We camped here overnight. Demand for campsites here is pretty high. The area for tents was…read moresomewhat small but our group was able to pack eight tents onto the grass with plenty of room to spare. Our hiking group of 11 people all fit cozily around the firepit. The park is very quiet at night--it seems like most of the other campers went to bed early. The asphalt parking per campsite is very long as if designed for trailers. We were able to fit three passenger vehicles in its entire length. There were trails in this park but most of the people in our group didn't have the time or energy to explore them. Visitors can also swim in the lake, play volleyball, have picnics, canoe, and go fishing. The scenery of the park is lovely. The restrooms/showers building was clean and very good compared to my past experiences with campground restrooms. The only things I would've wanted were handsoap and fewer bugs in the restroom. Rachel in the North Shores office was very helpful and kind. I arrived dangerously close to the office closing time to claim our campsites and she patiently wrote out several vehicle permits for the cars in our group, explained rules about overflow parking, and even personally went out to our campsites 63 and 65 to show me where they were. Rachel also wrote the gate code on our vehicle permits in case we were entering and leaving the park late at night. The day use fee is $4 per person. Occupying a campsite is another fee.

Love this place. It is super clean. We will definitely be back again. Amazing and friendly staff.read more

Met friends at Town Lake also called Lady Bird Lake for the Links Family Health Expo & Walk for…read moreHealthy Living, an uplifting community event promoting wellness. The walk motivated people of all ages to stay active, highlighting the health benefits of simple actions like walking. The expo provided valuable resources from health professionals and focused on family and community well-being. The Links, Incorporated showed strong leadership, addressing health disparities and fostering long-term wellness through education and collaboration. The event was well organized, inspiring attendees to prioritize their health beyond the day.

It is so nice to see the completion of the Wishbone Bridge. So now it will be a smooth transition,…read morewith no interruptions, as you walk the whole trail. I have been walking this trail for a long time and have really enjoyed the views and the many stops along the way. I first started coming with my furbaby. I brought my mom here over the years, and she loved it too. Let's say I have many memories here. But do you know that you can easily exit the trail at so many different spots? I think some people think you have to walk the whole ten miles. Well, let's end that myth! Also, you can start at any point you like, too. I have also started the trail on both sides of the I-35. Also, if you hear someone say "Town Lake," they are speaking of this trail. Another favorite thing about this trail is stopping at the different exits to grab a bite to eat, shop downtown, and hop back on the trail. There's so much to do on this walk, but all in all, this is the most beautiful trail to exercise or take a scenic stroll!

TLDR: Watch out for poison ivy in this beautiful tropical oasis (stick to long pants). The Palmetto…read moreInterpretive Trail is short enough for young kids and within walking distance from the picnic area. Stop to pay at park headquarters ($3 p/p; kids 12 and under are free). I loved the whole tropical vibe of this park. Dwarf palmettos everywhere. We stopped here as a waypoint en route to Rockport Beach. It made a great stopping point. The Palmetto Interpretive Trail is only 0.3 miles and very easy. A short walk, really. Both my toddlers (almost 4 and almost 2) were able to walk it. It's unpaved but mostly smooth so you should be able to bring a stroller too (I'd confirm with park staff, just in case). POISON IVY: At the end of the Palmetto Interpretive Trail, there is a water tower. It's locked but my kids love approaching doors. This is where I noticed potential poison ivy growing right by the door. It did have the triple leaf look and AI confirmed that it looks like poison ivy. Leaf shape can vary quite a bit on this plant so it can get a little tricky to identify. Just be wary of any triple leafers. Keep a close eye on where you and/or your kids are stepping and skip the shorts/sandals. Park staff was friendly. You stop to pay at the park headquarters once you enter the park (and display the tag on your windshield). $3 per person; children 12 and under are free. The picnic area was nice with ample seating (both covered and uncovered). I couldn't find a restroom (doors were locked) but there were restrooms by the playground (a short drive away). The restrooms were clean. Make sure you close the door like the sign asks to keep bugs away. Ultimately, I'd love to return to this park and experience more of its lovely trails.

Great, secluded state park next to a neighborhood. I'd consider Palmetto a hidden gem in Texas. I…read moredrove here from Austin and it took me about 1.5 hours. The way I took lead me down a neighborhood street, which led me straight to the park's headquarters. They had a small and very limited selection of gifts for purchase, but the park ranger there was friendly and recommended a couple of trails and points of interest. I hiked a series of trails along the outside perimeter of the park, which combined was about 3.5 miles. Each new segment had a different ecosystem and it was interesting to see different sights and hear new sounds. The trails are mostly shaded, though I went on an overcast day. There's also a low river crossing where I saw some people fishing on. At all Texas state parks, no fishing license is needed to fish. The sound of the river was soothing and refreshing. I genuinely enjoyed my time here and would love to return here to visit again someday.

Drove to eat dinner on Lake Travis from a meeting at Kalahari Resort in Round Rock. It was so…read morebeautiful and peaceful to watch the sun set while waiting for dinner on a floating dock. Loved watching the groups of ducks swimming and feeding the hungry catfish waiting by the dock. Lake Travis is known for everything related to water. Fishing, boating, swimming, camping. It is one of the clearest lakes in Texas. It supplies water to nearby Austin. Like fishing? If you are lucky, you can catch a variety of bass, catfish or sunfish. Remember the Alamo. Lake Travis is named after William B. Travis. During the Siege of the Alamo, Travis wrote the Victory or Death letter pleading for reinforcements. When Travis and his colleagues were defeated, killed and burned, it made him a martyr. He was only 26 when he died. "Remember the Alamo" became a battle cry for Texas Independence.

