Except for the previous two years, I usually come here every New Year's Day for the First Day Hike. It was incredible, as usual! Angela Bright was the Ranger for the more challenging hike versus the other more moderate hike. There was a story-telling hike afterwards, but I ran out of steam. The pace of the hike was fairly easy-going; however, there plenty of ups and downs on the hiking path. On my way out to go home, I shopped at the park store. If you live in the area, please become a patron of this particular park. read more

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A pretty nice State Park. We stayed three days and did some hiking and mountain bike riding both of which were very nice. Trails are well groomed and well easy to follow. Some of the sites are a little bit small for larger campers with overhanging limbs that can actually damage your air conditioning, so be careful when backing in. Overall, we had a good short three day vacation at the State Park and Wood return again. read more

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We really enjoyed our day trip to this state park. We hiked the Spillway Trail first, which offers a great view from above the spillway. It was mostly dry on the day we visited (a bit of a disappointment), but it was still fun to climb down and explore the spillway from within. Next, we drove to the playground and ate a picnic lunch, taking time to check out the swimming area for future reference. The sand was quite rocky and not remotely soft, but the water was surprisingly clear for a lake. I imagine it's a great place to swim in the summer. We hiked some of the Fossil Ridge trail before leaving. Both trails we hiked were in full shade for almost the entire duration of the hike, making this a more bearable place to hike as the temperatures rise. With lots of inclines and declines, these two hikes were moderately challenging - a legitimate workout if you pick up the pace a bit. This might be personal preference, but we far prefer the landscape of Cleburne State Park to some other nearby state parks (like Cedar Hill, for example) and found their trails to be substantially more beautiful. We like to camp in screened shelters and while Cleburne does have a couple, from the map they appear to be far from the nearest restroom, which isn't functional for our family. I foresee us returning to hike all the trails we missed, but I'm not sure I'll camp there. read more

Cleburne State Park - Spillway Trail - Parks Near Me - Cleburne, Texas

Funny we live 20 mins down the road but never stayed here till this week , Camp sites 44,45,46 at popular point are the ones to get . They don't call it popular point for no reason . You have to book way in advance but it's so worth it , the sites are large you have a beach access as well . The water is really clear for a lake and anyone that knows me knows I hate swimming where I can't see my feet , but here was it an issue . Park is also very clean which is a plus as well . read more

Cleburne is our favorite "scape" place. It's not too far out, and it does the trick if the plan is to get out of the daily routine. We have booked the cabins in different occasions. It's better to book in advance, specially during holliday weekends. They do have a window unit what makes "camping" very comfortable during winter time. The trails are nice for hiking or biking. There are some self serve kayaks available for rental. read more

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Beautiful time of the year to visit CSP. Our group took advantage of the cabins to have some great times. The thunderstorms have us just enough time between downpours to cook, hike fish and then repeat! read more

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With some great elevations changes and shaded trails, a beautifully carved limestone dam (thanks to our CCC!), multiple fishing piers, a boat ramp, beautiful day use building constructed with brick which hosts nice showers, vending machines, and a HUGE fireplace, HUGE swimming area, lakeside trails, year-round wildflowers (most abundant in Spring), and several camping loops...Cleburne SP has become one of our go-to options - rain or shine - at just over one hour from Dallas. This is one of those parks that can still be enjoyed in the dead heat of Texas summer thanks to a couple of short, highly rewarding hikes and a massive, unmarked swim area (a little mushy/weedy-bring water shoes if desired), and nice showers in day use and camping loops. Do wear deet if taking back trails or long hikes to ward off ticks and horseflies! Whether celebrating a birthday or just craving a day outdoors, Cleburne SP is a great way to spend it. The main trail we would opt out of on future visits is the pink trail (tree portion) as it felt like a never- ending, maze with no quick exit once started and LOTS of zigzagging...great for bird-watching/listening though! read more

