I just visited Lake Travis for the first time. I have been to Austin many times but never got out to the lake. It was stunningly beautiful especially this park it was 100% worth a visit. read more

A pretty big park with cool scenery. The trails are not really along the water edge, but still not so many people and you can walk on the road next to the water. The trails are on the other side of the road. They seem long and easy to hike. read more

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Loved camping here, but I am very sad that the water level has been too low for years to cliff jump. I remember when Pace Bend used to be THE cliff jumping spot. I couldn't even get a campsite reservation because it was so popular a few years ago. It is truly past its prime now, and not just with the lack of cliff jumping. The campsites seem to be at about 50% capacity. We drove past so many camping areas that were closed. They're not using their usual online reservation system, and instead you have to reserve by emailing them and requesting specific sites. This is very inefficient as I saw quite a few vacant sites in person that were supposedly taken according to the website. We stayed at Kate's and Johnson campground, which is a primitive car camping site with pit toilets. There were no sinks, but there was hand sanitizer, and the bathrooms were quite clean for pit toilets. The campsites each had a grill and fire pit, but there was a burn ban so we couldn't have a ground fire. There was also a picnic table at each site. They limit each site to two cars, and they told me I couldn't park elsewhere in the park or pay for just the parking for an additional car. I would have had to pay for another site just to add one car. There's a lot of land in this park and not a lot of people with plenty of empty campsites even on a weekend, so I thought this was a little unreasonable. We went hiking on the blue trail per the recommendation of the lady at the lady who checked us in at the entrance. She told us it has the best views of the park. We certainly reached the highest point of the park, but there were no views. It was all rocks and trees. The trails are all pretty short. We went up the blue trail and down the yellow from the southeast trailhead, and it was a total of 3.6 miles. I liked the hike for a bit of exercise, but there wasn't really anything to see, so we felt deceived. My friend went swimming in the lake, and he seemed to enjoy it except for the sharp rocks at the bottom. I didn't go swimming, but I'm sure it would be enjoyable on a hot day. read more

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Only flaw was the cacti. Other than that, I enjoyed the camp ground. Keep in mind that each rented camp only has 2 parking spots, so if you have more cars, you'd have to rent another camp site. read more

Very nice, fun park! Only $5.00 for adults for the day and no charge for little ones. You can fish, swim, hike, camp (I believe that costs more), ride bikes, ride boats, and enjoy beautiful scenery of Lake Travis and fields full of Blue Bonnets! Dogs are allowed, so your whole family, pups included can come here for some fun in the sun and it's a huge park, so there's plenty of space to find a place to hang out with our crowding other people. We have been looking for a good place to fish in the Austin area and are glad to have found this place, we'll be back. read more

We really enjoyed our time here! It's very affordable at only $5 per person per day. We made use of the walking trails to start, going about 3 miles before heading to the limestone cliffs for a swim. We went about a mile south of muddy bay and had no problem finding parking. It only took a couple of minutes to reach the limestone cliffs from the parking lot and we jumped in and went out for a float :) It felt like we had the place to ourselves. ***There are plenty of restroom facilities but keep in mind the water stations are closed due to Covid so make sure to bring extra! read more

Pace Bend Park - Limestone cliffs to jump off and go for a swim - Parks Near Me - Spicewood, Texas

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Perfect spot for home away from home. Clean showered and restrooms, plenty of portapotties, quiet and peaceful.

I have been here quite a few times and every time it's amazing! Great for dogs, families, just hanging out. I especially love that right now the fees are waived due to Covid. I've only gone during the week because I hear weekends they have to close due to capacity but it's an amazing spot to go on a weekday. There's a winery super close! read more

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No attendant is at the entrance. It is often, no one is there. This is how crime increases. Cannondale Mountain Bike was stolen at Pace Bend Park. A police report was filed. We believe whoever took his bike, wallet, cross necklace, iPhone 12 Pro, backpack is someone who lives in the area. We're praying for conviction of the holy spirit and deliverance of what was taken. We are believing for a miracle and return of the items, mainly the bike. So if you see someone with this bike, please inform the police. This could have been prevented if staff were actually working the park. read more

