Army Corps of Engineers · Sam Rayburn Reservoir · Jasper, TX

Hanks Creek

Hanks Creek Park has something for everyone, with plenty of water sports on Sam Rayburn Reservoir and volleyball, mountain biking, wild life viewing and birding for those who want to stay on shore. The Red-cockaded woodpecker, an endangered species, is found throughout the forest surrounding the reservoir. The bird makes its home by pecking cavities in large, living pine trees.

More like this: electric hookups in Texas · reservable in Texas · big rigs in Texas · pets allowed in Texas · group sites in Texas

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Boat Ramp AreaBoat Ramp AreaSite 04Site 37
Photos courtesy of Boat Ramp Area, USACE · Recreation.gov

Site mix

Standard with electric47
overnight shelter electric8
group shelter electric1
group standard area electric1
Most sites here open on Recreation.gov six months ahead, at 10 a.m. Eastern. Sold out is not final: cancellations come back into the pool, most of them two to three days out. How to catch one

Site guide

57 sites in 4 loops. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

SiteLoopTypeEntrySurfaceShadePowerWater / sewerPeople / vehiclesFires
G1Group Standard Area ElectricPavedPartial50 ampYes / –50 / 16Yes
S1Overnight Shelter ElectricBack-inPavedFull50 ampYes / –10 / 2Yes
S2Overnight Shelter ElectricBack-inPavedFull50 ampYes / –10 / 2Yes
S3Overnight Shelter ElectricBack-inPavedFull50 ampYes / –10 / 2Yes
S4Overnight Shelter ElectricBack-inPavedFull50 ampYes / –10 / 2Yes
S5Overnight Shelter ElectricBack-inPavedFull50 ampYes / –10 / 2Yes
S6Overnight Shelter ElectricBack-inPavedFull50 ampYes / –10 / 2Yes
S7Overnight Shelter ElectricPull-throughPavedFull50 ampYes / –10 / 2Yes
S8Overnight Shelter ElectricBack-inPavedFull50 ampYes / –10 / 2Yes
DU1Group Shelter ElectricPavedFull15 ampYes / –100 / 20

Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 3:00 PM, checkout 2:00 PM.

Amenities & rules

HookupsElectric, water
Max vehicle length147 ft
EquipmentRVs & trailers, Tents
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions

The park features 47 campsites with electric hookups. Additional amenities include group camping, a playground, boat ramp and hot showers.

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Hanks Creek40°50°60°70°80°90°January: 4.66 inches of precipitationFebruary: 3.88 inches of precipitationMarch: 4.21 inches of precipitationApril: 3.69 inches of precipitationMay: 4.64 inches of precipitationJune: 4.22 inches of precipitationJuly: 3.34 inches of precipitationAugust: 3.75 inches of precipitationSeptember: 3.94 inches of precipitationOctober: 4.73 inches of precipitationNovember: 4.53 inches of precipitationDecember: 4.68 inches of precipitationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 48.6°F averageFebruary: 52.8°F averageMarch: 59.4°F averageApril: 66.0°F averageMay: 73.8°F averageJune: 79.9°F averageJuly: 82.5°F averageAugust: 82.4°F averageSeptember: 77.3°F averageOctober: 67.4°F averageNovember: 57.0°F averageDecember: 50.2°F average0 in1 in2 in3 in4 in5 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Lufkin Angelina Co AP, 21 miles from the campground at 288 feet, station USW00093987 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 50 inches a year.

Getting there

From Zavalla, TX, take State Hwy 147 northeast for 1/4 mile, then turn north on FM 2109, go 8 miles to FM 2801. Turn right (east) on FM 2801 and go 2 miles to the park entrance. Follow signs into the campground.

Nearest townJasper, Texas
Coordinates31.2719° N, 94.4031° W · Directions ↗

Fire nearby

  • Prescribed
    Rx Angelina 9244

    12 mi from the campground · 100 acres · 0% contained

  • Prescribed
    Rx Polk 9277

    24 mi from the campground · 34 acres · 0% contained

  • Prescribed
    Rx Nacogdoches 9218

    35 mi from the campground · 10 acres · 0% contained

Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.

Explore

Video

Hanks Creek, Army Corps of Engineers Campground Review

Worth a stop

The 20,700-acre Bannister Wildlife Management Area is on the northern peninsula of the lake. Hikers and bikers can come here to explore the designated Eastern Wild Turkey restoration site.

Public land it sits in

On Wilderness Atlas →

This campground sits inside National Forests in Texas.

Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.

On the National Register nearby

On Register Atlas →

Natural features

Sam Rayburn Reservoir, also called Lake Sam Rayburn, boasts over 114,000 surface acres, making it the largest man-made lake completely in Texas. It's surrounded by the Angelina National Forest, and is within short proximity to the Sabine and Davy Crockett National Forests.

Recreation

Fishing is excellent for largemouth bass, crappie, catfish and sunfish, with frequent fishing tournaments. The lake is also popular for jet skiing, water skiing and swimming.

Guidebooks for Texas

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

  • Best Tent Camping: Texas
    Wendel Withrow, 2018
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Bob Spain's Canoeing Guide and Favorite Texas Paddling Trails
    Joy Emshoff, 2018
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Swimming Holes of Texas
    Carolyn Tracy and Julie Wernersbach, 2017
    Find at Bookshop.org

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Hanks Creek?

Sites at Hanks Creek are reservable on Recreation.gov. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Hanks Creek?

Check-in 3:00 PM, checkout 2:00 PM.

Source: Recreation.gov

How many sites does Hanks Creek have?

57 sites, including 47 standard sites with power, 8 overnight shelter electric, 1 group shelter electric, and 1 group standard area electric.

Source: Recreation.gov

Will my RV fit at Hanks Creek?

Recreation.gov lists no practical vehicle capacity limit for the largest site here, which usually means pull-through or open parking. The sidebar tool checks a trailer or motorhome length against every site.

Source: Will my RV fit

Does Hanks Creek have hookups?

Yes, electric and water hookups at some sites.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are there showers or a dump station at Hanks Creek?

Additional amenities include group camping, a playground, boat ramp and hot showers.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are pets allowed at Hanks Creek?

Yes, pets are allowed at Hanks Creek. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Hanks Creek?

Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions. As of 2026-10-16, there are 3 active fires within 50 miles, so check current restrictions before you light one.

Source: Fire nearby

What is there to do at Hanks Creek?

Fishing is excellent for largemouth bass, crappie, catfish and sunfish, with frequent fishing tournaments. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to Hanks Creek?

Jasper, Texas. The 20,700-acre Bannister Wildlife Management Area is on the northern peninsula of the lake.

Source: Getting there

What if Hanks Creek is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Townsend (7.7 mi, first-come), Caney Creek (12.7 mi, first-come), and Boykin Springs Camping (16.5 mi, first-come).

Source: Campgrounds nearby