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Cleburne State Park had some good hikes and I enjoyed my time here. The trails aren't the most labeled so I wasn't going to attempt Limestone Ridge. Going around the rim of Cleburne was a good way to check out the park. And there were some tough and steep parts of Fossil Ridge, Coyote Run, and Spillway Trail. read more

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I love crossing off another state park off of my list but love not running into anyone during my visit even more! I stopped here on a Friday to get some hiking in and it was toe perfect isolated retreat I was looking for. Others have mentioned (either here or AllTrails) that some of the trails aren't well marked but I thought they were. I went on the pink, yellow, red and green trails and went along the lake until I got bored by the sites. The green trail got a little confusing since it's near the lime trail (at least thats the color it looked on the map) but it offered some elevation change and I finally found my way back. Some loose rocks along the way which caused me to bite it but nothing that rest and ice couldn't help. I enjoyed lunch along the limestone dam with a sandwich and book and saw people from a distance. In the time of COVID, I more than welcomed not running into a single soul the whole time. My only complaint was the factory or refinery nearby, I prefer quiet when I hike and there was a constant whirring noise in the background the entire time. Not a dealbreaker but it was distracting. read more

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Everything about this place is simply gorgeous. Lots of hiking trails and spots to just stop and relax. Great swimming area and beach area. Love all the wildflowers and wildlife read more

Cleburne State Park - Me at the little bridge at CSP posing with bluebonnets. - Parks Near Me - Cleburne, Texas

Great close to home hiking trails. Great people that volunteer! You can high for 5 or 6 mile hike or go low 3 mile hike. Trails are great, some bumpy terrain. I recommend it and you can totally get caught up in the beautiful sound of nature! read more

Always a great experience! We love the trails, very relaxing for family time. Staff is friendly and help. read more

This is our second time coming here. I camp with someone who is not big on hiking so I have not tried the trails. I need to come with my hubby. Swimming is amazing. The sites are kept clean. Diwnsides. Bathroom at the Keyhole site is old. One toilet leaks. One stall the faucet is broke so it never fully shuts off causing.....leaks. The last time we stayed whoever cleaned the restrooms was top notch. As a tent camper (even in the heat) a clean restroom is a massive plus. Whoever cleans now either needs to do better initially or check them more often. Trees. There are a lot of dead trees at the sites. Widow maker limbs. Again as a tent camper in the heat you need to park your tent in tree shade if available. Lawsuits are waiting to happen here at some of these sites. They can do A LOT better about their tree management. read more

Spent the day here with our 4 kids. It's a small but lovely state park. We took the hike to the spillway- perfect hike for little ones. Just enough of a challenge for a little exercise but not so much that they complained the whole time. Our kids are 8,6,4,&1. There was no water coming over the spillway and the creek bed was pretty dry- I Imagine it's more fun when it's full of water. After our hike we went and swam in the lake at the swimming area. Our kids were in HEAVEN. Love swimming in fresh water lakes and the depth was perfect. Not too shallow not too deep. read more

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Nature and wilderness ~1 hour away from the DFW-Metroplex? I initially had very low expectations, but when I arrived, I was pleasantly surprised by how scenic the park was with plenty of foilage and wildlife (we saw deer, foxes, buzzards). Like others have mentioned, there aren't any major attractions, and the park is long but not very deep. However there are a handful of trails to explore and bike trails (rated intermediate, advanced, etc.) that I heard are pretty challenging. The park is bordered by a Lime Company so I think there was a little light pollution, and the night sky wasn't as dark as I hoped. I was there for an Advanced Wilderness Medicine course hosted by JPS Hospital, and we stayed in the group camp with dining hall and 2 barracks (with 24 bunk beds for men, and 24 bunk beds for women). Facilities are only about 2 years old and were very nice. There was a bathroom facility for each barrack that had 2 showers (with detachable shower heads) and 3 bathroom stalls as well as a row of "lockers" (no locks) where you could hang your towels and store your toiletries on a shelf. The dining hall was half-kitchen (with refrigerator, stove, sink, preparation area, storage) and half-sitting area which they had converted into a classroom where they did presentations on a projector. Yes, there is electricity, outlets, and WiFi (very spotty and slow though)! There is a covered patio in the back, a grill, and an area for campfires. About 20 or so parking spots in front of the facilities. No T-Mobile cellphone service, though others were able to get a roaming signal by walking to the boat unloading dock. Can't say much about the individual camping sites (though I saw plenty of families and trailers and bikers), but this was a great experience for groups/organizations if you're interested in hosting a group wilderness event there. It was a lot nicer than they made it out to be on the website! read more