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This park is a great place to visit. Its an hour and half drive from Austin city.They have a $10 fee to enter the park for the day, $20 if you planning to stay and camp overnight. You can ask for a map, and suggestions if you are first time visitors. We drove around almost the whole park checking out different areas. Me and my husband love outdoor activities,went here for biking this time.There are great track trails here. There are additional camping areas here with lots of campsites. If you are wanting to stay close to the water with the campsites or need a place alone .. get there early if you are going on the weekend as it gets really packed with campers and day visitors. Ya make sure you carry Mosquito/Insect/Bug Repellent if you planning to stay after dusk. I loved this park as you can do so many activities here.Good swimming in lake Travis, biking, hiking, camping and more adventure. Great scenic view from different points (great for photography). Would love to come back here for a overnight camp and some swim in the Lake Travis once the weather gets a bit warm !!! read more

Pace Bend Park - Beautiful Sunset - Parks Near Me - Spicewood, Texas

COWABUNGAAAA~! My first time cliff jumping in my life was at the Pale Face Cliff, and it's 50-ft drop was daunting at first. But warming up to it, I eventually took the plunge, and it was SO worth the debris that was inside my swimsuit well after. I can finally cross this off my bucket list. :) The climb back up was the hardest part, as many of the jumpers already know. Understand that there is a definite need for people to be up above the big crevice that you have to climb up in order to make it back to the solid ground, but two people pulling you up from the last bit is a lot easier than jumping up and using sheer upper body strength, because that will certainly not happen with this girl... Lol I'm glad I had strong helpers pulling my 100-lb self up. No problemo! ;D I know that to the direct left of the Pale Face, if you jump from the more straight-path cliff, the climb up is a lot easier, said some jumpers. I didn't try to jump here, though, but it was safe, enough. Definitely will be returning here to suit my adrenaline-junkie self and friends. So much fun! Oh, and $10 entry fee per car. The park itself is very VERY primitive. Bathrooms have no water, no paper, lights, electricity, so good luck if you're camping out. Minimalist FTW. read more

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Well, last time I saw and enjoyed (what was BEAUTIFUL clean land and lovely waters of) Pace Bend Park was a full 28 years ago, and Time and people-pollution has done it great harm! IT IS SAD to give it only ONE STAR bc people have likely HARMED it beyond repair--the WATER is at half-level and STILL FOOLS are polluting it with jet skis, boats and we even saw a PONTOON PLANE land there! STOP the pollution!!! It smells bad, is cloudy and dark and the bottom is GROSS. There should really be a DO NOT SWIM warning--the only access point low enough SO DIRTY! Whoever "Linda S." is who wrote in March this year that there are showers (not!) and is the "the perfect home away from home" must sadly, live in a sewer. YES, the view is pretty from afar...but a TRAIN in the distance can't hurt you, either. CLOSE THIS ACREAGE AND REFURB IT AND PUT IN SOME HUGE water catch basins to REFILL the lake!!! Stupid authorities! read more

Pace bend destroyed my camping cherry. It's the truth. I've never been camping before now. And I love it. So Pace Bend is basic. There is no running water in the bathrooms. Just buckets to sit on in the darkness. There's a drinking water well. We brought a portable shower that worked perfectly, just hung it from a branch and filled it from the well. Some of the site's has a fire pit or grill near it, we chose a more secluded spot to pitch our tent. The water was high from the rain that's been coming in, so it was a good time to jump off a cliff. And I did. It was awesome. Bring bug spray, they are hungry as a mofo out there. If you need more amenities to be comfortable, this isn't your spot. One of the other reviewers hit it right, it's a good spot for primitive camping. It was $15 a night, I believe. We came Friday and left sunday. The folks at the gate are nice. The ranger makes his rounds regularly. They did a good job spreading out the restroom facilities. They're not too far from any of the camping areas, and they are spread out well. We went into town on the second night and did brunch on Sunday morning. It's about 45 minutes from the city. We had a fantastic time, and would definitely go back again. Highly recommend this spot. read more

Pace Bend Park - Pitched my first tent. I'm a late bloomer. - Parks Near Me - Spicewood, Texas

