Long’s Fish Camp owner Dudley Long says the reason the campground was voted a Locals Love Us Favorite Campsite is because of his family’s commitment to preserving ‘God’s country.’ Staff photo by Jennifer Fierro
Dudley Long eased into the wooden chair in front of his home, which is situated about 10 yards away from the Long’s Fish Camp office. From this comfortable vantage point, the owner of the campground has a perfect view of the Llano River and Packsaddle Mountain, just two features that helped Long's Fish Camp win Favorite Campsite in the 2022 Locals Love Us awards, voted on by The Picayune Magazine readers and KBEY 103.9 FM Radio Picayune listeners.
“This is God’s country,” he said as he settled into his chair and sipped an iced tea. “It’s beautiful, it’s clean, and it’s roomy. You have the room to bring the whole family.”
The camp at 822 CR 321 is located between Kingsland and the RR 1431/Texas 29 intersection. The entrance off of 1431 leads to a dirt road with more cows than residents. Visitors simply need to follow the signs to get to the office, where the only sounds are Long’s dogs, chirping birds, and the swift water of the Llano River. Of course, how much the river can be heard depends on the time of year and whether there’s a drought.
“You can’t tell that until you get here,” Long said. “I hear people say, ‘I never thought it would be this pretty. My God, this is beautiful.’”
The land has been in the Long family since 1798. The family opened the camp in 1900.
“I inherited the camp from my father and my grandpa, my great-grandpa, and my great-great-grandpa,” Long said.
Not much has changed in the camp's 122-year history. People pay $8 to fish, and cabins are $50 per night plus $8 per person. Children 12 and younger stay for free. Cash is preferred.
Long's Fish Camp has grown to eight cabins and 20 campsites from its original two cabins.
“It’s gotten a little bigger, the fish camp has,” Long said. “We have barbecues for cooking whatever they catch, I guess, porta-potties, and one cabin is fully loaded. All of our cabins are clean.”
Long intends to follow family tradition and pass the property on to his descendants with the hope that they continue to preserve God’s country.
editor@thepicayune.com
