RATING: ♦♦♦♦
- Length of stay: 5 days
- Cost of per night: $18/night
- Discount: Texas State Parks Pass
- Hook ups: 30 amp electric, water, but no sewer.
- Site number/quality: #23. Asphalt pad, covered picnic area. Small trees on west side for some shade. Lots of room between sites. Nice level site.
- Park Quality: This is a very clean and well managed campground. It felt good to be in a state park again. The park is about 8 miles from the small town of Junction, and 120 miles from San Antonio. It is on a large piece of property on the south side of the south branch of the Llano River. The Llano River is a major tributary of the Colorado River that runs through Austin. The south and north branches of the Llano merge in Junction, hence the name of the town. Most of the park sits on a high bluff overlooking the river. The campground is in a beautiful valley next to the river.
- Access: The campground is just 10 miles southwest of I-10. It’s very easy to get to. The closest shopping is in Junction, but it is limited.
- Connectivity: The park is somewhat isolated with poor cell phone coverage. Verizon none, AT&T weak even with antenna, and T-Mobile none.
- Return yes/no?: Yes, if we are in the area.
- Notes: The park is especially popular in the summer, with many of the visitors tubing down the shallow river inside the park area. There’s also lots of hiking trails. The night sky is quite dark, and the stars are breathtaking. The river draws many migrating birds, and several of the campers were here to birdwatch. The river is also on the path of migrating butterflies, who flew through the area in huge numbers while we were here. Quite a sight. Not all the bugs were as welcomed, however. Too many ants, flies, gnats, and assorted others.
- Side Note: We took a little trip to the Alamo SKP Co-Op/Lone Star RV Park in Hondo to get an idea of what they are like. There are 11 SKP RV parks, all but one are located in the West. They are managed and maintained by members of the co-op. Operating expenses are shared equally among the membership by way of an annual maintenance fee. As Escapees members, we can purchase an SKP Co-Op membership (essentially a long term lease), when available. Most parks have a one to two year waiting list. The membership entitles us to use a specified lot for as long as we want. At some point in the future, we can sell the lot back to the cooperative for what we paid. It is a very affordable way to have a homebase. We plan on visiting several others in the coming months.
- Website: South Llano River State Park