It's about time I review this beautiful Texas hill country lake. I first layed eyes on lake Travis…read moreexactly 50 years ago. All of our lakes in Texas( with the exception of Caddo) are man made. Travis is one in a chain of lakes snaking through the hill country and known as the highland lakes. Some of our man made reservoirs are prettier than others, depending on the surrounding natural topography,geology etc. Travis sits on top of limestone and as a result is normally very clear with a beautiful terraced and rocky shoreline. Steep hills of oak surround the circumference. It's a very long lake with hundreds of bends and coves. My initial visit was to scuba dive the clear waters,which I did in summer of 1975. There was only one other person on that part of the lake that day. Hardly any homes had been built out here and the 45 minutes drive from Austin was mostly desolate and undeveloped. Jump forward a mere 50 years and the place is unrecognizable. Every hill is covered with homes and the drive out feels like any other suburban area. Well,Travis is full again for another cycle. It's a beautiful lake and everyone that lives here and uses it is ecstatic. But more importantly,Travis is one of the main water sources here and it was threatened. This new relief will hopefully give the powers that be time to develop a better water conservation plan for the area.

We went right around sunset to take photos and it was gorgeous! The trails were well kept, it was…read moreeasy to get right to the lake, and the sunset was incredible. We didn't go to the part where you could swim, this area had smooth rock you could walk on close to the water and that was fine for us!

Lake Georgetown is pretty nice and is in many ways better than Lake Austin depending on what you're…read moregoing for. One time I jumped in the water at Lady Bird Lake, and I got morbidly ill for days and could not get out of bed. I would highly not recommend getting in the water there. That being said, Lake Georgetown is quite different and it would seem that the water is pretty clean there. It probably goes without saying it is much less crowded than Lake Austin/Travis or anything near downtown, and it has plenty of space for picnicking, camping, fishing, and other outdoor activities. Usually I will go running around Lake Georgetown because it is much less crowded than Lake Austin, and there are shorter routes depending how far you want to run. I guess the one thing I will say is that the trails to "hike" or walk around the lake are not as established as some other hiking trails I've been on, so just be prepared for that and maybe don't wear short shorts if you're going to try any hikes around the lake.

This is very good size park for people to walk, play, and fish! There are two large ponds and lots…read moreof parking! Great place for a picnic and take the kids to have some fun outdoors.

This park is a great place to walk your dog! Lots of walking trails, with areas along the way to…read moretake a break. The frisbee park is cool, and nicely tucked away. There are a couple of areas for kids to play, sand volley ball and basketball , The park is also well maintained. I have not taken advantage of all the amenities, but was impressed.

It was nice.. older community but nice.. you have to pay to get into the park.. we drive down to…read morethe boat dock and it was free to get out and enjoy for a few minutes

Lake Buchanan is well a "lake" and not much different from most lakes. It is great for boating,…read morefishing, swimming and camping. What sets it apart from the other Highland Lakes is that it has a beautiful waterfall and Garret Island (a large forested island with a beautiful cove with a pink granite sand beach) and is the perfect opportunity for birding. Lake Buchanan is about 1 hour NW of Austin and well worth the drive for all things lake. Feb. through May is great for fishing White and Striped Bass that as I understand are stocked by the city as they do not naturally spawn so they are abundant as well as Catfish, Large Mouth Bass and Carp. And you probably do not want to know this if you are swimming but the lake also has ALLIGATOR GARS - my last visit I took a picture of a dried up dead one on the Garret Island beach which I will post. Have fun and watch out for the Gars!

Came out here to camp at Willis Creek Park. Lake was nice to look at. Campground was clean and…read morenice. Was a good drive to get out here to enjoy nature.

Got a little bored at home, and decided to take a drive & get some sunset pics. Granger Lake is…read moreabout a 45 min drive from my home in Georgetown. This was my first time here, so I wasn't sure where to go. The road that goes around & over the dam is closed until Aug 2024, so I just took the only other option. I ended up at the boat launch, and it's a great place for pics! Plenty of ducks & pretty scenery! Not too many people on the lake or in the campground, but it definitely looks like a nice place to spend a relaxing weekend & drop a line in the water!

The older male attendant with the beard refused to refund my $20 after our GPS took us to the wrong…read moreentrance and we had to make a U-turn before even getting to enjoy the lake. He told me, "No refunds, I'm sorry," and I replied, "You're not sorry." It was incredibly frustrating to lose $20 without seeing any part of the lake. I wish the staff had more discretion and common sense to handle situations like this, especially when the issue was caused by incorrect directions rather than us using the facilities. Couldn't even hold eye contact with me.

So this park is not worth it at all. It's a tiny area sectioned off that makes you think it's…read morebigger than it is. You can walk to the water, but it doesn't really look like it's good for swimming. This is a fishing lake. There are shells and broken glass here. It was $20 just to get inside, and I regret the price for the minuscule amount of time we spent here. Meh, maybe the park next door was better.

Guides were fantastic, beautiful paddle. was expecting more of a "swarm" of bats - it was hard to…read moresee because it was so dark when they finally emerged; it was more of a small steady stream than a swarm

Nice long paddle before gathering for the event. The team…read moreefficiently handled the large group size. Entertaining commentary along the way with good bat information.