Hueco Tanks State Park & Historic Site Campground

My family use to hike this area when I was a kid so I brought my son here so he could enjoy what I did. I was told when making reservations that part of the range was by tour only but when we arrived I realized that included 3/4 of the whole area. We hiked the open mountain in an hour and a half. Tours have to be arranged a week in advance. We reserved 2 nights of camping but only stayed one.
I understand the changes were made due to vandalism but I was very disappointed by the changes.
We saw lots of wildlife and the bathrooms and campsites were in good working order.
I do recommend this place but do reserve as many tours as you can in order to see the whole beautiful place.

One of the best parks!! We came to spend the day, introductory video let you know more about how it became a State Park. Also super instructive about your "footprint" in the natural landscape. The Junior Ranger Program is great and the Rangers are so kind. I came with 3 kids under 9 and they loved the climbing and adventure, they completed they ranger program seated in the top of a rock. Did the small trail but it was a 3hrs experience at our own pace.

Mountain climbing and learning about what and who traveled these grounds years ago, is breathtaking

A small campground with large spacious sites with lots of privacy. Great hiking and bouldering in Park. Picnic tables are covered for protection from the sun. Two things I really liked are a garbage can at each site and a heated bathroom. (I was there in January.)

We loved this park. The sites are private with good space in between. The landscape is enchanting. We went on a 4-hour ranger-led pictographs tour that was outstanding. It was so quiet - great sleeping. The history of the place is intriguing.

Only 2 negatives: the lighting & heat in the campground bathroom was inadequate. And the one men’s shower stall had a serious drain blockage, backing up dirty shower water into both the men’s and women’s showers. (my wife was in the women’s at the time.) However, after I advised a camp host, two maintenance staff came quickly.

And we got no cell service at our campsite - only if you lurked outside the bathroom where some signal came through.

Second time here. Love it! Guided tour ($2) three years ago hit some different sites than one this year. All very nice. Many pictographs. Don’t miss Cave Kiva (on self guided North Mountain) to see 8 pictographs. Great clambering around on the rocks. Site #1 was great!

Registration and orientation video as you enter. They carefully track how many people are in the park at any time; day users as well as campers. Prior to arrival, we were notified of a water well project taking place in the park. Due to the water shortage, they were asking campers to help conserve water through May 31st, 2022. We were given the option of canceling with full refund or rescheduling without penalty. We opted to do as they requested: “please make sure to fill up your water tank before arrival to the park, we can’t guarantee access to water.” Outstanding customer service!

Site #2 was spacious with good separation by distance and natural buffers from neighbors. This site had two tent pads as well as a shelter with table. Levelers required. North Mountain was our back yard.

ATT and Verizon reception good enough for email and internet access.

The park closes at six and no one is allowed inside the park other than registered campers; and we were restricted to the campsite area beyond the yellow entrance gate.

Guided Tour

Nicole, our tour guide, shared her love and knowledge of this park during a walk that last just over 2.5 hours. That was shorter than promised at the beginning; however Nicole paced our group of 10 based on the strengths of what the weakest could accomplish. Our group ranged in age from late 70s to a couple of infants (that’s a whole other issue that should be addressed). This necessitated by-passing a sharp ascent over boulders to the dam and access to Mescalero Canyon.

Worth the time and money ($2 pp) to access off limit areas of south mountain.

Overall enjoyed our stay! Hiking trails and the Junior ranger program were fun with the kids and they loved climbing up the boulders. We were thinking this park was a bit bigger than it was but it was still fun for a few days. The Junior ranger program was great as far as a Texas State Park goes. It was specific to Hueco (pronounced Waco) and was very specific with lots of activities.) Reservations at the campground were limited to 3 days but that was really enough to see and do all the park had to offer. The rangers were great! Our kids asked a question they didn’t know the answer to and when we dropped the explorer pack off at the end of our hike, there was an entire page of handwritten notes about the type of vegetation they had asked about. Wow! The park gates do lock every night so be sure to be in by 6:00 and hiking permits (free) do need to be picked up by 10:00 on the day you’re hiking. You are also required to watch a 10 minute informative orientation video prior to hiking or staying at the park. Not a big deal but nice to expect when you arrive. Our dog was only allowed at the campground so something to take note of if you have a furry friend. Showers were good (one in each of the bathrooms at the campground) and bathrooms had flushing toilets. Would recommend for a three night stay.

Unique TX State Park... beautiful and quiet. Things to know; reservations by call in only, gates are locked at 6:00 pm, dogs are allowed but only in campground and on the North Mountain Trail, power for the area often goes out during high winds but they get it back up pretty fast, very spotty cell service.

Site 3 is level and can take any size rig. Although, it has a unconventional layout. To have patio side of rig oriented correctly, you need to "drive-in" rather than "back-in". This will still leave the electric and water at the front of your rig and may require additional lengths of cord and hose.

Our trip to Hueco Tanks State Park was the highlight of a three-week jaunt through New Mexico and Texas. The 20-spot campground had a few sites closed due to water conversation, and with the park gates closing at 6pm daily - well, you can't get much more secluded. Our site was a bit of a bear to access, but once parked it was a little slice of cool. Shaded picnic table backs up to the East Mountain, our camp was visited by Barbery sheep, and the sunsets were amazing. Water/electricity worked as advertised, the shower facility is small but super clean. Cell phone coverage (Verizon) was spotty and inefficient. The park's highlights are hiking to the many petrogyphs scattered throughout three amazing mountains. Hueco Tanks' reputation as a venerated site is well deserved, and we will certainly return.