The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has reopened the Shady Ridge Camping Loop at Cedar Hill State Park, restoring 68 campsites near Joe Pool Lake after a multi-year closure for repairs and renovations, the agency announced in a July 23 news release.
Located in Dallas County, Cedar Hill State Park draws visitors from across the state seeking lakeside access and a quiet retreat within the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, according to the release. The loop had been closed since 2022 for repairs and enhancements, following earlier work to address shoreline erosion caused by a 2015 flood on Joe Pool Lake.
The renovated loop now offers 68 public camping sites, including four new ADA-accessible sites, each equipped with 30-amp electricity and running water, the department said. Improvements included repaving the roadway, laying new camping pads, adding new picnic tables and covered picnic tables, and constructing two new restroom facilities with refreshed utilities. A group tent campsite — a first for the park and also ADA-accessible — is set to open soon.
“We love having our facilities opening back up for the public,” said Assistant Superintendent Daniel Palmer. “It’s always nice having visitors from near and far come to enjoy the peace and quiet we have to offer here, and getting these campsites back online means we can have more people come and stay.”
The park expects to reopen an additional camping loop in the Eagle Ford area this fall, according to the release. That loop, known for longer camping pads and full-hookup back-in campsites, has undergone shoreline reinforcement and will add more sites, two new restrooms, a repaved road, new parking pads and new ADA-accessible sites. When Eagle Ford comes back online, Cedar Hill State Park will return to full capacity, the department said.