Nice state park if you wish to hike, do some cliff jumping, or just hang by the river. Campers have a few choices depending on if they are RVing or tenting it. We had a blast on the river. We backed up to the shoreline and set up camp. Even though the river was a tad low you can wade out and find plenty of room to swim and or float. This area of the river is not as crazy busy as the main Lake Travis area. Bring your river shoes as there are mud and rocks and we saw a few folks with cut feet. For the most part, everyone cleans up before they leave but as usual, there's a subset of jerks who could care less if their trash blows away or thinks it's OK to finish your cancer stick and either toss it into the river or just use the sandy beach as your ashtray. Will definitely return to both hike and swin! read more

While cliff diving at Pace Bend Park on Sunday, June 20 (Father's Day) around 6 pm, a lady in a green bikini showed up. You were really kind, supportive, and encouraging to a woman you had never met, that was my mom. You picked up litter. I was the guy who helped. I wish I would have caught your name, you came across as a very thoughtful person. I went back to look for you. When I found you, you were meditating and I didn't want to interrupt you. I hope our paths cross again. Insta-radamj91 Also, Pace Bend Park was beautiful, the water was amazing, and the cliff diving was exhilarating. I will definitely be going back! read more

Don't come here while social distancing is in place. There's no reservation system here so you're taking a chance driving 45 minutes and finding out that the park is full. Be warned. read more

The park is huge. Wow I didn't even understand how spread out everything is there. Best suggestion is to drive around and check out every spot before picking your site. There are areas perfect for swimming/ beach access, there are super wooded private sites, there are ones cliff side with beautiful views but no water access... pretty much a spot for whatever you like. The sites on mud cove are definitely more open and less private; it felt like much more of a party area with loud children and large groups. A few reviews mentioned the loud neighbors or rowdy groups and I'd figure they were in that area or out on the point. Scope out all the places and pick with it right for you. Entry and camping fees are normal. My only complaint was that there is no running water. I'm ok with outhouse style toilets that don't flush but at least a sink to brush my teeth or wash hands. We ran to the little country store down the road to replenish our water supply. Very close in case you need any supplies. There was a burn ban so we used the grill at the site with charcoal and were fine but our neighbors were very stressed about not having a fire. There was a little bar and bbq place right down the street so really you don't even have to cook your own food. It's such a flexible campground and so close to home. read more

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We had a free Saturday so decided to head out to lake Travis and see this park. It was only $5 a person to enter, but bring cash because that's all they accept. We got a map and it showed what's open and we followed the one way road all around the park which didn't take too much time. There were a lot of cool camping spots we saw and public restrooms, we even saw a water spout to fill bottles, unfortunately it was out of order or closed due to covid. But we found a trail and did a 2 miles walk and saw there were bike ramps for mountain bikers which I thought was really cool. We cooled off in the water after we found a nice spot on the cliffs to hang out. It was a fun day and definitely will he going back. read more

Pace Bend Park - Cliffs to Jump off of - Parks Near Me - Spicewood, Texas

Pace Bend has a very special place in my heart. When I camp, it's almost always here. I live about an hour away and it's the perfect distance to "get away." I camp here October - April as long as it doesn't get below 40 at night... Which means I get to camp here a lot! Here's the deal. Thus isn't California or Colorado. Yes... This place won't compare to a mountain lake nestled at 12,000 feet. If you want that experience... Go back to CO or CA. You have to appreciate Pace Bend for what it is... A Texas hill country oasis. I've been nearly 2 dozen times, and I'm usually the only one out there. It feels secluded and private. The crowds are crazy in the heat of the summer, so that's when I avoid... But the other 7-8 months of the year, it's all mine. Yes, Lake Travis is at an all time low which is very depressing... But even with the drought water levels, the landscape has changed creating some stunning rocky coves to explore that are usually underwater. I highly recommend this place for camping, hiking or general exploring... One of Hill Country's best! read more

