Camping

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Camping

To truly experience the splendor of Sherwood Forest Faire, you'll want to spend the entire weekend! We have several bedrooms for rent in the Castle (learn more here), but even better, for those patrons wishing a bit of extra adventure, there is an entire other world in our Campgrounds after closing cannon each night. 

 

 

General Information

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. Continue past the entrance about 100 yards and make a U-turn. You can then make a right turn into the campground entrance.
  • If coming from Houston (westbound on Highway 290), the entrance is on your right about 1.5 miles after you pass under highway 21.
  • If coming from Dallas / Ft. Worth or San Antonio or other cities, we are 1.5 miles west of the intersection of Highway 290 and Highway 21.

 

Visit our Contact Us page for more details and a downloadable map.


Fees

 

  • Visit our online ticketing portal for current pricing. Purchase online for discounts.  There is no charge for children under age 6. Friends of Faire badge holders pay no additional fee as camping is included in the price of their membership.

 

Upon receipt of your camping fee or the presentation of your Friends of Faire badge, you’ll receive a camping wristband that must be worn during the entirety of your weekend stay.


You will also be required to pay Faire admission unless you have a ticket, Friends of Faire pass, season pass, or participant badge in your possession.


Hours of Operation

The campground is open from Friday at 12 pm until Monday at 12 pm. 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 12 pm.


Facilities

The campgrounds are primitive and have no electrical hookups. There are showers available to campers near the gate to the faireground, as well as a water spigot for filling water tanks and port-a-johns placed in several areas. If filling a travel trailer or RV water tanks, please pull off the road as much as possible to allow traffic to pass.


There is no dump station available in the campgrounds. If you require pump-down of grey / black water tanks, contact Jackpot at 512-303-1466. Do not dump your tanks in the campgrounds.


Please do not dump articles (diapers, trash, sanitary napkins, alcohol cans / bottles) in the port-a-potties, as these clog the pump-down hose.


Please deposit all trash in the dumpsters provided. Observe the general rule followed by most campers – leave your area cleaner than you found it.


Benefits of Friends of Faire Pass Holders

Friends of Faire (FoF) may keep their camps (RVs / trailers / tents) set up throughout the Faire season starting approximately 2 weeks before opening. FoF members will be issued a tag for your RV / trailer / tent in the FoF package issued when you first come in to camp or mailed in advance. That tag must be visibly posted. Make sure to utilize the camping space efficiently. Outside of the Clan Camping areas there is no holding space for friends. The FoF leaving RVs/tents on site for the run of the show should only use the space they need.


Space reserved by Friends of Faire is for personal use only and may not be rented out.  Violation of this policy can result in forfeiture of your membership and/or explusion from the campgrounds.


Generators / Loud Music

Quiet Camping: No loud music or generators after 10pm (with exceptions for medical needs - CPAP, etc)

General Camping: Turn down music at 10pm, turn off music by midnight

Clan Camping: Turn down music by midnight, turn off music by 2am


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.


Immediately after entering the campgrounds, there is a crossroads. Ahead is the reserved camping area. Taking a left will take you into the General (Rowdy) camping area, which is also the RV / travel trailer setup area (refer to the map you will be given). Continuing down the gravel road will take you to the Quiet camping areas.


Maps / Pathways

We will have illuminated pathways showing the safe paths from the Faire area into the Quiet campgrounds, along with illuminated signs showing “You Are Here.”


Pet Policy

  • Pets are allowed to stay in the campgrounds but are not allowed to enter Sherwood Forest Faire. 
  • All pets must be on leash at all times unless kenneled. 
  • Have potty bags with you when walking them and clean up after them. 
  • Have their shot/medical records with you (shots must be up to date). 
  • Keep them in their kennel(s) in a sheltered spot while you're inside faire.
  • If they are too loud you may be asked to kennel them elsewhere in the future.
  • Aggressive animals (and owners) may not stay on site. If a pet acts aggressively towards another patron they must be removed from site immediately.


