Mansfield Dam Park located in Austin, Texas, is a beautiful lakefront park that offers a relaxing outdoor experience. The park is located on Lake Travis featuring spectacular panoramic views, access to boating and water sports, and areas for picnics. Park visitors can swim in a designated cove, go fishing, launch boats and water skis onto Lake Travis or simply have a delightful picnic in the great outdoors. The park is well-maintained and includes amenities such as playgrounds, picnic tables, barbecue grills, restrooms, and walking trails. It also has a scuba diving area to observe fish, marine plants and other items underwater. The park also provides life jackets, which you do not see very often. In addition, there is an EMS helicopter pad available for air evac if an individual gets hurt at the park. You could easily spend an entire day at Mansfield Dam Park. The park is so serene and calming with wide views of Lake Travis. It was a great place to meditate and reset. read more

See all

Cash only, $5 per person, has access to lake Travis with the boat ramp, the shoreline to fish or swim, picnic areas, a playground, sidewalks all over the park, a gazebo overlooking lake Travis, and a scuba dive park. Everyone can only fish and swim to the left of the boat ramp. 3 park rules: (1), no glass containers, (2) alcohol must be covered with a cup or koozie, and (3) all pets must be on a leash. read more

See all

Snap! Months ago the park system changed their annual pass to PER PERSON, instead of annual vehicle permit. It's $80 per PERSON now. And, day passes are $5 per PERSON, no flat vehicle cost. Overall, I have mixed feelings about MDP. Love the location, the diving park, the "beach"...normally. Sadly, the drought has just ruined pretty much all local lake access (ramps). So, right now it's not very pretty. :( Trash and debris have always been a bit unsightly at MDP. Maybe they can pay someone to clean on the daily with the doubled fees? Just a thought. Ha! read more

I came here for the first time in 1974! I graduated High School and bought a scuba setup. My intention was to Leave Dallas driving south and diving in any body of water deep enough to submerge in! Lake Travis was one stop on my itinerary. After visiting a friend at the University of Texas in Austin, I hopped on the road and my map lead me to this area. Thinking back, I used to enjoy using a paper map. It was always there to look at in a moment's notice, without wifi service or the inevitable inaccuracies electronics delivers us today. In those days there were very few homes built in the hills west of Austin. Even fewer were visible. So as I drove west. I encountered an occasional car going the opposite direction but, not many. It was almost barren out there. Today there are homes on every inch of land and they are still building. The roads are congested and civilization has arrived. Also, this park has been developed to provide a few modern conveniences like roads, boat ramp, restrooms, roped-off swimming area, and stairs down the beautiful rocky hillside to the water. Its almost impossible to believe the first time I came out here there were no other people and I camped here overlooking the blue water of lake Travis. Now Austin is a technological magnet and quickly becoming a Metro area in the united states. Still, this small out-of-the-way park gives you the feeling that civilization is far away. I highly recommend checking it out for a day trip or primitive camping at lake Travis. By the way one cool thing is the dam. Its right there so this is deep water. read more

Arrived here at around 9ish. Weather was beautiful and the views were 10/10. Parking was $5/adult so not bad. We didn't do anything on the water though, but loved this park for the easily accessible views. read more

Disclaimer: parking costs 5 dollars per person unless you park outside the park which is a long walk. Be ready to have cash because they only take cash. This park was clean and spacious, there were restrooms available and the entrance to the park. One can bring a boat here or take a boat. You cannot rent the boats here, you would have to do it in advance. Make sure to check if there is a fee for bringing your own boat. The view once you are on the boat is amazing. read more

Mansfield Dam Park - Parks Near Me - Austin, Texas

I decided to have my daytime birthday party here to have a cookout and some swimming. We pulled in and paid our $10 (cash only) entrance fee and proceeded to navigate around to find a pavilion with a grill. Everything was pretty full since we arrived at noon so if you want to have one of the pavilions by the water area you should get here really early to stake your claim. Also it is a bit difficult to find your group or have your group find you so you will need to have a plan. We didn't since it was our first time there but, it worked out in the end. We grilled and enjoyed the shade of the pavilion but, make sure you look up and check the inside of the pavilion because we didn't realize there was a wasp nest that was pretty active. There are trash cans and by our pavilion was a bathroom that was pretty basic and had plenty of insect wildlife activity which you should expect. After grilling we went down to the water area and found a parking spot all the way in the back parking area. We walked along the edge looking for a spot but, didn't see any beach area which we were hoping for. Finally at the end of the walk way we found the tiny beach. We put our chairs in the sand and enjoyed the cool water on our feet. The swimming cove is nice but, you probably want to wear water shoes since it's a bit rocky and there is a lot of silt. There were tons of kids everywhere but, they were pretty tame. Also, it's nice to watch the boats go by. I really enjoyed this park and will definitely be back to cool off on hot days! read more

