Winter camping on the lakeshore
Cooper Lake State Park is a beautiful park about a 2-hour drive from Dallas-Fort Worth that offers lake views, a gorgeous hiking trail, and peaceful evenings by the campfire.
Site: 90 (Oak Grove Loop)
Site type: Water only
Date visited: January 2021
Distance to site: Walk-in site where the parking lot is about 100 yards from the campsite
Distance to bathroom: Within walking distance
Bathroom: Toilets, showers
Site features: Picnic table, fire ring with grill, lantern hook
Park activities: Hiking trails, kayak rentals
Recommended: Yes
4 out of 5 stars — Beautiful park. Peaceful in the winter. Need to go back in the summer to see how it looks once the tree leaves fill out.
Site notes:
- Site 90 is large with enough room for two four-person tents.
- This site is rather private, sharing only one side with another campsite. Trees and the lake separate it from other sites.
- The campsite is mostly flat, so no having to place tents on a slant.
- The potable water spigot and trash can are shared by several campsites about 100 yards away from site 90.
- There are nice views of the lake, and you can walk into the water directly from the site. However, the water is far enough away to be safe for families with kids.
- Trees will shade the picnic table in the summer, but the site is open in the winter when the trees have no leaves.
- This site is good for winter camping, as it has enough trees to act as a wind break from the lake.
Animal sightings at campsite: Deer, armadillo, raccoons, woodpecker, hawk, cardinal, other birds
Warnings:
- Sites 94-97 are small, near a sharp drop-off to the water, and exposed to the elements, such as high winds.
- During hunting season, loud gunshots can be heard going off, starting at about 6:30 am.
Recommendations:
Reserve 89 and 90 as a pair or 99 and 101 as a pair for big groups that need a lot of space for multiple people and tents.
For more information, see the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department website.
Park address:
1690 FM 3505
Sulphur Springs, TX 75482
All videos and images © Suzannah Alexander and Jerry Albano