Lake Somerville State Park Birch Creek
After visiting over 20 Texas State Parks, we still name Lake Somerville State Park Birch Creek Unit as one of our favorites! It’s located in Somerville, TX and connects to Lake Somerville State Park Nails Creek Unit on the other end of the lake by a trailway. The parks are about a 30 minute drive from each other. While, we haven’t visited the Nails Creek Unit, we have a lot of say about what makes Lake Somerville State Park Birch Creek Unit one of Texas’ best!
Camping in Lake Somerville State Park Birch Creek site 94 in October of 2021
Location
Somerville, TX
Lake Somerville State Park Birch Creek Unit is in the Brazos Valley. It’s a quick trip from the Austin or Houston areas and an accessible drive from some of the most populated Texas cities. The drive from the Austin area in particular is enjoyable and quite scenic!
From Austin- 85 mi (1 hour 30 min)
From DFW- 221 mi (3 hours 30 min)
From Houston- 106 mi (1 hour 30 min)
Accommodations
Water/Electric Campsites
Equestrian Campsites
Group Campsites
There are over 100 campsites at Lake Somerville State Park Birch Creek Unit. We recommend sites in the Old Hickory Loop. Most sites in that campground are large and private with trees surrounding you. We have stayed in site 99 and 94 and both were great sites. There are trails that head down to the lake from that campground as well.
Vibes
Enjoy a Day at the Lake
Lake Somerville State Park is true to its name and has an 11,000 acre lake to enjoy. Of course, the lake is a huge part of the draw to Lake Somerville State Park and one of the main attractions of the park. I especially love Lake Somerville because it has always been pretty quiet and not too busy when we’ve visited. The water is also not too sketchy! As I said in the Inks Lake blog, I’m fairly picky about lake water, and I have gotten into Lake Somerville with our dogs for a swim and spent the day paddle boarding on the lake with no issues or icks.
If you have your own water toys, like boats, kayaks, etc., you can launch them at the boat ramp in the day-use area. We have also walked our paddle boards down through a trail from the campground for lake access and taken off from there. There are canoe and kayak rentals available in both Lake Somerville Birch Creek and Lake Somerville Nails Creek, but the TPWD website doesn’t offer details on the rental information other than encouraging you to contact the headquarters for more information.
Fishing is also a popular activity at Lake Somerville State Park for bass and catfish. Don’t forget that you need to have a fishing license if you are fishing from a boat in the park. However, you won’t need one if you are fishing from the shore.
Dany, Heather, and O'Malley at the day-use area enjoying a lake-side sunset.
Trails
Lake Somerville is one of my favorite Texas State Parks for hiking with over 40 miles of trails to explore! There is a good variety of scenery and difficulty level, so you’re likely to enjoy yourself if you like hiking. The total trail mileage is combined with the trails in the Nails Creek Unit and the trailway that connects Nails Creek and Birch Creek, but I still think it’s something the park can boast about.
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13.4 mi one-way
Hard
Lake Somerville Trailway connects Lake Somerville Birch Creek Unit to Lake Somerville Nails Creek Unit. There are hike-in campsites on the Nails Creek side.
The trail allows you to really explore Lake Somerville and experience nature for the day.
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1.5 mi loop
Moderate
This trail goes along the creek and offers great fishing. The trail description gives context to the name and says you may spot an alligator in the area. We haven't ran into any alligators there, and I'm happy with that.
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1.3 mi one-way
Moderate
This trail goes along the shore in some areas and is typically the trail we use to access the lake from Old Hickory Campground.
I really enjoy the variety of scenery on the trail as you'll walk through meadows, see stunning views of the lake, or be between rows of towering trees.
Beautiful meadow view in Lake Somerville State Park Birch Creek Unit
Campsites
One of the things I love most about Lake Somerville State Park Birch Creek Unit are the campsites. Particularly, the campsites in Old Hickory Loop. Our first time camping at Lake Somerville was also our first time camping with our dogs. I wasn’t sure if they would enjoy camping or if the whole thing would be a bust. Our dog, O’Malley, can be a bit anxious (wonder where he gets that from), and I was nervous that he would struggle with all of the activity and extra noises that come with camping. When we pulled into spot 99 in Old Hickory Loop, I felt a wave of relief wash over me. The campsite was huge and surrounded by trees on 3 sides. We were basically in our own private nook. It was the perfect situation for our first time camping with our dogs because they weren’t worried or distracted by neighbors. We really love the privacy that comes with those campsites, and they seem to all be like that in that loop. Additionally, they have some really beautiful campsites on the water in other campgrounds like Post Oak. Sometimes a good camping trip can really be elevated by a great campsite, and I feel like Lake Somerville offers some of the best!
Additional Lake Somerville Need-to-Knows
Enjoy the ride! The drive from Austin is really nice. We always take a route that goes through backroads and farmland. It really feels like you’re getting away.
It can get pretty “buggy” in the spring and summer, so bring bug spray!
Be ready for peace. Our experience at Lake Somerville has always been quiet and easy-going.
Somerville is a pretty small town but will have some of the basics you may need if you forgot something on your trip.