See all

A funny thing happens when you carefully plan an afternoon at Hamilton Pool only to drive all the way to where it is and find that thanks to the rain (thanks rain), the bacteria levels are appreciably high today, and there will be no swimming, thank you very much. Dressed as we were, all board shorts and bikinis, we headed for the lake. And on this day that meant a quick trip to Mansfield Dam Park. A couple of notes: the water is waay low right now due to our recent unrelenting heat, and know that going in. That means some spots that tend to be deep in other, rainier years will be devoid of same this time out. Also, it's a community oriented spot, and as such we were met with the dueling scents of suntan lotion and cookouts at once. Word to the wise, don't invite yourself to someone else's cookout just because it smells good. Good to know. That said, we found that one side of the park boasted a roped off swimming area, and that turned out to be perfect: not densely populated, plenty of room to swim and carry on, perfect for small groups or larger ones, kids or no. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, and even sporting the back-slapping sunburn I'm rocking now, I had a super laid back afternoon. We skipped rocks on the water, floated on noodles, told jokes to each other. And it was just about perfect. Bring five bucks to get your car into the park during the day, and put your watch where you may not easily find it. 'Cause you're gonna wanna drift. read more

Mansfield Dam Park - Parks Near Me - Austin, Texas

Huge Dam! I didn't know Columbia River is dammed. My image was rough and tough wild and nature river! The dam was huge but, from the top pavement, water was nit seen well. read more

Thanks to the low water in Lake Travis it has many Islands. Awhile back we swam out to the island off Mansfield Dam Park. Swim at your own risk and if you bring your dog be sure and bring a flotation device for them if you plan to swim out to the island. We got lots of great pics that I posted thanks to our dry packs on the boogie boards or rafts. The island is not very far so you don't need swim fins. The park itself has many BBQ sites, picnic tables, paved hike and bike trails and one of the deepest boat launches on the lake. Bring cash for the 8.00 entrance fee. read more

See all

Small community park. Easy access and well maintained. Not crowded and people are friendly. Not well known in Austin community

Swimming out at Mansfield Dam Park is the best and cheapest way to enjoy the lake without having to rent a boat. I've been reluctant to share, because it already gets pretty crowded as it is. Lots of picnic tables and bbq pits available for a cookout. We've been known to pull our chairs right up to the water and spend the whole day just relaxing by the lake. There isn't much of a natural slope into the water, so getting in and out isn't the most graceful thing in the world. In some places the water is deep enough to just jump on in and in others, you may just want to slide in, because there are the random shallow rocks. Drinking is allowed, but it must be covered. So don't forget your Yelp koozie when heading out here! read more

Mansfield Dam Park - Parks Near Me - Austin, Texas

This park is beautiful and well taken care of. We had a great time swimming and having a picnic. We will be back regularly! I think some of these reviews are funny complaining about the $10-15 cost. I bet they'll pay $10 for a bitter mostly ice overpriced Starbucks drink and not even think twice though. read more

This is a magnificent place as long as it does not turn into a party scene and some people start acting like I used to do when I was their age here. :-) . It is a pleasant escape an I do recommend coming during the week rather than the weekend when it can be busy. Things like dam sliding or jumping off the dam are frowned upon these days as it is just too dangerous. The only real thing you are usually bothered by are mosquitoes and fire ants who of course were here long before us. Just put bug squirt on the kiddos, and keep an eye out for any broken glass that may have been not cleaned up by others. Please clean up your own mess. This is a great place to chill out when it is at low season. read more

For $10/vehicle to enter this park, I expected so much better. There's really not much here. There are some picnic tables, benches, and charcoal grills. This park has a nice view of the lake, but that's about it. There's also a short trail with different types of trees and labels to identify what kind of trees they are. I guess it'll be better if you had a boat.. Overall, I was quite disappointed. Just go to Barton Springs. read more

Well, my family wanted to have a picnic at lake Travis, but didn't know where to go because they live in San Antonio. So, I started doing some research for parks on Lake Travis. I came upon a few that seemed reasonably priced ($8 per car, cash only), and I found Kevin N's review from earlier this month. So, we decided to plan a Sunday out with hot dogs, ribs, and all kinds of goodies. We arrived at 10:30ish and it was pretty empty. Had some food, went in the water a couple of times, and had a blast. Right around 2 or 3 pm though, many people started arriving and setting up for their picnics, etc. One interesting detail: Everyone around us was speaking Spanish, not one word of English, except from our group. The only reason I found it interesting was because I've lived here about 4 years, and hardly know anyone or have been around people who speak the language, and all of a sudden that's all I hear. Weird... read more

I went there once just to let my kids see the lake about 6 years ago. The experience was so unpleasant, bizarre even that I never returned and never will. Park attendant informed me that the parking lot and all facilities existed for the exclusive use of boaters, and that we were to leave immediately if we did not have a boat. I think he had some mental issues and would not really be around for long, but I was never inclined to return to find out. Just too weird of a situation to take small children. read more