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Beautiful place to spend a weeks get away! The Lake is pretty big and the vegetation is supple. The campground is nice and beautiful to hike or bike or wander around! I will definitely come back! read more

Cleburne State Park is one of my favorite parks operated by the state. Located about an hour SW of Fort Worth between Cleburne and Glen Rose. The park was built by the CCC in the 40s. The park went through some major upgrades that include new bunkhouses, restrooms and a park store. However, the park store has been closed since the remodel. This is very unfortunate. The park use to offer canoe, paddle boat, kyach and boat rentals. The store also kept those last minute items like ice, tackle, and other items. I have had the privilege of camping at each park operated by the state and I would have given the park a solid 5 if the park reopened the store. The park does have wifi however the service is limited to the store area that is closed. read more

We love coming and going for a hike and nice swim in the beach area. The camp sites and the cabins are great. The people staying and working are always so kind! Highly recommended place for the family or anyone. read more

One of the better parks I've been to , not too many people know of this gem , so it's clean and so far well kept , bathrooms, showers are clean , wife had no complaints:) overall great place that wasn't over ran with people, lake was quiet no party boats , lots of picnic areas , great trails for hiking or biking, easy access for canoe ,kayak or paddle board, safe enough to leave our stuff to go fishing ( wouldn't advise everyone to do but we were comfortable with it) no hassle from staff , just a good family day. read more

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A quiet retreat for those who hike, bike, fish or just enjoy the outdoors. The park is well maintained.

My family and I went for the day on a hot summer day... it was perfect! We got there early and hiked the orange trail known as the coyote run nature trail. My 5 year old did great and once we got to the dam (off of the pink trail known as the spillway trail) we rested and finished the hike off by the beach swim area. There was plenty of shade, great views and a lot of places to rest. We will going back for sure! read more

Cleburne State Park - Cedar lake - Parks Near Me - Cleburne, Texas

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Great park. Clean and never crowded. Staff is excellent and very helpful. We hike and paddle here on a weekly basis. The lake is small but very clean and the trails offer a wide variety of terrain for all skill levels. It seems like our own personal park. Recommend highly. read more

I tell you what---first and foremost, if you are CAMPING, Cleburne State Park has the absolute *cleanest* restroom facilities. And I'm not kidding. I mean, they are freaking SPARKLING. Let me give you some backstory-- A friend of mine and I planned to canoe the Brazos out by Possum Kingdom. In November. Yeah, we knew it would be "chilly". Unfortunately, the forecast called for very high winds which would be mur-der for canoeing, so we punted and decided on tent camping at Cleburne. My "sort of" negatives? The park is *extremely* well-run. Meaning, everything is uber-official. You start by "entering" the park at the Ranger Station. You'll pay the usual fee and be treated to lots of information by the very friendly folks running the station. Maps and tips and Howdy's galore! The drawback is just that. You're not on your own here. Don't even THINK of breaking any rules. An official drives by every 38.9 seconds to check on just exactly what you are doing and what you might possibly be doing that goes against code. Meanwhile, the park is beautiful. Sort of West Texasy but here in D/FW. Many short hiking paths (somewhat primitive, but super-easy) are to be found. My main complaint is the lack of primitive campsites. In other words, I wanted to tent camp and all they have are RV hookups and youth group barracks. My friend and I managed to rent the sole remaining available site and, opposite to our hopes, were completely surrounded on all sides by RVs with all the trimmings: multiple dogs, multiple kids on bikes with helmets (still appalling to me as a child of the 70s/80s), multiple speaker systems playing Bro Country... We tried to pitch tents here, but then "Bro's" planted a fire ring and a string of jalapeño lights plus an OU banner, then we tried there but more Bro's planted a smoker plus karaoke machine w/margarita inputs (alright, that's a stretch, but you get it). Once the sun went down, it was fuh-reezing! But that's what we get for camping in November. About 100 yards away from us was the most sparkling, cleanest-ever bathroom/shower facility that I was very thankful for in the morning BECAUSE IT WAS HEATED and I'd had Frito Pie the night before... you get my drift? SO--great for day hikes and hauling the kids to the spillway for lake views and rock formations, and certainly for RV camping if you are into the whole RV "culture". Also super kid- and dog-friendly. If you're looking for primitive, like I was, I'd suggest the 2-day canoe trip up on the Brazos by Possum Kingdom (look up Rochelle's Canoe Rental). Or better yet, drive up to the Ouachita Trail in Oklahoma north of Broken Bow. Otherwise, you're in good shape with CLE-BURNE STATE-PARK!! Just south of South-Town Ford, Alsbury Exit, Fort Worth!! read more