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When reading this keep in mind that I went on a camping trip with a Pusheen stuffed animal and a rather cute SO, so.. my analysis might be a tad checkered :P Oh, and also remember I went during a period of severe drought. The water level is, I hear, at an all-time low. Pros: - In close proximity to Lake Travis; I went zip lining beforehand (which I highly recommend) - You can camp on a cliff overlooking a beautiful view of the lake - Pretty expansive area, so there is some good strolling to be had - Fire pit in most camp sites, so a nice, cozy fire can be had - Benches on each camp site - Romantic, cliffside dinner can easily be had - Close proximity to convenience stores where you can buy necessary supplies: propane for your lantern, firewood, booze, even chicken curry (the store is owned by an amicable Indian guy who seems like a proper dude). Cons: - I don't think you can truly unplug yourself when cars and buildings are visible off into the distance, as in, right across the lake... As a native New Mexican, this is a little hard to digest. (Sigh, "I want to see mountains again, Gandalf, mountains!") Perhaps I am a landscape elitist, and I should shut up. - Moreover, it is crowded. So when you see a ton of RVs and cars parked rather close to you.. you wonder whether you're camping in the "wilderness" or a parking lot that just happens to have a bunch of trees... - Not much to explore in terms of hiking; you can only walk around designated camping grounds I will say though, don't let the cons deter you. In terms of general Texas-standards and flatness and the park's close proximity to Austin, this is probably as good as it gets. In this case, you don't have to drive out 2-7 hours for a decent experience! read more

Pace Bend Park - Parks Near Me - Spicewood, Texas

My first weekend in Austin and my friends took me camping at Pace Bend Park. I haven't gone camping much, but I have gone camping and slept in tents and stuff. The park has primitive and RV campsites. The primitive campsites are first come, first served and you pay a fee per vehicle to camp, not for the campsite. The campsites are not numbered or clearly delineated, so take up and stake as much area as you want. The campsites are either on the beach or on cliffs overlooking the water, or back in the trees a ways. I found the campsites to be primitive but well taken care of. There was some garbage and glass on the ground, but not much. It appears that the fire pits are dug out regularly. The bathrooms were concrete structures built over giant holes in the ground. The were maintained pretty well for what they were. The park requires dogs to be on a 6 foot leash at all times. I guess that's reasonable. There were a lot of dogs in the park. Also, drinking is allowed, but you can't bring glass and you can't show the label of your beverage, so cups and coozies are a necessity. The other main rule is that quite time is at 10pm. The only run in we had with the rangers was Saturday night. A ranger came up to our campsite to say that a truck was driving around erratically and dangerously close to tents. She just wanted to let us know and if we saw it have them call the main gate or 911. Overall, I thought it was a great park and I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking to go camping. read more

So I haven't been camping here (yet) but this place is great. It's clean, it's big, my dog went swimming and had the time of her life, not to mention you can jump off cliffs! You, not your dog. Though I have heard of people throwing their dog off the cliffs, I did not practice this, nor do I recommend it. Sure it's a little scary when you first jump, but it's well worth it. The best cove we found was N Baldwin, we definitely had to drive around a while to find safe cliffs, but once we found them it was awesome. Even if cliff jumping isn't your thing, there are plenty of places to go swimming and cook out and just have a grand ol' time. I'm going back to this place asap. read more

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Great time ! Kids always have a blast. Its much better to go mid week as far less crowded. The lake is at an all time low level (big drought). So most of the really cool coves are completely dried out. Mudd Cove (area #11) is really the only spot worth hanging out and splashing around. Stick to the north/east end of the cove, get there early, and pick a spot which has just enough beach area for your group. If you set up in a larger beach opening you will quickly find yourself elbow to elbow with a slew of other people, their pets, and their music preferences (you roll the dice if you pick a big open spot :)). If anyone in your group is a senior, make sure to mention it to the person at the park entrance as your entire car of people is free when you have a senior with ! Lastly, pack your trash out with you :)...please ;) Have fun read more

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One of my favorite hidden gems near Austin. So many beautiful spots to swim, fish, and cliff jump. I am surprised every time we go, how many people AREN'T here. I never have a problem finding a good spot and the staff is friendly. Prices are really cheap, like $5 or you can pay by car I think. I love this place. I consider it one of the few Austin spots that are still secret I will definitely continue to go here for many years to come. read more

Great place for hiking and camping. Great views as well. Nice place to also watch the sunset

This is an amazing park... Offering bouldering, deep water soloing, and even boating for the non climbers... Clean bathrooms stocked with TP.... cold water only though... And not too much policing when you've brought glass in or have a fire, by mistake, of course! read more

