Camping Cooper Lake State Park is a must for anyone obsessed with a little bit of Texas nature.
Cooper Lake State Park sits on Jim Chapman Lake. Let me say that again. Cooper lake state park is on Jim Chapman lake.

Are you as confused as I am? I definitely just found that out, due to google. I went here thinking the place I explored, Cooper Lake State Park, was probably on Cooper Lake.
… because that’s what makes sense.

Anyway! I guess it’s called Cooper Lake because directly north of it is a tiny town called Cooper, not because the actual lake is called Cooper Lake. Or maybe it used to be called Cooper Lake? Or something. I think I’ve said the word Cooper so many times now, it has COMPLETELY lost any and all meaning.

Now that we have that out of the way, let’s move on.

THE DETAILS

Name: Cooper Lake State Park
Location: Sulphur Springs, TX
GPS: GPS: 33.287730, -95.657920
Elevation: 450′ … welcome to texas LOL
Cost: $5 to get in the park (or use your TX state parks pass). $10-30 to camp depending on amenities wanted.
Number of campsites: 80+
Hookups: Electric, water, none… it depends what you choose.

Amenities: Picnic tables. Fire pits. Lantern posts. Bathrooms and showers are available. Firewood sold, etc. Anything you’d probably find at an established campground.
Privacy: It depends on your slot. Some were fairly close. Others had a bit of trees in between them.
Parking: Flat level spots for rings. Walk in sites had parking lots.
Noise: Pretty quiet while I was there. Coyotes are loud.
Cell signal: Great Verizon service.
Scenery: Lakes and Trees and Deer OH MY!

OUR CAMP SPOT

This is strictly about the southern Sulphur Springs unit. I did not go to the northern Doctors unit at all.
We booked a site in the Deer Haven camping area.
Specifically, slot 64. It was a back in/straight concrete pad with water and electric. Picnic table. Fire pit. A set of stairs you do not want to take at night without a flashlight to get to the fire pit.

It was a short walk to the lake, with a trail or two already cut into the brush and trees. Lots of room on the water. I saw a few fishing poles set up. It looked as if all the spots on that side had trails to the water.

We could see the site across from us, and one of the ones next to us… but that one was far enough away that it wasn’t any issue with privacy.

PARK AMENITIES

The sites themselves have water nearby and many have electric hookups.
Walking distance are full bathrooms with running water. Yes, that even includes showers!

The park itself has fishing, grills and spaces to picnic, hiking, bird watching, biking, playgrounds, horseback riding. Geocaches complete with being able to borrow a GPS unit. There’s even a basketball court and a sand beach. Firewood is available for purchase at the front.

There are screened in shelters and cabins for rent as well if you don’t have a tent or your own rig to sleep in.
It’s less than 20 minutes from the town of Sulphur Springs for other items.

WILDLIFE

When you go camping at Cooper Lake State Park, you’ll see how filled it is with wildlife. Deer and birds out everywhere!
I saw 2 different types of snakes. Thankfully neither of them were of the rattle variety. Perks of camping in the winter.

On one of our hikes we saw wild hogs. At night the rustling nearby in the bushes was a raccoon.

Those deer are slightly terrifying by the way, when you are walking in the dark to the bathroom and hear a loud noise right next to you and yank your flashlight up just in time to see a group of eyes staring at you before they sprint across the road.

We heard coyotes while we were there too! One of my absolute favorite sounds. (though, ALSO slightly terrifying if you turn around to find one sneaking up and standing 20 feet behind you like I did in South Dakota lol.)

OUR EXPERIENCE

With 2 full days to explore, one overnight was booked here. We did plenty of hiking between those two days.

I will say our only bad part of the park experience was the theft of gifted firewood. The folks at the site across from us were packing up to leave as we were arriving. They gave us the rest of their firewood, which we set next to our pit. During the 2 hours or so we spent out on a hike, that firewood went missing. I’m not sure if someone from the park took it because we didn’t buy it, or if it was another camper. Some people are just jerks.

Park staff drove throughout the campsites at Cooper Lake State Park regularly. It was a very safe park!

Between hiking, hanging out, and sitting at the campfire, this ended up being an amazing little trip. There was even time to stop and explore Sulphur Springs on the first day, and check out the Eiffel Tower in Paris on the way back home.

What’s your favorite state park in Texas? Head over to Instagram to let me know!