Camping
Click here for a printable map of the Patron Campgrounds
Campground Entrance Location
The campground entrance is on US 290 and is flanked by two large billboards.
If coming from Austin (eastbound on Highway 290), continue about another mile beyond Old Potato Road and you will see the large billboards flanking the entrance on your left.
If coming from Houston (westbound on Highway 290), the entrance is on your right about a mile after you pass under highway 21.
If coming from Dallas/Ft. Worth or San Antonio or other cities, just try to aim for the intersection of Highway 290 and Highway 21.
Visit our Directions page for more details.
Fees
Price: 2013 pricing is $10 per adult (age 13+) per weekend and $5 per youth (age 6-12) per weekend. There is no charge for children under age 6.
You will also be required to pay faire admission unless you have a ticket, season pass or participant badge in your possession
Hours of Operation
The campground is open from Friday at 12pm until Monday at 12pm. The exception is the weekend that includes Spring Break Friday; on that weekend, since the Faire will be open on Friday we’ll open the campground on Thursday at 4pm.
Facilities
The campgrounds are primitive and have no electrical hookups. There are flush toilets and showers available to campers near the gate to the faireground, and port-a-johns placed in several areas. We cannot support large RVs or travel trailers due to the sharp turn into the campgrounds and the soil conditions. Pop-up tent trailers and small travel trailers (under 20 ft) should be able to make it into the General/Open campgrounds. Trailers should be set up off the gravel road in the General/Open campgrounds, where the tow vehicle will remain on the road while backing the trailer into the sandy soil in the campgrounds. The Faire does not have a means of removing stuck vehicles, so bear in mind that if you choose to bring a trailer, you will have to contact a local tow company if you get stuck.
General/Open Campground Orientation
Shortly after driving through our campground gate, you will encounter a ticket booth where you will pay and be directed to the left for General/Open Camping (or elsewhere if you’re a faire participant or have a camp in the Reserved Camping area).
The General/Open campground is divided into two areas. The area to the left as you enter is the Quiet Camping area, where no generators or loud noise is allowed after 10 PM. To the right, adjacent to the fire circle, is the rowdy camping area. These areas have been roughly cleared, but may require leveling and removal of ground roots and branches, so we suggest bringing a rake, shovel, root cutters, hoe, etc. Bring a chain saw if you want to cut up the dropped trees for firewood. All the debris cleared from the campgrounds has been placed in piles. All of the dropped wood is available to be cut up for firewood. Do not cut standing trees.
Rules
- Remove your trash from your campsite when you leave. It may be placed in the dumpsters or taken with you. Do not deposit it in or near the Port-a-Johns
- Do not setup your tents or park vehicles on the packed soil roads or gravel access roads within the campgrounds. Doing so will prevent other campers from getting into and out of the campgrounds. There are signs posted showing these internal access roads.
- Do not camp in the Reserved Campgrounds unless invited to do so by a member of one of the groups there. Their areas are clearly delineated.
- No in-ground fires are allowed. All fires must be in firepits raised above ground level, with at least 3 feet cleared of brush and leaves around the firepit.
- No illegal drugs, firearms, fireworks, or underage drinking will be allowed on the grounds.
- Drunkenness, violence, or belligerence will not be tolerated and may result in expulsion from the grounds by Security. Sherwood Forest Faire will operate by the One Strike Rule when it comes to unruly behavior.
FAQs
Q. I just attended the Faire and would like to either camp or stop by to visit friends in the campgrounds afterwards. How do I do this?
A. Exit to the parking lot and obtain a hand stamp on your way out. Drive around to the campground entrance, show your hand stamp (to avoid the admission charge) and pay the $10 per person fee to enter there.
Q. Is there a reduced fee if I don’t intend to stay over in the campgrounds, i.e., if I just want to visit some friends for a couple hours?
A. Nope, sorry. That would be too difficult for us to control!
Q. Can I bring in my monster 60 ft. long RV and camp?
A. Err, no. There is a sharp turn into the General/Open campgrounds that limits entry to small travel trailers (<20ft) and pop-up trailers. In addition, the soil in the campgrounds is best described as loose sand. If you get stuck, you will have to call in a tow truck, as the faire doesn’t have the equipment to haul you out.
Q. Is there electrical power and water service in the campgrounds?
A. No – it’s primitive camping. You can fill water jugs at the showers by the campground-to-faire entrance, though.
Q. Are there any rules for the fire circle?
A. Mainly just one: no glass containers. This prevents any broken glass hazards for the dancers. Okay, no drunken jumping over the fire and falling and setting yourself on fire. Also, bring firewood (see next).
Q. Can I cut firewood or bring in firewood?
A. There is about a two year supply of firewood in the presently dropped trees in the campgrounds and in the areas around the campgrounds. Bring a chainsaw and cut what you need. If you have extra time, please cut extra wood for the fire circle.
Please do not bring in firewood from beyond 50 miles from the site, as the U.S. Forestry Service doesn’t want to have any foreign tree pests introduced.
Q. Can I set up camp in the areas outside of the General/Open Campgrounds?
A. No. There are several reasons why you cannot camp outside the General/Open campgrounds. There is a large oval area that is for reserved camping for groups who have spent many hours clearing and maintaining their areas. Only they can allow outsiders to camp in their area.
Q. I have a large group of people who would like to setup an area in the reserved camping area. How to we get a reserved area?
A. Check out the Reserved / Clan Camping page.
Q. Can I reserve a camping area in the General/Open Campgrounds, either via email or phone?
A. No, there isn’t any reserved camping in the General/Open campgrounds. It is first-come, first-served. When the campground opens at 4 PM each Friday, the earliest arrivals get their pick of the available camping areas. Do not mark off an area larger than what you need (e.g., setting up barriers for a 20 tent area and only putting up 2 or 3 tents).
Q. What facilities are available in the Patrons’ campground?
A. There are port-a-johns located by the General/Open campgrounds, along with two trash dumpsters. Up by the Faire entrance, showers and flushing toilets are available after Faire closing hours.
Q. Are there any hazards in the campgrounds?
A. Yes. Besides poison ivy, we have poisonous snakes (Copperheads and Water Moccasains by the pond area). These tend to abandon the area once people start showing up. Best advice is to not stick your unprotected hands in any brush pile (use a hoe or rake instead). We also have scorpions, which fortunately are just the kind to give a bee type sting unless you are allergic. Same thing for the bees and hornets in the area (bring your anti-venom treatments). There are also Brown Recluse Spiders and Black Widows in the brush piles, so clear brush accordingly.
Q. Who do I contact for other questions on the campgrounds?
A. You can contact Mike Pullen, our Campground Director, via the Contact Us page.