Our hiking group, Houston Area Trails & More, camped at Cleburne State Park on Friday and Saturday night in mid-April 2013. It was a good camping and hiking experience. We stayed in Shelters 1 - 5. The shelters were pretty nice compared to other Texas state park shelters I've been in. There is a large picnic table inside each shelter, an outlet, horizontal wood bars across the screen "windows" to hang clothes, latch locks, and an overhead light. The closest bathroom to the shelters required a short hike through some woods behind the shelters. That was unique. The bathrooms were overall a 3 out of 5. There were only two showers, no hooks in the shower changing area to hang bags, and no main trashcan. One of the showers had a mini showerhead for people who are 3 feet tall or shorter. The sink faucets were hard to turn. I liked that hand soap was provided. There were no paper towels for us OCD folks to touch the door handles with. The trails were nice and worth trips out there for hill training. Our total mileage was 10.18 miles with 805 ft of elevation gain: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/298221183 The trails were sometimes rocky so people with ankle problems may want to take extra precautions. Shade varies a great deal. The trails are laid out well around the campsites such that people can do little sections of the trail or long sections and still have quick access to the campsites / main activity areas in the center. The amphitheater appears to be a major hub of families with young children. Lots of kids were playing in the playground while their parents sat nearby and watched. Pick up a map at the Park Headquarters and see a map of all the trails. The trail intersections are not that well-marked and it is possible to get a little lost in the east side. The trails in the south half of the park (below the lake) have huge mazes but you can take shortcuts and cut through them. Texas Lime, a lime mining and processing plant, is next to the park so we awoke every morning around 7 am to the sounds of industrial equipment moving around. If you are a light sleeper, bring ear plugs in case you don't want to wake up at 7 am. My T-Mobile cell phone had no service out there. The free Wifi at the Park Headquarters building was really weak. The nearest "fun town" nearby is Cleburne. There is an HEB, Walmart, etc... read more

I've been coming to the state park my whole life and I've always enjoyed it. It's well kept and the last time we were hiking a trail we even saw an employee way out in the woods doing maintenance. Always a great time here! read more

Cleburne State Park - Parks Near Me - Cleburne, Texas

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Went to the park to hike. I was pleased to find the terrain was not just flat land, but rolling hills. The trails were mostly shaded and kept in good shape. read more

Like the last reviewer said, there is no major attraction. The lake isn't particularly pretty or nice to swim in, but it's nice if you have no where else to go locally. What I can say about the place is the hiking and mountain biking is really great! I haven't gone in a while, but when I used to mountain bike out there, I'd meet people from all over Texas and some even from out of state just coming to bike there. Addtionally, the forests are really pretty and when you take the trails, you'll be surprised to find some pretty views. read more

