Campground Review: FM 521 River Park Wadsworth, TX

FM 521 River Park is located just off of FM 521 on the Colorado River near the town of Wadsworth, TX.  The small 13 acre park is administered by Matagorda County and the county allows up to three free days of overnight camping.

Three days then you have to scoot.

Part of the Colorado River Trail series of parks that stretch along the Colorado River's banks the River Park was finished in 1996.  I traveled to the park in early November 2014 and stayed a few nights.

Commemorative plaque at the park.

There are two port-a-johns at the park but no fresh water or electrical hookups of any type.  Here's the FM 521 River Park data sheet:

Hookups:                     None  

Fire ring:                      No

Water Access:             Yes

Fresh Water:                No

Trash Service:              Yes

Toilets:                        Port-a-john

Showers:                     No

Dump station:              No

WiFi:                           No

Level sites:                  Yes

Laundry:                      No

Store:                           No

Pool:                            No

Shade:                         Yes

Verizon reception:        3G, 1 bar

Internet reception:        1 Bar with a booster

Cost:                            Free for up to 3 nights

The park has a boat ramp that allows fishing boats to be launched onto the Colorado and also has 2 fishing piers that allow shore fishing in the Colorado.

One of two shore fishing piers at the park.

 One of the nicer features in the River Park is a very large grassy field adjacent to the parking area.

The park's huge grass field.

If I had to choose one thing at the park that is a little less than desirable is that it's located adjacent to the FM 521 bridge over the Colorado and there's a lot of traffic noise during drive time in the morning and evening.

The (somewhat) noisy FM 521 bridge taken from the park.

 

The park has a covered picnic pavilion with multiple tables and there are also outdoor picnic tables spaced along the river.

The park's picnic pavilion.

There aren't individual RV sites at the River Park.  I just staked out a convenient spot in the lit parking lot.

The Tank's site.  Note the light pole that lit the park at night.

Surprisingly, the Colorado is navigable by barges and tugboats even past the park and you occasionally see river traffic moving past.

The beautiful (and navigable) Colorado River from the other pier.

I would definitely camp at FM 521 River Park again.  For the most part it was a very quiet relaxing stay and the county does a good job maintaining the park.

Thanks for reading!