Openings · last 7 days
18
Booking reality
Campsite Sniper detected 18 site openings here in the last 7 days
01 · Detected Opening History · the openings record · file CS-234362
When Ratcliff Lake Recreation Area reopens
Ratcliff Lake Recreation Area's openings record: every site-date Campsite Sniper detected turning available, logged and time-stamped. Refreshed hourly.
Openings · last 30 days
55
Openings · last 90 days
128
Weekday pattern
Detected openings by day of week · 90dSunday accounted for the largest share of the openings Campsite Sniper detected. 33 of 128 openings detected in the last 90 days occurred on a Sunday (25.8%), with Monday (24) and Tuesday (20) next in line.
Hour-of-day pattern
First detected by hour · local time · last 90 daysThe largest concentrations of detected openings were first detected during the 03:00 and 11:00 local-time hours. Those hours contained 29 of 128 detected openings (22.7%). Hours show when Campsite Sniper first detected each opening, in Central Time, not when the change was made upstream.
Lead-time profile
Days before stay date · percentilesHalf of the openings Campsite Sniper detected appeared at least 10.5 days before the stay date; the middle 50% land 4–21.2 days out. Set an alert if you want Campsite Sniper to monitor future openings.
Highest-churn sites
Most openings · 90d| Site | Openings | Share of all openings |
|---|---|---|
| 040 | 19 | 14.8% |
| 018 | 12 | 9.4% |
| 017 | 12 | 9.4% |
| 021 | 9 | 7.0% |
| 030 | 8 | 6.3% |
Site 040 had the most detected openings in the last 90 days: 19. One free watch covers every site here.
02 · Availability Outlook · Nov 2, 2026 – May 3, 2027 · of 58 monitored sites
Of the 10,431 tracked site-dates (Nov 2, 2026 – May 3, 2027): 5,667 open for online reservation · 687 reserved · 4,077 on sites not offered for online reservation (first-come, first-served or administrative). Of the facility's 58 monitored sites, 35 can be reserved online and 22 are first-come, first-served (1 closed).
Where the open windows are
45.7% of tracked site-dates are not currently open for online reservation. 5,667 of 10,431 remain open; here is where they are.
Load status
Nov 2, 2026 – May 3, 2027Not open online45.7%
Open site-dates5,667 / 10,431
Reserved (of online inventory)687 / 6,354
Weekday openings3,117
Weekend openings2,206
Of the open site-nights on mapped sites, 3,117 fall on weekdays and 2,206 on weekends (Fri–Sun). The split covers the 5,323 open site-nights on mapped sites; 5,667 site-dates are open across all monitored inventory.
Open dates by month
Nov 2026 – May 2027March holds the most room. 1,071 of 1,767 site-dates are still open there.
Holiday windows
Sites open per night · of 54 sites| Window | Night | Sites open | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thanksgiving | THU Nov 26 | 9 | Open |
| FRI Nov 27 | 5 | Open | |
| SAT Nov 28 | 11 | Open | |
| Christmas | THU Dec 24 | 29 | Open |
| FRI Dec 25 | 29 | Open | |
| New Year | THU Dec 31 | 29 | Open |
| FRI Jan 1 | 27 | Open | |
| Memorial Day | FRI May 28 | 0 | None open |
| SAT May 29 | 0 | None open | |
| SUN May 30 | 0 | None open | |
| MON May 31 | 0 | None open |
Thanksgiving: 5 sites are available for the complete three-night stay. Christmas: 29 sites are available for the complete two-night stay. New Year: 27 sites are available for the complete two-night stay. Memorial Day: no online availability on any tracked night.
Holiday windows — day use
Units open per date · of 2 day-use units| Window | Date | Units open | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thanksgiving | THU Nov 26 | 0 | None open |
| FRI Nov 27 | 1 | Open | |
| SAT Nov 28 | 0 | None open | |
| Christmas | THU Dec 24 | 2 | Open |
| FRI Dec 25 | 2 | Open | |
| New Year | THU Dec 31 | 2 | Open |
| FRI Jan 1 | 2 | Open | |
| Memorial Day | FRI May 28 | 0 | None open |
| SAT May 29 | 0 | None open | |
| SUN May 30 | 0 | None open | |
| MON May 31 | 0 | None open |
Thanksgiving: no day-use unit is currently available for all three dates. Thursday and Saturday have no online availability; individual Friday date remains open. Christmas: 2 day-use units are available for both dates. New Year: 2 day-use units are available for both dates. Memorial Day: no online availability on any tracked date.