Really enjoyed this park once we were "allowed" to check-in. We drove 5+ hours, arrived at noon however our little "conscientious millennium worker" decided there was no early check-in till 2 pm (we had been up since 4:30 am and drove 5+ hours!) He told us we were allowed a temporary pass to just get in the park but had to come back at 2 for the "official" check in. We drove to our site, no one was there. Obviously, the people before us had already left. We parked in the site and had lunch, that took us all of a few minutes. We have NEVER been refused an early check-in when the prior folks had obviously left. We have stayed at over 30 parks this last year and this is the first time this has happened...NOT a good first impression. Really, what do you think you are? a hotel where you have to clean the room? I think that guy took his job and uniform a bit to seriously. It's supposed to be a mini-vacation, a get-a-way from stress. Please people, lighten up and teach these new kids it's not a matter of life or death. With that behind us, we had a lovely time, the park was very pretty with lots of nice trails. We would love to come back again to see it in its other season. read more

We reserved a campsite for four days. There were dangerous storms that came in, we had to leave due to the fact there is no WiFi or Cell service in the park. We were unable to get any updates on the storm so we had to leave for safety reasons. The park and restrooms are very well maintained and the trails are great for hikes. The lake is also a great fishing lake. Highly recommend as long as you have no need for WiFi or Cell phone. read more

One of my favorite state parks in the DFW area to camp. The lake is great for fishing, swimming, and no wake boating. The CCC built spillway is very cool and short hike. The hiking and biking trails are fairly extensive, and afford so great views. Most of all, the camping here is some of the best in north Texas. Quiet, shaded, well-spaced, and well priced. Whatever the season, the park is worth trying out, and it's very kid-friendly. read more

Not one of the best Texas state parks I've camped at. It's not all that picturesque compared to nearby parks, and the lake is okay, but not as clear as advertised. The park is also pretty small, and seems to cater to RV and trailer campers. Campsites are really small and close together. If you're a tent camper who doesn't get a site in one of the tent-only areas, you're going to find yourself wedged between two RVs. There are only two small areas that don't seem to be dominated by RVs. One is Cedar Grove, which looked to be mostly tents when we were there. The sites are really close together, and since theses are water/electric sites, it seems the thing to do is string up Christmas lights all over your campsite, which makes the area look bright and garish and not restful and great outdoorsy at all. The only other tent-dominated area is walk-in, and the grass parking area right in front of it was very crowded with cars. There is not much distance between the parking area and the tent area, so you'll have a view of a jumble of cars from your tent. Bathrooms were kept clean, but were small and not the best I've ever used in a state park. Only two shower stalls in each bathroom, and they were small, without the little anteroom for changing in and out of your dry clothes. Staff was friendly and efficient, even during high traffic times. The firewood vending system is the best way to sell firewood at a park I've ever seen, and even takes credit cards. This is probably the loudest state park I've ever stayed in. There are several reasons for this: 1. There is a limestone quarry and lime kiln right next to the park that seems to run 24 hours a day, even on weekends, so you'll hear trucks coming and going and other industrial operations sounds all night long. 2. The campsites are so close together that you'd hear everything your neighbors did and said even if they were quiet. 3. Your neighbors won't be quiet. The park seems to attract a primarily RVing, rednecky clientele, who seems to need to talk in very loud voices even to people sitting right next to them on their tiny campsites, and lets their children run around screaming all day and night. This rough-around-the-edges clientele also seems to have no problem with loud public profanity. As I was walking to the bathroom about 10:30 PM, I passed a campsite where a "gentleman" was holding court around a campfire, casually dropping about two f-bombs per sentence in a loud voice. 4. During the day on Saturday, a very large school group of teenagers was bussed into the camp, and proceeded to spend the whole day on the small lake shouting and screaming. From my campsite, I could actually make out individual voices and words from teenagers at the opposite side of the lake. The rangers make an effort to put on an evening ranger program, and it was nice to look at the moon and Venus through telescopes local astronomy buffs bring and allow people to look through. The guided evening hike was kind of dull and anticlimactic, I had been on a much better self-guided hike at nearby Dinosaur Valley State Park earlier that day. I also attended a "night sounds at Cleburne State Park" that ironically didn't mention the quarry operations sounds. Even more ironically, I had trouble hearing the presentation most of the time because parents would allow their children to talk through it. I only stayed at this park because I was planning a trip to nearby Fossil Rim Wildlife Center and Dinosaur Valley State Park. I had wanted to stay at Dinosaur Valley, but it was already booked. All things being equal, if I were to do it again, I would simply wait until I could find a weekend when I could get a site at Dinosaur Valley, and skip Cleburne altogether. read more