THIS REVIEW IS FOR SWIMMING ONLY: As of today: 06/27/2012 the water is very low in the lake, making a lot of swimming holes a bit of a hassle. Mansfield Dam Park (specifically swimming cove) is just fine to visit if you are healthy, don't bring small kids, and especially do not bring your dog. You'll need to climb/slide down the face of a very steep hill with very sharp rocks to get to the water (and the climb out sucks). After that, the actual space to ENTER the water is covered in garbage. The water was cool, and refreshing after the trek down in the heat, but, after an hour or so there I was relaxing in the water and something bit me -- hard enough to leave a red welt. This was after getting my foot caught in what must have been some metal loop used to tie off boats (scraped up my foot). So while swimming is at your own risk -- I won't be risking it again. The absolute WORST part is that the coastal area is overgrown with weeds and my dog left covered in thousands of burrs. He's a yorkie -- the only solution was to chop off nearly every bit of his hair. But hair is hair-- and he was miserable and in lots of pain. So if you DO decide to go -- please leave your puppy at home. read more

Clean facilities and a nice and easy boat ramp. I always want to know what the ramps are like so here you go boaters! read more

Mansfield Dam Park - Parks Near Me - Austin, Texas

Tucked away... far enough for me to not feel stressed out by the traffic, the crowds, and the pollution of the city. Thank goodness my partner in crime and I found this place! We first found out about MDP about four years ago and have made numerous trips here ever since. The views and privacy are fantastic! read more

They closed the boat ramps but the lake is open. So as usual only the wealthy get to decompress during this pandemic. Very disappointing that the leaders of the community really have no clue read more

This place has an awesome beach area for the kids to swim but parking is quite far and it's a hassle carrying everything down to the beach. Other than that my kids had a blast! read more

Just a quick update, in the form of a video. http://www.vimeo.com/6958358 Yes, I did complete my aforementioned mountain bike ride to the end of the Sometimes Islands chain and am pleased to report that it was a VERY nice ride. There was a bit of sand to contend with and some tall thick shrubbery, but if you pick a line along the high side of the chain (the left side riding out) it is a great ride. And the solitary feel with the wind blowing is really great. I'd recommend going out in the early morning to enhance that feel! However, with the recent rains, the lake has come up over a foot and will continue to rise. The first crossing is a bit too deep, now, to do without completely trashing your bike and soaking your shorts. But that's not to say you can't try it, you daredevil! Oh, and carries don't count. Some intrepid folks have taken the opportunity, with the lake levels as low as they have been, to extend, partially, the boat ramp another few feet down into the lake, so the next time we hit a low water mark, boating will remain a few months longer. Now that's foreward thinking and worthy of another star. read more

Great little park to walk around and have a picnic. The park has both dirt and paved roads. Picnic tables are everywhere. The park has views of Mansfield Dam and also of Lake Austin. The Lake Austin Low Water Crossing is nearby if you want to check our the lake. There is a plaque to read about the dam. read more

Mansfield Dam Park - Two Turkey Vultures flying over Mansfield Dam and Lake Àustin. - Parks Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

Its nice for outings but the parking is far and its a hassle to carry everything down to the water areas.

The dam is nice, water is clear, saw some fish. However lots of family with kids, it got really overwhelming and loud...

Had a good time letting kids play on rock walls while we walked around coast line of lake great pics of scenery and a lot of boats hitting the lake great place to just relax and take photos. read more

Great park that is clean and provides easy access to the lake for boat launches, family picnics, fishing, or water fun with the family.

I used to live 5 minutes from here and was a regular dog walking fixture. Since we're more in town I don't go as much, but miss it. It's a nice sized park, right on the lake with bbq grills and picnic tables a plenty. My dog likes to splash around on the rocks and bite the waves rolling in, a good way to keep cool and keep you laughing. He went too far out once and fell in the deep end, pretty funny at the time, but if you have a small dog or puppy make sure to keep all your eyes peeled. the only reason it doesn't get 5 stars is the $8 entry fee, which is a little much for frequent walkers read more

Park Nazi, Dena, will absolutely not let you go check out the boat ramp to check it out. I can't believe how rude this woman was. Started arguing when there was no need to argue. read more

This is not a review of the park/dam I am trying to find out info/records of the people that was buried there at Cedar Moutain Cem. and had to be removed and their bodies relocated to other cemeteries due to the flooding and building of Mansfield Dam. My Grandfathers baby sister (died at age 4 ) was one of the graves moved, and his uncle was another who died at age 10. Does anyone know where I may find any info about this? Thanks Sandra tx_gal_horse_lover78641@yahoo.com read more

Nice park. $10/car but goes up $5 in May. Nice scuba only area. Platforms at different depths, several sunken boats. Can camp out if scuba diving otherwise no camping. read more

Would not recommend it for swimming but great for loading and unloading boats. The parking is horrible and water is rough. I give it 5 stars because although it didn't meet my specific needs it met that of many others. read more

When I moved to the area in the 1980's this was a great park. It was $2 for a carload back then. The fee is now too high, it reflects the "improvements". I don't go there any more. I am no longer allowed to park on the dam side. I was told to move my car because only scuba divers were allowed to park there. On the other side, you still can not park anywhere near the lake. They can keep their park, their improvements ruined it for me. read more