Other 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-potties
  • Do not set up 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 fire pits raised above ground level with a mesh screen covering. There must be at least 3 feet cleared of brush and leaves around the fire pit. A fire extinguisher must be kept nearby
  • 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

 

  • 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?

    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 purchase a campground pass. 

  • 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?

    Nope, sorry. That would be too difficult for us to control!

  • Can I bring in my monster 60-ft. long RV and camp?

    Yes, there is sufficient turning radius for large RVs and travel trailers. Remember that the area suitable for RVs / travel trailers fills up rapidly on our big three weekends (Opening, Spring Break, and Closing), so come early Friday (Thursday on Spring Break) to get a spot.

  • Are there electrical power and water services in the campgrounds?

    No – it’s primitive camping. You can fill water jugs at the showers by the campground-to-faire entrance, though.

  • Can I cut firewood or bring in firewood?

    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.


    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.

  • Can I set up camp in the areas outside of the General / Open Campgrounds?

    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.

  • I have a large group of people who would like to setup an area in the reserved camping area. How do we get a reserved area?

    Check out the Reserved / Clan Camping section.

  • Can I reserve a camping area in the General / Open Campgrounds, either via email or phone?

    No, there isn’t any reserved camping in the General / Open campgrounds (note exception below). It is first-come, first-served. When the campground opens at 12 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).


    Exception: We have an area available for youth groups (Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, etc.) in our quiet campgrounds that can be reserved by contacting the Campgrounds Manager at camping@sherwoodforestfaire.com at least 2 weeks in advance.

  • What facilities are available in the Patrons’ campground?

    Port-a-johns, hot showers, dumpsters, and water stations to fill up your RV's tank.

  • Are there any hazards in the campgrounds?

    Yes. Besides poison ivy, we have poisonous snakes (copperheads and water moccasins 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.

  • Whom do I contact for other questions on the campgrounds?

    You can contact Carey Minchew, our Campground Director, via the Contact Us page.

Reserved / Clan Camping

In the context of Sherwood Forest Faire, a Clan is a group of friends that camps together.  Over the years Clans have marked off their areas and cleared the area for their group usage through the Faire season. They are responsible for maintaining the security, trash disposal, and cleanliness of the area.

Subject to land availability and your group’s willingness and ability to accept the following responsibilities, you may be eligible to claim a campsite at Sherwood Forest Faire.

Responsibilities
  • Your group must clear and maintain their area, including interior roads and vehicle parking spots (please note that Faire equipment may not be used for this purpose – if you need a bulldozer, you’ll have to hire one)
  • Your group must have a presence on-site every weekend of the Faire season
  • Your group members must respect the land and act as its stewards. Do not allow acts of vandalism or defacement
  • Your group members may not cut down any living tree over 3 inches in diameter without approval from the Campground Director. Cedar trees of any size should never be cut down, as the Faire uses the larger ones for construction of walls in the Faire area (i.e., cedar trees are Faire assets)
  • Your group must remove all trash and other debris from their area at the end of the weekend (you may leave tents and other possessions at your own risk)
  • If these responsibilities are neglected, the group will lose their area and it will be made available for another group to claim
If you are interested in joining the waiting list to acquire a space for your group, please contact our Campground Director via the Contact Us page.

Campground Maps

The labyrinthine paths of the Patron Campground have been well documented by Clan members.  Here you'll find a dynamic Google Map that may be useful on your mobile device while you're walking about, or for those who wish to avoid the usage of modern tools while at Sherwood, please enjoy the printable version.
Dynamic Map
Special thanks to Heirs of Asgard for providing this map for the Sherwood community to enjoy.  Many-a-soul will be able to return to their own fire that much more quickly through its use!
Printable Map
Special thanks to Joshua Butler of No Left Turn for taking on the project of maintaining and improving this beautiful map.  This map was first conceived by Byron O'Quinn, who is no longer with us, but to whom we will always be grateful for being the first explorer to successfully document Sherwood's Patron Campground.