We camped 2 nights and loved it. When we checked in everyone was very friendly and helpful with selecting our site. We were close to the playground and lake and kids loved both. We got a very shady site so it was cool and pleasant even though it's June in Texas. Our younger daughter wasn't into the idea of walking the trails, so we didn't get to do much of that, but what we did was beautiful. Hopefully we will return soon for a day trip just to do that. The restrooms and showers were clean, but water pressure wasn't great. The only other downside is the campsites seem very close together. We had a great time though and definitely recommend it. read more

We stayed at Poplar Point site #46 in a teardrop trailer and absolutely loved our experience. Both attendants at the park office were quick, friendly, welcoming and helpful. The park was in great condition, with very little trash, even the day after Labor Day. The bathrooms were clean and well kept - probably the nicest we've seen at TX state parks. The swim area, bathrooms and dock at Cedar Lodge were also impressive. Our time on the water in our 12 foot boat was very relaxing and quiet with lots of fish jumping. We plan on returning for a longer stay. read more

Pretty little park and great people. We went for the day to check it out and there are lots of different styles of camping available and clean comfy amenities. Will go back to stay a couple of days for sure! read more

I stayed two nights at this campground. While the lake is nice, and the campsites are good, there is a constant humming at night from a nearby plant. Additionally, there are very aggresssive racoons that will open coolers and eat food, even if the cooler is in the back of at truck. read more

Really nice state park. Scenic and well maintained grounds. Plenty of hiking trail distance and a nice playground for the kids. We will be back here any time we are in the area. read more

OK, there's no major attraction here. No caves to explore, no fossils to excavate, no trees to drive through, no buffalo to spy... But it's really pretty. It's a lovely day trip for a family or friends. Nice lake for swimming, fishing or boating. They have lovely forests you can hike through. Nice facilities for picnicing. And plenty of local wildlife--we spotted a raccoon passing by on our first visit and plenty of birds. It's $3 a person to get in. Cheap for a state park. Have your kid's party here, a picnic, a date, a hike with your dog. Nice place to visit! read more

Way to go on the new lake building. We were able to use the fire place area for a group meeting with skits and announcements. The bathroom are much better. Would like to have extra tiolet stall or two in the men's bathroom to avoid long waits. Also, the store was not open for supplies and fishing bait etc. read more

Park is very well taken care of, staff really puts everything they have into this park and take their jobs very serious. If you're a party animal, this isn't the spot for you. Serious campers that want to enjoy family time and follow the rules, you're in the right spot! Have fun and camp on! read more

I agreed with the previous two posts, until the recent park renovations (Fall 2011), especially the new bath house/pavillion on the lake's shore. We visited the park again last week, and had the best time. A boyscout jamboree was in full swing, the beautiful pavillion on the lake had a fire blazing in the two-story fireplace, people were swimming on the redesigned (improved!) beach, kayaking, fishing off the new pier. The little people loved the playground with its fort/jungle gyms, the teens took off hiking around the lake, and I got to relax amongst wildflowers and birdsongs. Later we grilled/picnicked, then laid on the dock to star gaze. Awesome night sky out that way. Teens are requesting kayaks for birthday presents now... Another new edition worth mentioning are the 2 fabulous brick bunkhouses (each with fireplaces), with brick "mess hall" between (reminiscent of the one in the movie "Parent Trap), with huge back deck overlooking the creek. Great place for a family reunion! read more