Army Corps of Engineers Camping
Learn about camping and boondocking on Army Corps of Engineers projects
Thomas Lake Park, Naples, TX
Thomas Lake Park is operated by the Army Corps of Engineers as a free campground and boat ramp along Thomas Lake, about 10 miles north east of Naples, TX. The campground has picnic tables, and trash cans, and that's about it. The campground and boat ramp are under the jurisdiction of Wright Patman Lake.
Jackson Creek Park, Douglassville, TX
This Army Corps of Engineers campground is heavily wooded, but comes with the usual amenities the ACOE is known known for, including restrooms, picnic tables, fire rings, and boat ramp. The campsites here are small, and may be difficult, if not impossible, for larger RVs to get in and out of.
Soldiers Bluff Park, Lake Whitney, Texas
Soldiers Bluff Park is located on the west end of the Whitney Dam on State Highway 22. There are 14 camp/picnic sites in Soldiers Bluff Park. There is one restroom (with toilet facilities only) and a day use group pavilion. Camping, group, and picnic facilities are free and available on a first come-first serve basis. The gates are opened at 6:00 a.m. and are closed at 10:00 p.m. There is a night exit that allows campers to exit the park after hours.
Walling Bend Park, Lake Whitney, Texas
Walling Bend Park is located on the west side of Whitney Lake off of FM 2841. The campground has 10 camp/picnic sites, one group pavilion, two restrooms (with toilet facilities only), and two, double lane boat ramps. All picnicking, boat launching, group, and camping facilities are free.
Steele Creek Park, Lake Whitney, Texas
Steele Creek Park is located on the west side of the lake off of FM 56 near Lakeside Village, Texas. The park has 21 camp/picnic sites with ground cookers. Water faucets are located throughout the park. There are two restrooms (with toilet facilities only) and two boat ramps in the park. Camping, picnicking, and boat launching facilities are free.
Army Corps of Engineers Rules for Camping
These are the full set of rules adopted by the Army Corps of Engineers for camping and recreation on lands they manage.
Threemile Canyon Park
Threemile Canyon Park, Boardman, OR When construction began on the John Day Dam near Rufus, OR, it went on to create numerous fishing camps further upstream along the Columbia River. One of those camps was Threemile Canyon Park. Originally, it was meant to provide Columbia River Indian Tribes with a place to continue their heritage of catching salmon. There’s still a Native American fishing camp there. But in recent years, the Army Corps of Engineers expanded the camp to include an area for non-natives. This non-native area is where Threemile Canyon Park sees 99% of its usage. The most popular time of the year ... Read more
Rufus Landing Recreation Area
Rufus Landing Recreation Area – Rufus, Oregon When they began building the John Day Dam in 1958, the Army Corps of Engineers dredged up tons of gravel and rock from the river bed, and deposited it in various places along the Columbia River Gorge. One of their primary dumping grounds eventually turned into Rufus Landing Recreation Area. The landing juts out into the Columbia River like a small peninsula, giving RVers and local fishermen a great place to enjoy the beauty of the river gorge. The most popular time of the year for Rufus Landing is from mid-May to about beginning of ... Read more
North Shore Recreation Area, Fort Thompson, SD
North Shore Recreation Area, Fort Thompson, SD Free camping is hard to find in South Dakota once you get east of the Badlands. Fortunately, the Army Corps of Engineers has set up several recreation areas along the Missouri River. Most of the better campgrounds within these recreation areas will cost you per-night fees. However, North Shore Recreation Area seems to be an exception. It’s part of the greater Lake Sharpe region, a lake created along the Missouri River after the construction of Big Bend Dam, about 30 minutes north of Chamberlain. North Shore Recreation Area and Tailrace Left Campground used ... Read more
Nelson Creek Recreation Area, Fort Peck Lake, MT
Nelson Creek Recreation Area, Fort Peck Lake, Montana Fort Peck Lake is technically property of U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and is officially known as, “Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge”. However, the USFWS contracts the management of Fort Peck Lake Campgrounds to three different agencies. The Army Corps of Engineers manages most of the recreation areas, along with Fort Peck Dam. A few other recreation areas are managed by the Bureau of Land Management and the State of Montana. Nelson Creek Recreation Area is among those managed by the Army Corps of Engineers. There is no fee to get in and ... Read more
