My first Hip Camp was a great experience
I've done almost no private land camping in my entire life.
When I went camping with my dad, we went to Somerville State Park. This was actually very common when I was in elementary school or younger - my dad would take me to the lake on his days off from the oil field. He would fish, and I would play in the lake. Or when he took me camping, he'd bring my bike and I would ride while he fished. These are very precious moments to me, and I wish I knew back then how much I would long for those halcyon days sometimes.
Regardless, as an adult, I've also almost always camped at government facilities. Most of those have been through the Texas State Park system. One time, I booked a private campground by accident, but that's it.
I have Stephen F. Austin State Park and Huntsville State Park in my backyard. And I love those guys. But, I'm in the mood for pastures still, and variety is the spice of life.
I recently booked 5D Ranch for one night out in the hinterlands of a little town called Navasota. Navasota is a really cool place for a town of its size, as an aside.
The day I was originally scheduled to go out there had thunderstorms rolling in, so I contacted the host and she let me push it back a day. It was wonderful customer service.
I drove out of Navasota onto one of the county highways, then down a country road that winded through the wooded properties that formed claustrophobic walls on either side of the narrow gravel path. Pasture emerged on either side of me as I burst from the tree lines and drove up a hill that led me to the entrance of the property.
My host led me to my site. Many of the sites are in the wooded section of the property, and some of them are pretty isolated. However, I selected a spot right on the edge of the woods. My tent was set up under the canopy of trees, but the pasture opened up just outside my camp site. I was literally right on the edge, straddling field and wood. It was exactly what I wanted.