Brookshire is a small community in Texas of 5,000 people located 37 miles west of Houston. It was named for Nathan Brookshire, a captain in the Texian Army and participant in the resounding victory over Mexican forces at the Siege of Bexar in 1835. The event sparked the Texas revolution, eventually winning freedom from Mexico.
After the battles were over, Nathan Brookshire returned to his home in the East Texas area that would eventually be named after him. He saw the rolling grasslands as perfect for raising cattle. In 1897, his son John Brookshire filed to plat the town of Brookshire to build a central hub for the storage and dispersal of agricultural goods raised in the region. As the community grew, Brookshire became a seed production center for crops such as barley, oats, and wheat. The horizon became dotted with silos as storage for these crops until shipping became a significant issue.
When Interstate 10 reached Brookshire on its way east from San Antonio to Houston, the town began to change from an agricultural center to include industrial development. Incoming workers found few accommodations, and a housing boom developed.
Today, Brookshire is anticipating significant population growth. With the sprawl that Houston and its neighbors saw in the early 2000s, the Brookshire area appears to be the next in line as a bedroom community for industrial workers in the Houston area. The City of Brookshire is already drawing up plans that retain its character as an agricultural area while accommodating the needs of an influx of families.
Over the last decade, Brookshire has seen significant growth in the number of amenities. The number of restaurants has grown from five to 31, and gas stations from six to 18. Developments in waste processing and water systems, and plans for new transportation routes, point to a rosy future for the Brookshire area.
Campgrounds near Brookshire, Texas
Houston West RV Park lies within the boundaries of Brookshire. With 180 spacious RV campsites, this park has many features that RV travelers find desirable. The 85-foot limestone pads offer pull-through capability for any size rig. Each site provides full hookups with 20-amp, 30-amp, or 50-amp service. Exceptional amenities include a dog park and dog wash, a 24-hour laundry facility, a pool and spa, a TV lounge, a library, and a catch-and-release fishing pond.
The Katy Lake RV Resort lies nine miles east of Brookshire. It provides 209 RV campsites on 18 acres surrounding a six-acre lake. There are 64 pull-through sites that accommodate rigs up to 66 feet long. Each site is a spacious 30 feet wide. Every campsite offers full hookups with 30-amp or 50-amp service. Free Wi-Fi and cable TV let guests keep up with the outside world, and business guests find excellent service in the free computer room with high-speed Internet access.
Visitors looking for a smaller RV campground will find what they want 23 miles southeast of Brookshire at the Cinco Ranch RV Park. With 40 sites that provide full hookups and a range of electrical services from 15-amp to 50-amp, the park is an ideal family-oriented RV campground. Restrooms and showers are available, and pets are welcome.
National Parks near Brookshire, Texas
The nearest national park to Brookshire is Big Bend National Park. Located 530 miles west of Brookshire, this park preserves a wide 801,000-acre swath along the southern border of Texas. The park features acres of rolling countryside thick with wildlife. Float tours along the Rio Grande give visitors a wild ride. Hiking trails run throughout the area, and angling is excellent.
About 680 miles northwest of Brookshire lies the Guadalupe Mountains National Park, one of the most rugged terrains found in the United States. The park covers 86,387 acres of mountainous terrain. Its highest point—Guadeloupe Peak—rises over 3,000 feet from the Chihuahuan Desert floor to a height of 8,751 feet. Visitors are greeted with a view of stark gray mountains highlighted against blue skies. There are no amenities inside the park, so visitors must bring food and water. Camping of any type is prohibited. Most RV travelers stay at one of the campgrounds near El Paso and make visiting the park a one-day adventure.
The Carlsbad Caverns National Park sits 612 miles northwest of Brookshire on the northern edge of the Guadeloupe Mountains. Surrounded by the stunningly beautiful Chihuahuan Desert, the limestone caves are inhabited by billions of Brazilian free-tailed bats. A curious teenager following the bats discovered the caves in 1898. No camping is allowed inside the park. However, RV parks emerged in the early 1960s in nearby communities like Whites City and Carlsbad.