Best-availability sites
Most open site-nights · tracked window| Site | Open site-nights |
|---|---|
| 006 | 174 |
| 012 | 173 |
| 002 | 170 |
| 042 | 170 |
| 050 | 170 |
The 5 sites with the most open site-nights in the current snapshot. Pair a bookable date with a free alert to cover everything else.
Availability by day-use unit
Most open reservation dates · tracked window| Unit | Open reservation dates |
|---|---|
| Sawmill Shelter | 173 |
| CCC Shelter | 171 |
The 2 day-use units with the most open reservation dates in the current snapshot. Pair a bookable date with a free alert to cover everything else.
Next windows
As of Nov 2, 2026 snapshotNext open dateWed · Nov 4
Next open weekendFri · Nov 6
The next bookable night is Nov 4; the first open weekend starts Nov 6. Campsite Sniper can watch later dates for you.
Stays and site detail
5,323 open site-nights across 33 sites at Ratcliff Lake Recreation Area, from the same hourly snapshot as everything above.
55 overnight sites and 2 day-use units are represented in the current inventory. Day-use units are excluded from every night-based figure on this page — site-nights, longest runs, multi-night stays, holiday stays and RV fit; their reservation dates are listed separately below.
Multi-night stays. 153 2-night, 138 3-night, 72 7-night openings where a single site is free for every night, per Campsite Sniper's current snapshot — soonest Nov 4 at site 012.
RV length. Longest recorded site here is 60 ft. 37 sites take 25 ft, 36 sites take 35 ft, 27 sites take 40 ft.
All 33 sites with current availability
| Site | Max RV | Hookups | Open site-nights | Longest run | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 006 | 20 ft | None | 174 | 100 nights | Nov 4, Nov 5, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 14, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18 +162 more |
| 012 | 15 ft | None | 173 | 149 nights | Nov 4, Nov 5, Nov 6, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18, Nov 19 +161 more |
| 002 | 20 ft | None | 170 | 85 nights | Nov 4, Nov 5, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18, Nov 19 +158 more |
| 042 | 20 ft | None | 170 | 85 nights | Nov 4, Nov 5, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18, Nov 19 +158 more |
| 050 | 20 ft | None | 170 | 92 nights | Nov 4, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18, Nov 19, Nov 22, Nov 23 +158 more |
| 003 | 20 ft | None | 169 | 86 nights | Nov 4, Nov 5, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18, Nov 19, Nov 20 +157 more |
| 008 | 20 ft | None | 168 | 67 nights | Nov 4, Nov 5, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18, Nov 19, Nov 20 +156 more |
| 027 | 50 ft | Yes | 167 | 149 nights | Nov 4, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18, Nov 19, Nov 22, Nov 23, Nov 24 +155 more |
| 016 | 50 ft | Yes | 166 | 156 nights | Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18, Nov 19, Nov 22, Nov 23, Nov 24, Nov 25, Nov 26, Nov 29, Nov 30 +154 more |
| 035 | 45 ft | Yes | 166 | 116 nights | Nov 4, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18, Nov 19, Nov 22, Nov 23, Nov 24 +154 more |
| 044 | 20 ft | None | 166 | 67 nights | Nov 4, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18, Nov 19, Nov 22 +154 more |
| 004 | 40 ft | None | 165 | 67 nights | Nov 4, Nov 5, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18, Nov 19 +153 more |
| 021 | 50 ft | Yes | 165 | 156 nights | Nov 12, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18, Nov 21, Nov 22, Nov 23, Nov 24, Nov 25, Nov 29, Nov 30, Dec 1 +153 more |
| 030 | 60 ft | Yes | 165 | 155 nights | Nov 4, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18, Nov 19, Nov 20, Nov 23, Nov 30, Dec 1 +153 more |
| 046 | 20 ft | None | 164 | 86 nights | Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18, Nov 22, Nov 23, Nov 24 +152 more |
| C Group | 40 ft | None | 164 | 82 nights | Nov 4, Nov 5, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18, Nov 19 +152 more |
