorts#

Canyon Lake sits in the Hill Country near New Braunfels, about an hour and a quarter southwest of Lake Travis, and is ringed by Army Corps of Engineers parks. This is where the better-developed public lakeside camping in this comparison lives, and it is the natural second stop on an Austin–San Antonio lakes trip.

Potters Creek Park (Corps of Engineers)Park details →#

Potters Creek is the better-equipped Corps base on Canyon Lake’s north shore. Recreation.gov says its RV, tent, screened-shelter and group inventory has water and electricity, while the park provides flush toilets, showers, drinking water, two dump stations, two boat ramps, a fishing pier and beach. It is open year-round; check-in is 3 p.m. and checkout 2 p.m.

The gate rules are strict: late arrivals cannot drive in after the gate locks. More urgently, the listing displayed a heavy-rainfall alert on August 5, 2026 saying the park was open only to existing reservations while conditions evolved. That status can change, so read the alert at the top of Recreation.gov before relying on a new booking.

• Hookups: Water + electric (50 amp); two dump stations, no sewer at site
• Sites: RV, tent, shelter and group inventory; select exact site on Recreation.gov
• Cost: Live Recreation.gov quote; eligible Senior/Access pass discounts may apply
• Max RV length: Site-specific
• Reservations: Recreation.gov (book early for summer)
• Best for: Value-focused campers, families, anglers who want a real lakeside Corps park

Cranes Mill Park (Corps of Engineers)Park details →#

On a peninsula on the southwestern shore, Cranes Mill has 30 RV sites and 34 tent sites, water and electricity at most sites, a dump station, hot/cold showers, two fishing piers, a boat ramp and adjacent marina. Some tent inventory is nonelectric, so verify the individual record.

This can work for a large rig, but grade matters as much as length. Current RV-site records publish maxima from 55 to 70 feet, yet driveway grades range from slight to severe. Match both the rig length and grade tolerance before booking. Check-in is 3 p.m., checkout 2 p.m., and vehicle re-entry ends when the gate locks.

• Hookups: Water + electric at most sites; dump station
• Sites: ~30 RV + ~34 tent
• Cost: Corps rates (pass discount applies)
• Max RV length: Site-specific; current RV examples 55–70 ft with varying grades
• Reservations: Recreation.gov
• Best for: Quieter lakeside camping, anglers, pass-holders chasing value

Full hookups near Canyon Lake#

As at Lake Travis, sewer at the site means leaving the shoreline. Private RV resorts along the Guadalupe River below the Canyon Lake dam and around New Braunfels offer full hookups and river access; they price by live quote and fill on summer and tubing weekends. We do not list specific operators here because we have not verified their current site inventory — use the RV parks near San Antonio guide and Texas state parks vs private RV parks for how to compare them against the Corps parks.

Renting an RV for this trip? Compare rigs, prices, and pickup locations on RVshare and Outdoorsy — both let you filter by rig size, dates, and location.

Lake Travis vs Canyon Lake: full comparison table#

Park	Lake / River	Cost/night	Hookups	Max length	Reservations
Pace Bend Park	Lake Travis	$30 improved	W/E; dump	Site-specific	Travis County
Arkansas Bend Park	Lake Travis	$30 + entry	W/E; dump	Site-specific	Travis County
Sun Outdoors Lake Travis	Near Lake Travis	Live quote	Full (30/50)	30 ft standard; larger classes	Direct
Potters Creek Park	Canyon Lake (Corps)	Live quote	W/E; 2 dumps	Site-specific	Recreation.gov
Cranes Mill Park	Canyon Lake (Corps)	Live quote	W/E at most; dump	Examples 55–70 ft	Recreation.gov

Which lake? Lake Travis wins on proximity to Austin and on scenery — the cliffs and coves are the more dramatic setting. Canyon Lake wins on developed public camping: more sites, showers at both Corps parks, site-specific Recreation.gov dimensions, and a booking system that tells you the pad length before you pay. If you have a week, do both: three nights at Pace Bend or Sun Outdoors, then drive south to Potters Creek.

Planning a lakeside RV trip#

Reservation strategy. Check operational alerts before availability. A reservation grid is not enough when flooding, water maintenance or a closed ramp changes the trip. Canyon Lake’s Corps parks use Recreation.gov; Travis County opens camping months in batches and recommends reservations for improved sites. The private resorts use live quotes and price by date and site class.

Hookups and rig size. Decide first whether you need sewer at the site. Sun Outdoors is the verified full-hookup option in this comparison; the county and Corps sites use separate dump stations. Check the exact site dimensions and driveway details before committing a long coach.

Budgeting. Pace Bend and Arkansas Bend list $30 for improved camping, and county day-use charges are additional. The Corps and private resorts should be compared with live quotes. Eligible Senior or Access pass holders may receive a Corps camping discount, but an America the Beautiful annual pass alone does not automatically mean the same discount.

Season and heat. Both lakes are summer destinations for swimming and boating, but Central Texas summers are brutal for water-and-electric camping — a 30-amp pedestal will not run two air conditioners in an August afternoon. Spring (March–May) and fall (late September–November) are the comfortable windows for the county and Corps sites; save the July and August trips for the full-hookup resort or plan to spend the afternoons in the water. Our Texas summer RV survival guide covers the heat-management side.

Where it is thin. The verified lakeside public sites here provide water and electricity rather than sewer at the campsite. If a full hookup is essential, compare a live private-resort quote with the simpler county and Corps inventory before choosing the lake.

For more Hill Country and Central Texas options, start at the Texas hub, the Hill Country RV parks guide and the Texas RV trip planning guide.