Camping sites are being shut down all over the country; the latest closure is Schreiner Park in Junction, Texas. In fact, it was one of our absolute favorite spots that we shared on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and our website.
It’s become a popular camping spot with locals and travelers, but it looks like campers will need to find a new place to boondock.
Keep reading to learn more about Schreiner City Park and the closure.
Let’s dig in!
Junction Government Closes Schreiner City Park
According to City Secretary Garvene Adams, “RV camping is no longer allowed in the City of Junction Schreiner Park.” What does this all mean for RVers?
On October 8, 2018, flash flooding from the Llano River in Junction, Texas, devastated the park. RVs were damaged, and four people went missing when their RVs were swept away. Rescuers attempted to find the lost campers, but they all died in the flooding.
After that disaster the park was closed. However, it did re-open to free RV camping (we stayed one night since the initial reopening).
We called the city office, and the receptionist said human feces was being left in the park, and the local residents were complaining.
It’s a common refrain.
The local citizens don’t want their community trashed. We get it. As RVers, we just don’t understand why a few campers are so trashy and ruin it for everyone.
The campground listing is no longer available via Campendium but is still active on other campground review websites.
We would never trash a free campsite. But with broader popularity comes a more comprehensive range of campers with varying degrees of ethics.
Between our social sharing and article views, exposure to the site was at least 50,000 people online.
This is an unwanted reminder to keep our favorite spots a secret, which goes against my instinct to share what I find noteworthy. Because they aren’t mine, they belong to everyone.
A bummer indeed.
About Schreiner City Park
Junction’s Schreiner City Park was home to free gravel campsites. Camping was available year-round and welcomed guests staying in RVs and tents. All sites had picnic tables, water connections, and access to a bathhouse and playground.
Although the campground had no hookups, RVers could easily get to the multiple onsite water spigots. Campers staying for more than one night could take advantage of the seasonal pool, disc golf, and basketball.
The price (free up to three days) and water-front camping made it a popular dry camping location. We enjoyed our stay back in 2017. It was a peaceful and quiet camping experience. We had great T-Mobile and AT&T coverage. We’re disappointed the park is closing and hope it’s just a temporary closure.
Where Else Can I Park for Free in Junction, Texas?
Segovia Truck Stop & Restaurant
As the name indicates, it’s a gas station with a restaurant. You can expect big rigs to come and go, but it’s a free place to park with restrooms and a place to eat if you want to skip cooking. It’s an overnight spot, not an actual camping location. The station is right off the highway, so it’s easy to get in and out.
Segovia Truck Stop & Restaurant is about 8 miles east of Schreiner Park at 115 S Segovia Access Rd in Junction, TX 76849.
Junction Westbound Parking Area
You can stay at Junction Westbound Parking Area for a free overnight parking spot. It’s a rest area, so you can expect vehicles to come and go, but it’s a place to sleep and recharge. It’s right off the interstate and only has parking, a picnic area, and trash cans. There are no other facilities.
You can find Junction Westbound Parking Area just a couple of miles outside of town at the following GPS coordinates: 30.4815, -99.7369
South Llano River State Park
You can camp at South Llano River State Park, but double-check the official state park site to verify camping fees.
The park has easy access to I-10 and is big-rig friendly. If you decide to stay, keep an eye out for armadillos and other wildlife. After a long drive, you might want to stretch your legs on the on-site hiking trails and take advantage of the bird blinds.
The 60 asphalt campsites have picnic tables, fire pits, water, and electricity. There’s no sewer connection, but the park provides a dump station.
South Llano River State Park is about seven miles southwest of town at 1927 Park Road 73, Junction, TX 76849.
Closed Forever
The bad news – there’s no sign of reopening in the future. The good news is that RVers passing through have other options to rest up.
Have you been to Schreiner Park? What are your thoughts on the park and the recent closure?
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If the stupid rv slobs would use the bathroom in the rv instead of acting like a animal it wouldn’t be closed
That’s a shame, but I am empathetic to the city’s position. When people treat the park, consequently the city, poorly, don’t allow them in anymore.
I stayed there for a night in 2019, right along the river. I got food and supplies at a local grocer and ate at a local restaurant. Not much going on in Junction, but it was a pleasant town.
How do they know it was rvers doing that? Seems unlikely to me. At any rate, that’s very disappointing, as that was a great free place to spend the night.
Why would people do this? Even if you don’t have a self-contained rig, there’s a bath house AND you’re in town where you could go to a store if need be! I hope they come up with a solution, even if it means setting up an online reservation system and charging a couple bucks a night just to get camper billing info to charge fines if they decide to be ignorant.
I’m all for free camping, but I’d be good with it going to $5/night camping just to have the area watched and kept available. Solar surveillance cameras are cheap, and would allow the area to be kept in check and possibly kept open for the ones who act right. Wonder if they could even charge a bit and offer weekly or monthly work-camp to a manager type.
This is good news! Last year I stayed there one night while passing through and noticed quite a few human pigs camping there. Throwing trash on the ground, Packing already overflowing garbage cans. Some RV’ers looked like they were long term residents there. Defecating and urinating on the ground, toilet paper on the ground – NASTY! I don’t blame the local residents, I would have complained too if transients were destroying our local park.
@Neil,…pigs raised by pigs…I would not even describe them as “human”…never taught to respect anything but their own self-entitlement…
@Brent, if this seems unlikely to you then you have not been doing much boondocking. Nearly everywhere I go all I have to do is walk 10′ out of the campground proper and I start seeing toilet paper. Also cans and glass bottles, usually beer of course. Where I am now on the edge of the fireplace are a bunch of egg shells. People SUCK!
The ironic thing is that when places get closed it’s these people that will wonder why.
@James Harris, SO glad to see someone else who understands the problem. Bad parenting. Pigs raised by pigs. Parents who feel they can do whatever they want raise nasty little twerps who grow up feeling they can do whatever they want. I always hope they crash and 🔥
Your information on the flood that killed 4 people, is incorrect. The people were staying in a paid RV Park on other side of the bridge from the city park.’
In another note, there aren’t tons of RVers that use our park so it was obvious who was doing the trashing of our park.