| 010 | 15 ft | None | 162 | 67 nights | Nov 4, Nov 5, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18, Nov 19 +150 more |
| 039 | 35 ft | Yes | 161 | 122 nights | Nov 4, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18, Nov 25, Nov 26, Nov 27, Nov 28 +149 more |
| 028 | 50 ft | Yes | 160 | 149 nights | Nov 17, Nov 18, Nov 19, Nov 22, Nov 23, Nov 24, Nov 29, Nov 30, Dec 1, Dec 2, Dec 3, Dec 6 +148 more |
| 037 | 40 ft | Yes | 160 | 155 nights | Nov 4, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 23, Nov 30, Dec 1, Dec 2, Dec 3, Dec 4, Dec 5, Dec 6 +148 more |
| 015 | 50 ft | Yes | 159 | 78 nights | Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18, Nov 23, Nov 24, Nov 25, Nov 28, Nov 29, Nov 30, Dec 1, Dec 2 +147 more |
| 017 | 50 ft | Yes | 158 | 121 nights | Nov 5, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18, Nov 19, Nov 24, Nov 29, Nov 30, Dec 1, Dec 2, Dec 3, Dec 4 +146 more |
| 024 | 50 ft | Yes | 158 | 157 nights | Nov 24, Nov 28, Nov 29, Nov 30, Dec 1, Dec 2, Dec 3, Dec 4, Dec 5, Dec 6, Dec 7, Dec 8 +146 more |
| 034 | 50 ft | Yes | 156 | 149 nights | Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 22, Nov 23, Nov 24, Nov 29, Nov 30, Dec 6, Dec 7, Dec 8, Dec 9, Dec 10 +144 more |
| 036 | 50 ft | Yes | 156 | 84 nights | Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18, Nov 29, Nov 30, Dec 1, Dec 2, Dec 3, Dec 6, Dec 7, Dec 8, Dec 9 +144 more |
| A Group | 60 ft | None | 156 | 67 nights | Nov 4, Nov 5, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18, Nov 19, Nov 22, Nov 29 +144 more |
| 038 | 50 ft | Yes | 155 | 149 nights | Nov 10, Nov 29, Nov 30, Dec 1, Dec 2, Dec 3, Dec 6, Dec 7, Dec 8, Dec 9, Dec 10, Dec 11 +143 more |
| B Group | 40 ft | None | 155 | 65 nights | Nov 4, Nov 5, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 25, Nov 29, Nov 30 +143 more |
| 033 | 50 ft | Yes | 154 | 149 nights | Nov 25, Nov 30, Dec 1, Dec 2, Dec 3, Dec 6, Dec 7, Dec 8, Dec 9, Dec 10, Dec 11, Dec 12 +142 more |
| 047 | 20 ft | None | 154 | 85 nights | Nov 4, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18, Nov 29, Nov 30, Dec 1, Dec 2 +142 more |
| 019 | 50 ft | Yes | 152 | 122 nights | Nov 4, Nov 5, Nov 20, Nov 25, Nov 29, Dec 1, Dec 2, Dec 3, Dec 4, Dec 5, Dec 6, Dec 7 +140 more |
| 018 | 50 ft | Yes | 149 | 122 nights | Nov 29, Nov 30, Dec 1, Dec 2, Dec 3, Dec 4, Dec 5, Dec 6, Dec 7, Dec 8, Dec 9, Dec 10 +137 more |
| 040 | 50 ft | Yes | 136 | 79 nights | Nov 5, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 26, Nov 29, Nov 30, Dec 1, Dec 2, Dec 6, Dec 7, Dec 8 +124 more |
Day-use inventory
344 available reservation dates across 2 day-use units. Day-use inventory is reserved by the date, so it carries no stay length.
All 2 day-use units with current availability
| Unit | Open reservation dates | Consecutive dates | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sawmill Shelter | 173 | 131 dates | Nov 4, Nov 5, Nov 6, Nov 7, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18 +161 more |
| CCC Shelter | 171 | 85 dates | Nov 4, Nov 5, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 13, Nov 14, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18 +159 more |
About Ratcliff Lake Recreation Area
Overview
Ratcliff Lake Recreation Area was built in 1936 by the Civilian Conservation Corps. It surrounds a picturesque 45-acre lake that was once a log pond and a source of water for the Central Coal and Coke Company sawmill which operated from 1902 to 1920.
The facility is open year-round and includes a large campground, picnic areas, a reservable amphitheater, a swim area and many opportunities for outdoor recreation. Camping is available year-round.
The Davy Crockett National Forest, named for the legendary pioneer, contains more than 160,000 acres of East Texas woodlands, streams, recreation areas and wildlife habitat. Located in Houston and Trinity Counties, the forest is centrally located within the Neches and Trinity River basins.
