roadtripper126110

Including $14 daily use fees we paid $39 for our 1 night stay. That is outrageous for a outdated bath house that could only produce a (men's) ice water shower. Bathroom stalls were tiny, no hand soap, shower dressing area was three benches arranged in a U shape. Zero privacy. No wi-fi, cell service, sewer hook-ups or cable tv. OTA tv was fine though.

The lake is pretty and the sites are generously laid out. We were there during a controlled burn that filled the afternoon air with smoke. We were told about the burn but were reassured that it would not be a problem. We walked down to the lake and saw extensive shoreline damage. It looked like feral hog damage. Great, we're going to be eaten by wild pigs. We camped Jan. 25, 2018 in a 25' travel trailer.

She wasn't popping her gum and doing the hair-flip, but was not interested in getting us registered for a campsite. She told us that we needed to pick a site AND set up our trailer and then walk back to the office and finish our paperwork and pay. We didn't unhitch and the office was 1/3 mile away. We were tired! The site selection process was laborious as none of the lanes were marked as to the direction of travel and only a small portion of the total sites were available to us as 1 night campers. We set up next to the bath/shower house for convenience. What a mistake! It was the most outdated, filthiest, broken-up I have ever seen. The formica was buckled up to the point that it was separated from the plywood base. The stall doors were sagging from somebody swinging on them. All the porcelain was rusty and the showers were continuously dripping. When I went back to office, SHE was gone and a young man helped me. There was a security guy there also. When I told them about the disgusting bathroom, they agreed with my opinion, offered no apology and said that there was a newer bath house which was fine, the only problem was it was also 1/3 mile from my site.
I should have known what kind of place this was when I saw a sign on the office door that stated that they have NO Wi-Fi which of course is promised by the website. The park has many long term campers and their typical clutter is very unsightly as are the tied up dogs and dog crap all through the park. I used a credit card to pay for my site and was hit with a credit card charge that nobody disclosed. Our driveway was broken-up concrete and leaves and tree debris were out of control. Noise was from nearby USAF base, but not too bad.

The price above includes a daily park use fee for two people. When I got there I could hear but not see the G o M surf. It's an almost intimidating roar for those not used to it. The half mile long boardwalk that extends out over the pounding waves is an exciting experience.
The park is set up nicely with a mix of pull thrus and backins. There are 4 price tiers and the amenities are equal with some slight differences. The lowest tier($27) gets zero wi-fi and a sewer at the front of the drive and water and elec at the back. Not quite full hook up. There is no cable or o.t.a. tv. We had to pull up to the sewer outlet, prior to leaving, to dump our tanks. This also blocked the park road. We stayed in late Feb. 2018 so it was not a traffic problem as the park was 3/4 full. The Texas version of the Colorado river flows past most sites on it's way to the Gulf. This is not the same river that carved the Grand Canyon. I didn't feel unsafe but the park is very remote and wide open to anyone who wants to drive in. The office, bath, showers and laundry are in a building on stilts and all worked flawlessly. Access was via a security code on each door. We stayed in a 25' trailer.

What a great little park. Restroom and showers worked great. Plenty of room and parking on the paved pads. We camped in Feb. 2018 and were surprised at the large # of fishing boats on the lake. We saw plenty of deer and a fox. It worked as a base to explore New Braunfels, Gruene, San Marcos, Guadalupe SP and it's beautiful river, Wimberly, Dripping Springs and of course San Antonio. The trips back to camp became tedious as the camp is pretty far off the main roads. On one of those trips back into the park we came in view of the entrance gate and saw a traffic jam. As it turned out the gate attendant would not let any of the registered campers to re-enter untill he finished processing in a new camper. There was one road in and one road out. I was the 8th car in line and got tired of waiting so I walked up to the "guard shack" and asked Sarge if we could go in on the out lane. He told me tersly, "absolutely not". Some people waited 25 minutes. I can't wait to go back to Cranes Mills but I hope Santa is at the North Pole.

Yes, the conditions were tough. We endured mid to high 90s all three days of our stay. We expected it to be hot but the humidity (80%) was oppressive. Our first visit to Smithville Lake to camp was greeted by overhanging branches that prevented entry to our driveway. The camper next to us is a regular and called the county maintenance dept and they cut down limbs about the size of a softball at the base. The driveways used to be gravel but are only broadleaf weeds now. The D loop is a mix of tiny, sidehill tent sites and small 30 amp sites. There is VERY LITTLE shade! The single bath house was clean and functional. The showers are preset at warm and could not be regulated. There was zero moving air and thus created a very uncomfortable steamy building. When you turn off the water you break out in a sweat instantly. Beautiful water views from most sites mainly from lack of shade trees. This is a USACE lake that has been turned over to Clay Co Parks and is appx 40 years old. It's a shame that they have done nothing with it, like planting some trees, to enhance the camping experience.

We camped in a 25' travel trailer and came to the area to see the Crystal Bridges museum. The area and museum didn't disappoint. It is stunning. The COE campground was disappointing, though. Unlevel and tree lined driveways, 90 degree back-ins and table and fire ring on the wrong side won't allow us to recommend this place. Not enough showers for such a large campground. Lots of shade, reasonably quiet and new asphalt loop roads are a bonus. I would visit again now that I know there are a few primo spots. Lack of photos and slope stats at rec.gov doesn't allow effective pre-planning. Visited late July 2017.

Man, it was loud, too! LOL Nice Mo S.P.. Great hot weather place to go just North of Kansas City, Mo.. They have a lake w/swim beach, fishing and trails galore. None of the sites have water or sewer but it's available. The shower houses and restrooms were spotless and functional. The camp hosts were helpful, hardworking and friendly. The Mo website lists Wi-Fi in the park but when I asked the host about it she laughed. It does not exist. Most of the driveways are nicely graveled but fall off sharply on both sides. Be careful after dark. Plenty of things to do in the immediate area. Oh yeah, the $8.50 fee to do my own, on-line reservation irks me.