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Its easy to find and really lots of little paths to take to explore the park. We did stop at a few, We ventured through a rock path to get to the water, a leaf brushed my chest. Didnt think anything but shortly a rash started to come. I normally know my allergies to plants but not sure what this came from. We drove further down and found a spot to get in. You do need water shoes and in some areas you can definately feel debris like old trees/stems. So not much real swimming. Their is a restroom also. $10 fee for day, $20 for camping. read more

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Campsite quality here was poor, views : subpar. Didn't appreciate their policy on only offering military discounts to disabled veterans.... So service doesn't count unless you lose something out of it? And what is the likelihood a disabled vet would come to a primitive cliff campsite. read more

We just come here to camp. As climbers, this is the only campground close to some great climbing spots. So if you're not from Austin, then hell yeah you have to be a fan! I can't give you much more info than that - cause I'm a peace loving gal and don't want to have to whoop your A@* for my favorite camping spots ;) read more

Amazing park, 15 for one night and the water is amazing. The state park pass doesn't work here so bring cash. We swim and fishing here. Don't forget to bring aqua shoes. read more

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Not far out of the city of Austin is Pace Bend Park on Lake Travis. Freshman year of college (1998), my RA Glenn took our whole floor of our dorm out here to go cliff diving the week before finals. I ended up coming back every day for the next week. Cliff diving is addictive. You can also swim, camp, make s'mores, etc. read more

Pace Bend Park - Parks Near Me - Spicewood, Texas

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This place was ok. We had a group of 14 people and it worked well as far as the layout of the sites went. We all stayed in the improved camp site which was nice. The bathrooms were simi clean but it would have been nice to have locks on the showers. I waited to get home to shower because I didn't want anyone walking in on me. The "beach area" by our site was horrible and we couldn't swim in it so we had to go hunt down an area that wasn't covered in sticks and trash. It would be nice if the website said that it is $20 a night per car. We stayed 1 night but had to pay for 2 nights since we weren't leaving until 6 pm. Then a lot of the trees in our areas had poison ivy around them so it was a pain to try to keep dogs and kids away from the trees. There is a need for a pet on leash rule for pets. We did have 2 dogs wonder into our campground and their owners were not around. Then as my husband and I were about to leave a lady walking her dog brought it over to our camp site and it attacked our friends dog that was tied up. It was very scary. Thank God neither of the dogs were hurt. read more

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Good park. Always come here to take a nap. Very pretty and I enjoy it. Sometimes it gets busy but it isn't bad.

I did enjoy my weekend camping at this park but I have to say its rather crowded. They put their camp sites very close together so good luck getting any privacy. I will say the views are good, its right on the water, and being so close to Austin you can't complain too much. Make sure and bring your own firewood as they will check. I made reservations but they don't seem to ever run out of camp sites. read more

Pace Bend Park - Parks Near Me - Spicewood, Texas

Ehhh the boyfriend, bff, her bf and all four of our dogs come out here at least once a month. We're kind of a big deal out there. Their campsites are sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo awesome. They are secluded and (for the most part) heavily wooded so you get plenty of privacy. Whether you want to smokes trees, climb them, or boogey underneath them (if you catch my drifts) you have quite a good amount of privacy. There are a few well-kept "secret" areas that are closed certain parts of the year that we prefer to frequent but pretty much all the areas have been graced by our collective presence. The water is gorgeous. The lake bed around the cliffs (for cliff diving, duh!) is pretty rocky so bring your Tevas or Keens or other preferred lesbian-esque water shoes otherwise you'll hurt your feet. There are sandier areas too but they're usually pretty crowded. Their leash laws seem to be more strict this year but whatev. Last weekend we had a run in with a ranger who the Senior Ranger referred to as Uncle Grumpy (LOOOOOL) but other than that the rangers there are really nice. Ranger R. Johnson (aforementioned Senior Ranger) is seriously the nicest guy EVER. He LOVES my dog Rogue - seriously loves her. He has offered to take her on ride alongs, home, to meet his other pups, etc. As of this past weekend (April 2011) he is retiring in three months after 20+ years, so if you have questions about the park he will certainly be able to answer them. Again, he's the nicest guy there and kind of a hippy, which I think is pretty legit. If you are nice enough and have a cute enough dog (I mean, no dog could compare to Rogue but it's cool to try) maybe he will show you pictures of his two. They're adorable. Go camping here, bring koozies for your beers ("IF I SEE BEER YOU'RE OUT OF HERE!" - Uncle Grumpy), bring leashes / tie outs for your dogs and probably some TP if youre a female cause when you get drunk and the bathrooms are a 1/2 mile walk uphill... ya know sometimes you gotta pop lock and drop it. Best camping spot in Austin if you have dogs fo sho. read more

