Temple, Texas is close to almost every major city in the state. In fact, Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio are all less than three hours away from Temple's city limits which means that 84% of the state's population is close by. This "demographically central" location makes Temple a great place to visit as it is close enough to big cities while maintaining an atmosphere of a small town.
Temple began as a railroad town in 1881 when Jonathan Moore sold 181 acres to the Santa Fe Railroad for 27 dollars per acre. Santa Fe needed a central junction point for the area, and Temple was chosen. The city was incorporated in 1882, and shortly after incorporation, another railroad company was built through Temple as well.
There are now more than 82,000 people living in Temple, and its central location has given rise to new economic drivers. Temple features a well-known medical community in large part due to Baylor Scott & White Medical Center. Temple also stands as a goods distribution base because of its proximity to five large metropolitan areas: Austin, Waco, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio.
When you visit Temple, some of the amenities you can expect include good restaurants, excellent shopping, a variety of outdoor recreational options, and the Railroad and Heritage Museum.
Campgrounds Near Temple, Texas
East View RV Ranch is about 40 miles south of Temple and offers great views from its hilltop location. East View is in Georgetown, Texas with nearby cities like Austin, Round Rock, Sun City, and Hutto within driving distance. This is an RV park built by RVers with great amenities and plenty to do nearby. There is a rec room with a television, comfortable seats, a restroom with a shower, and commercial washers and dryers. You also get Wi-Fi to all of the 50 full-hookup sites on the property.
Just north of East View RV Ranch is another quality campground, New Life RV Park. This park features a swimming pool, clubhouse with a social room, concrete patios, and picnic tables with big rig-friendly sites that are up to 120 feet long. With high-speed internet, clean bathrooms, showers, and laundry facilities, New Life is a great place to stay that is close to a lot of big Texas cities.
Berry Springs RV Park is another RV park in proximity to Georgetown, Texas. The RV park sits right next to Berry Springs Park and Reserve, a great place to visit during your stay, with a private entrance to the park less than a block away. The park features a hiking trail, playground, pavilion, and multiple shaded picnic sites. Lake Georgetown is close by as well. Berry Springs RV Park offers 100 full-hookup sites that are long as 80 feet with amenities including Wi-Fi, laundry, furnished Meeting/community room with satellite television, and quiet natural surroundings.
State Parks Near Temple, Texas
Mother Neff State Park is just 20 miles north of Temple and includes miles of hiking trails for people of any hiking experience level. A cave used by the Tonkawa Indian tribe and a rock tower are two of the most popular hiking destinations. Picnicking, camping, and sightseeing are some of the other popular activities at Mother Neff State Park. There are tent campgrounds and RV sites both inside and around the park.
A 70-mile drive north of Temple will take you to Lake Whitney State Park. The park consists of around 1,000 acres with boating, hiking, swimming, and camping as some of the most popular activities for visitors to the park. Fishing in Lake Whitney is also a big draw, as you can bring home largemouth bass, striped bass, or even a blue catfish. Lake Whitney State Park Campgrounds has 137 RV sites and tent camping spaces, and there are many others in proximity to the park.
There are a lot of outdoor activities to enjoy at Fort Parker State Park, including swimming, fishing, boating, camping, hiking, bicycling, and bird or nature watching. There are miles of trails to explore by either hiking or biking, and Lake Springfield, the Navasota River, and Fort Parker Lake are all bodies of water that are great for fishing, swimming, or paddling. There is an RV campground inside the park and numerous sites in the surrounding areas.
National Sites Near Temple, Texas
A 40-minute drive north of Temple will take you to one of the most unique national sites in America, Waco Mammoth National Monument. There you can see preserved fossil specimens that are the only evidence of a nursery herd of Columbia Mammoths in the world. You can see 22 mammoth fossils, dire wolves, an alligator, a camel, and a saber-toothed tiger cub.
El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail is located about 60 miles south down Interstate 35 from Temple. This trail tells the story of about 150 years of human history, including Spanish explorers' attempts to proselytize American Indians, the growth of cattle ranching in Texas, and the state's movement from independence to statehood. This is one of the known trade routes connecting Mexico City to North America as pioneers began to settle the land.
Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park is located a little over 100 miles southwest of Temple in Stonewall, Texas. At this park, you can learn a lot about the life and presidency of Lyndon Johnson through artifacts, buildings, a museum, and short films. You can also experience life on a Texas farm and see bison, longhorn, and other wildlife along the way. Sauer-Beckmann Living History Farm includes actors dressed in period clothing and knowledgeable about World War I era farming.
National Forests Near Temple, Texas
Sam Houston National Forest is about 120 miles east of Temple and about 50 miles north of Houston. It is one of four national forests in Texas and encompasses about 163,000 acres. The well-known 128-mile-long Lone Star Hiking Trail runs through Sam Houston National Forest, and primitive camping is allowed off the trail. Double Lake Recreation Area surrounds a 24-acre lake that is great for swimming and fishing, and Lake Conroe has a few ramps for boating, canoeing, and kayaking. There are plenty of camping options, both primitive and RV campgrounds, inside the park and in nearby cities.
Named for the legendary pioneer, Davy Crockett National Forest is located a little northeast of Sam Houston National Forest and about a two-hour drive from Temple. This park is made up of streams, lakes, and woodlands that combine to create some unique wildlife habitats. Ratcliff Lake Recreation Area surrounds the 45-acre Ratcliff Lake, and the Four C National Recreation Trail begins there as well. Hiking, swimming, fishing, hunting, horseback riding, and wildlife viewing are some of the most popular recreational activities at Davy Crockett National Forest.
Angelina National Forest is almost 200 miles east of Temple and encompasses around 153,000 acres in Angelina, Nacogdoches, San Augustine, and Jasper counties. Sam Rayburn Reservoir is a great place for fishing and boating, while Caney Creek and Sandy Creek are two developed recreational areas close by. Camping, fishing, hiking, and wildlife viewing are some of the most popular activities in Angelina National Forest. The forest has plenty of camping opportunities inside its borders, whether you own an RV or a tent, and there are also numerous camping opportunities in the nearby vicinity.
