Camping around DFW? (Cedar Hill, Mineral Wells, Bonham: vehicle, radio, best)

[jabbit]

I'm looking for a place in the DFW area that I can go camping. Camping that entails/involves booze/drinks, bonfire action (small just to keep warm provide light you know) and some grilling, some radio music and maybe a tent.. near a lake perhaps.

Anyone know of a good place in the area for this?
The only places I could find in a search in the area (or close to us)...

Bonham State Park
Cedar Hill State Park
Eisenhower State Park
Lake Mineral Wells State Park

[ChristieP]

State parks don't allow bonfires and they really frown on a lot of drinking and loud music. Your best bet is going to be to find someone who will let you camp on thier private land.

[aceplace]

Originally Posted by ChristieP

State parks don't allow bonfires and they really frown on a lot of drinking and loud music. Your best bet is going to be to find someone who will let you camp on thier private land.

You can build a fire in a fire ring at a state park campsite, but you cannot build a fire outside of the ring. So no, you can't just walk into the woods, pick up some deadwood and start it burning.

You actually cannot pick deadwood off the ground even for a fire in a fire ring. That will result in immediate expulsion. I've seen it happen.

If you are caught drinking in public at a state park, you will be immediately expelled. A ranger will stand at your campsite while you load your tent and equipment into your vehicle, and then he will escort you off the property. No exceptions.

Ray Roberts state park has two branches on Ray Roberts lake... Isle du Bois and Johnson Branch. I prefer Johnson Branch because of its many hike-bike trails through virgin forest. Also, it's less crowded and cleaner.

The Lake Texoma Cross Timbers hiking trail also has some primitive campsites, and they may have more relaxed rules regarding bonfires. But maybe not drinking. At any rate, nobody appreciates the beer cans that rowdy drunks toss into the environment.

Also, the LBJ National Grassland just north of Decatur is a good place to camp. It is actually heavily forested, and contains many hiking trails.

Good luck... and I hope you forget about the alcohol. Do your drinking in a bar.