I'm going to go ahead and give this place a big "meh." After reading the glowing yelp reviews I totally got wooed into driving an hour out to Pace Bend and shelling out 10 bucks to see Lake Travis for the first time. I had packed a picnic, I was wearing my bathing suit and sunscreen, and I was ready to swim it up while also scoping out the camping scene for the fall. On all counts, I ended up being really disappointed (except for the bathing suit part, it's pretty cute). Now I know that some of you may find the Texas "Hill" Country to be quite beautiful, but being from Colorado, my standards for natural beauty are pretty flippin' high. The park is mostly full of sort of scrubby small trees, some prickly grass and cacti, and a big desolate beach area (we didn't manage to see the cliffs that people have mentioned). The beach area in particular was quite anti-climactic as it was chock full of weekend revelers who for some reason decided the best place to park would be directly on the water. It was like super crowded tailgating, but with a view of a depressingly low lake and the various jet-skiers and boaters that zoomed by. Rather than rubbing elbows with the locals as they pulled each other's trucks off of sand dunes with their tow straps, my husband and I looked for a more secluded and hopefully more aesthetically pleasing cove to enjoy our picnic and do some swimming. We settled on a small "swimming only" cove on the opposite site of the park, and while it had its own sort of charm, it was still pretty lackluster. We ate our picnic on one of the provided picnic tables, and then scampered down a rocky ledge littered with old beer cans to swim in a teeny-tiny alcove of water. The water was very warm; the bottom was gross, squelchy mud; and the amount of gasoline floating in the water was a bit disconcerting. Honestly we were ready to leave within a half an hour of arriving, but we tried to stick it out a bit given the length of the drive and the price of admission. Maybe if you plan on camping (though even this looked rather depressing) and boating, this would be a cool place to visit with some friends, but for swimming/picnicking there are many closer, cheaper, and much more beautiful places to achieve this in the Austin area. read more

Pace Bend is one of my favorite spots on Lake Travis with some of the most beautiful views of the lake. The park is located on the West shore of Lake Travis about 45 minutes from downtown Austin or 15 minutes west of 620/71 and well worth the drive. This park offers just about everything: hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, moderate to difficult rock climbing, cliff jumping (be sure and check water levels), improved and primitive camping, restrooms, picnicking, grills, fishing, designated swimming only areas, wave runner rentals and 2 boat ramps (smaller boats and wave runners can be launched off the beach). The West side of the park has cliffs and several rocky coves and has the best secluded camping sites with the best views. Not so great a camping spot if you happen to be a sleep walker;) The interior of the park can only be reached via foot, bike or horseback and the trails that lead up into the hills provide some great views of the lake. FYI: Quiet time between 10PM and 7AM and leash laws are strictly enforced . Bring a crate for your dog if they like to wander at night. Make reservations 2 weeks ahead for improved sites on the weekends. If you are coming with a group there is a HEB down the street you can carpool from since there is a car entrance fee. Have Fun! read more

My favorite spot in Texas to mountain bike..it's worth the drive! Grab a trail map and spend the day.

This is a cool, easy place to camp. We live in Austin and made the decision to go camping on a Friday afternoon at 5pm. We were on the beach in the park by 6pm, with our truck backed up to only about 50 feet from the water. Go if. . . . - you want an easy camping experience - you don't want to deal with reserving campsites (you're basically allowed to pull your car up anywhere you want) - you want to stay near Austin Be aware that they allow dogs, but if a ranger comes near you need to put them on leashes. Basically, just put your dog on a long lead if a ranger is within sight. Otherwise, no big deal. Also, make sure to drink your alcohol out of dixie cups or coozies. read more

Love Pace Bend Park! I'm going to be a bad Yelper and not tell you about my favorite spots though, sorry. Don't want them to get too crowded! Part of the fun of this park is it's size and exploring it. Arrive in the morning, set up shop and move around to different areas if you aren't satisfied. $10/car and ask for a trash bag! read more