State Parks Near Brookshire, Texas
Located 41 miles southeast of Brookshire, Brazos Bend State Park provides a wide range of activities that appeal to visitors. Situated on the edge of Elm Lake, fishing is a favorite sport that draws many anglers out of the Houston area. Wildlife native to the area includes the nine-banded armadillos, white-tailed deer, raccoons, North American river otters, and a healthy population of American alligators. Hiking and biking trails run throughout the 4,897-acre park. Two RV campgrounds offer a total of 73 campsites with water and electrical hookups. Picnic tables, fire rings, and standing grills grace each site. Showers and restrooms are available for the use of guests.
The Somerville State Park is situated along the banks of 11,486-acre Somerville Lake, 62 miles northwest of Brookshire. Water sports, boating, and fishing on the lake attract thousands of outdoor enthusiasts yearly. Stocked fish species inhabiting the lake include largemouth bass, white bass, hybrid striped bass, white crappie, black crappie, bluegill, and catfish. The park offers 61 RV campsites with electrical and water hookups. Every camp has a picnic table and a fire ring. Clean restrooms are available for visitors.
Huntsville State Park sits on the shore of 203-acre Lake Raven near Huntsville, Texas. It is a short drive of 82 miles to the northeast from Brookshire. The best fishing is for largemouth bass and redear sunfish. The 2,083-acre park offers several hiking and biking trails through the mix of grasslands and forests that make the area distinctive. There are over 150 RV campsites with water and 30-amp or 50-amp hookups. Restrooms and showers are available for use by guests.
National Sites Near Brookshire, Texas
Located 143 miles northeast of Brookshire, the Big Thicket National Preserve is a microcosm of the southeastern Texas environment. Covering 113,122 acres, the park features pinewood forests, coastal grasslands, and inland prairies. The Big Thicket is remarkable for its incredible diversity of fauna in a relatively small area, hence its recognition as a biosphere reserve by UNESCO. Hiking, fishing, birdwatching, and paddle boating are the favorite activities that draw people to the preserve. There are several privately owned RV campgrounds nearby with outstanding amenities and planned tours that take visitors through the preserve’s diverse environments.
Sections of the El Camino Real de Los Tejas National Historic Trail run to the south and north of Brookshire. This 2,500-mile trail was used for centuries by Spanish colonists as a major trade route with Native American communities in Louisiana and into the Great Plains. The trail is dotted with Spanish missions where monks and priests sought to serve the indigenous population.
The Waco Mammoth National Monument lies just outside Waco, about 160 miles northwest of Brookshire. Fossilized remains of Columbian mammoths, dire wolves, an alligator, a camel, and a saber-toothed tiger cub are on display, partially buried in the ground. Paleontologists believe there are many more yet to be revealed. The remains are concentrated in a five-acre area, surrounded by 100 acres of grassland. It is the only known location where the remains of Columbian mammoths have been discovered in groups.
National Forests Near Brookshire, Texas
Located 82 miles northeast of Brookshire, the Sam Houston National Forest covers 163,045 acres. The multiple-use forest is a favorite of hikers in the southeast Texas region. Pathways like the 128-mile Lone Star Hiking Trail run through the forest. Various species of trees inhabit the forest, including black, white, and swamp chestnut oaks, loblolly pine, willow, and dogwood, amongst others. Free dispersed camping is allowed, or visitors can stay in one of several developed campgrounds provided by the National Forest Service for a nominal fee.
The 160,647-acre Davy Crockett National Forest is located 157 miles northeast of Brookshire. Administered by the United State Department of Agriculture Forest Service, this multi-use forest is used for lumbering, grazing, and oil production alongside recreation. Inside the forest, the Ratcliff Lake Recreation Area features a four-acre lake with campgrounds. Boating, swimming, hiking, and fishing are among the favorite activities that bring visitors to this forest. While dispersed camping is allowed, forest guests are advised to stay clear of areas where cattle grazing or lumbering occurs.
Next door to the Davy Crockett National Forest, the Angelina National Forest offers seven developed areas for campers, most of which provide access to the Sam Rayburn Reservoir, the largest manufactured lake in Texas. Boat ramps are available in these areas. The forest consists mainly of longleaf pine that provides homes for bald eagles and red-cockaded woodpeckers. Areas. The forest covers 153,000 acres and includes two wilderness areas. Campers looking to boondock in the forest are welcome but must avoid camping in the wilderness area.