Recreation
Swimming, fishing, hunting, hiking and picnicking are the area's main activities. The designated swimming area and playground provides much fun for the kids (no lifeguard on duty). Fishing piers are available for anglers to try for largemouth bass, bream and channel/blue catfish. Only electric motors are allowed on the lake. Principal game for hunting on the national forest includes squirrel, deer, quail, dove, turkey and waterfowl. Three main hiking trails can be accessed from the facility: the 1.5-mile Tall Pines, 0.75-mile Trail Tamers and the 20-mile Four C, which winds through many types of forests to a scenic overlook. Learn more about recreation in the national forest.
Facilities
Ratcliff Lake has 56 campsites, both first-come, first-served and reservable. Campsites in Dogwood Loop have electrical hookups and can accommodate vehicles up to 50 ft. Flush toilets, hot and cold showers and trash bins are also provided. Two picnic shelters and an amphitheater are also reservable. The day-use area has 17 single family picnicking units, a swimming area, flush toilets, two wooden fishing piers, one earthen pier, one fishing platform and a boat ramp.
Natural Features
The campground is heavily forested with loblolly pine, oak and other hardwoods, and surrounds Ratcliff Lake. A wide variety of wildlife exists in the area, including the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker.
Nearby Attractions
The Big Slough Wilderness Area, located along the Neches River about five miles north of Ratcliff, is free of modern development and gives the visitor a place for solitude and primitive experiences.
58 monitored sites22 FCFS sitesRVs up to 60 ft24 with hookups54 shadedWaterfrontLakefrontPets OKFire pitsMax party 10
Getting there
From Crockett, take State Highway 7 east for 15 miles. The recreation area is on the left between the towns of Ratcliff and Kennard.
18551 State Highway 7 East, Kennard, TX 75487936-655-2299
BoatingCampingCanoeingDay Use AreaFishingHikingHistoric & Cultural SiteKayakingSwimming Site
View on Recreation.gov ↗ Get directions ↗
03 · Field Photos · roll CS-234362 · facility + sites
Photo gallery
Roll CS-234362 · Ratcliff Lake Recreation Area · Kennard TX12 frames · facility + sites
FAQ
How do I get a reservation at Ratcliff Lake Recreation Area?
Reservations for Ratcliff Lake Recreation Area are made through Recreation.gov. 5,667 of 10,431 tracked site-dates are currently open (54.3%). Campsite Sniper has also detected 128 site openings here in the last 90 days, so further dates may appear. Pick a site or unit on the map to see its calendar, or set a free Campsite Sniper alert. You complete the reservation yourself on Recreation.gov.
Does Campsite Sniper book this facility for me?
No. Campsite Sniper sends alerts and direct Recreation.gov links. It never books, pays for, holds, hoards, or resells reservations.
How current is this availability data?
Campsite Sniper re-checks public Recreation.gov availability for this facility every hour and republishes whenever anything changes. This facility's data last changed at Nov 2, 2026 18:20 UTC; an older timestamp means nothing has changed since that time, not that checking stopped. Always confirm final availability on Recreation.gov when you book.
How often do new openings appear at Ratcliff Lake Recreation Area?
Campsite Sniper detected 18 site-date openings at Ratcliff Lake Recreation Area in the last 7 days, 55 over 30 days and 128 over the last 90.
Which day of the week had the most detected openings at Ratcliff Lake Recreation Area?
Sunday accounted for the largest share of the openings Campsite Sniper detected in the last 90 days: 33 of 128 (25.8%). Days reflect when Campsite Sniper first detected each opening, not when the change occurred upstream.
Can I get a multi-night stay at Ratcliff Lake Recreation Area?
138 three-night openings are showing, counting only runs where the SAME site is free for all three nights. The soonest starts Nov 4 at site 012. Confirm and book on Recreation.gov.
Which sites at Ratcliff Lake Recreation Area fit a 35-foot RV?
36 of the 54 sites that support RV analysis have a recorded maximum of 35 ft or more; the longest recorded is 60 ft.
Which month has the most availability at Ratcliff Lake Recreation Area?
March 2027, with 1,071 open site-dates in the current snapshot of 1,767.
How far ahead of a stay do openings appear at Ratcliff Lake Recreation Area?
Half of the openings Campsite Sniper detected appeared at least 10.5 days before the stay date; the middle 50% landed 4-21.2 days out. Campsite Sniper can monitor future changes for dates you select.
When is the next open date at Ratcliff Lake Recreation Area?
As of the Nov 2, 2026 snapshot: the next open date is Wed, Nov 4 and the next open weekend starts Fri, Nov 6. Detected openings can add earlier dates at any time; a free Campsite Sniper alert catches those the moment they appear.
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