Cooper Lake-South Sulphur Unit Campground

The Great Outdoors

You need not leave town to enjoy fishing, hiking, and biking, as they're all popular activities at Cooper Wildlife Management Area, 30 minutes' drive from downtown. Sink a line to see if largemouth, white, and striped bass bite, including catfish and crappie. Keep your eyes peeled for white-tailed deer, beaver, and wild hog early and late in the day. With the nearly 20,000-acre Jim Chapman Lake/Cooper Dam close by, waterfowl and migrating birds also make regular appearances. For a more energizing time outdoors, follow old roads that have been designated as hiking/MTB trails.Looking for an adrenaline rush in and on the water? The much bigger Lake Tawakoni is an hour's drive away from your campsite at Cooper Lake-South Sulphur Unit. It offers tons of opportunities for water-based activities. Aside from fishing, boating, and swimming, jet-skiing is allowed on the lake. Its 200 miles of shoreline beckon with welcoming places to enjoy a picnic and hunt for ducks.Even more appealing is Lake Tawakoni’s reputation as the "Catfish Capital of Texas," so if you’re looking to land a trophy catch, this is the best place to be. Bring your Sulphur Springs camper rental to the state park on the south-central shore of the lake to explore nearly five miles of hiking/MTB trails, spot painted buntings, and access the park's full hookup sites and other amenities.Several other state parks within 90 minutes' drive of town include Bonham State Park, Tyler State Park, and Purtis Creek State Park. All offer fishing, boating/paddling, and hiking/biking opportunities, with Tyler State Park's more than 13 miles of trails through Pineywoods the longest of them all. Purtis Creek's 4.1-mile Wolfpen Hike and Bike Trail is suitable for all levels while Bonham's 2.7-mile Bois d’Arc Trail challenges the more intrepid explorer.

Exploring the Area

Sulphur Springs has attracted attention from regional publications as the "Most Improved Small Town" in the area. Rent a camper near Cooper Lake-South Sulphur Unit and find out for yourself what makes it so. The town’s centerpiece in the Celebration Plaza is a set of public see-through bathrooms, the only of the kind in the country.Look around and you'll see that the plaza is also the hub of the city's activity, with plenty of places to dine, shop, and entertain everyone in the family. Given considerable traffic in town, you’ll discover numerous fuel stations and convenience stores catering to the needs of Sulphur Springs campers, making it possible for you to linger and immerse yourself in the local scene.If you like a trip back in time, you only need to step inside the former home of Sam Bell Maxey, a prominent figure during the Mexican and Civil wars. Original family furnishings, clothing, and letters provide insight not only into the lives of the Maxey family but also into the bigger picture of Reconstruction Era Texas.Visitors with an esoteric interest in music boxes wouldn't want to pass up browsing the Leo St. Clair Music Box Collection amassed from different countries and cultures. Most are still operable, making them more entertaining. Visit the Southwest Dairy Museum for a close look at exhibits illustrating all facets of milk production, from when it started in old-fashioned farm kitchens to modern manufacturing floors.Sulphur Springs is what it says on the label: a water lover’s paradise with a splash of quirkiness added. And if you want to sample Dallas’s myriad offerings outside of its urban sprawl, consider waterfront camping near Sulphur Springs to enjoy the best of both worlds.