Shady Lake RV Park

The Great Outdoors

Horseback riding on the 10.5-mile Buggy Whip Equestrian Trail through dense forest and vegetation on challenging terrain is one of the main draws at Cooper Lake State Park. About half an hour's drive from the campsites at Shady Lake RV Park, Cooper Lake is also brimming with white and hybrid striped bass, largemouth bass, and catfish. The gradual slopes and the steep hills offer not only stunning views of the lake but also harbor gray fox, bobcat, and nine-banded armadillo.An hour's drive from Sulphur Springs, Lake Tawakoni State Park is verdant with 376 acres of oak forest where hiking, birding, and mountain biking are popular activities. The trails range in length from less than a mile to slightly longer, and in difficulty levels from easy to moderate. Red-eyed vireo, yellow-billed cuckoo, and indigo and painted bunting are some of the colorful feathered residents in the wooded areas. The angler might want to choose a spot from the five-mile lake shoreline to cast out a line for striped and hybrid striped bass, white bass, and crappie.Seasoned mountain bikers might want to saddle up at Cedar Hill State Park, where the Dallas Off-Road Biking Association or DORBA Trail curlicues through 1,200 acres of parkland. Trails range in length from three miles to 12 and pass through open areas with some patches of woodland in places. Roots and rocks make the trails' twists, turns, and ups/downs a white-knuckle riding experience.

Exploring the Area

If you're a history enthusiast, camping in Sulphur Springs might be a good idea. It's not often that you get to set foot in a small Texas town from a century ago; tours through historic buildings like a working blacksmith shop, a grist mill, and the first brick home in Hopkins County ushers visitors back in time.At the Hopkins County Museum, Caddo Indian relics and Civil War memorabilia are some of the most prized exhibits. Along the same vein, the Sinclair World War II Collection located in the Sulphur Springs Public Library documents the activities of the Texas National Guard during WW II.For a look at the turn-of-the-century architecture in town, the stately Hopkins County Courthouse, made with red sandstone and pink granite in 1894-95, is worth a visit. Built in the Romanesque Revival style, the courthouse piques visitors’ interest with its unusual features. Unlike other courthouses, it doesn’t have a clock tower, it has a double helix staircase, and it has "inconvenient" entrances.Have kids along for the Sulphur Springs RV camping trip? You might want to bring them to the Leo St. Clair Music Box Collection, which keeps an impressive number of music boxes, including one gifted by the Queen of Belgium. Over time, Mr. St. Clair’s collection grew by acquisitions from fellow soldiers and film stars.Strolling around the town square, you might be intrigued by Sulphur Springs' whimsical glass bathrooms. If you want to see how it works, step inside one and see how one-way mirrors allow the occupant inside to see people outside without revealing what the former is doing inside.So when you’re looking for a pet-friendly campground near the DFW area, renting an RV in Sulphur Springs and booking a campsite at Shady Lake RV Park might be the way to go. You'll be close to nature while enjoying the conveniences that come with being in the vicinity of a major urban area. Start your search for a rental RV in Hopkins County today.