I feel that this is not the most valid review since I've only been here once and I don't own a…read moreboat. I think if you're a boater, you might think it's a 4 or maybe a 5? However, there is so little information about this area that I wanted to help my fellow Yelpers out. This is about 15 minutes away from Marble Falls, TX. It's a quiet peaceful place with a several community parks and boat launching site. I think this might be a great place for boating enthusiasts because it looks like the shores are full of wild life. (Non-resident launching fee is $10) We saw several beautiful birds. If you love deer, this is the place to see them. They are everywhere-tons of does and fawns. We even saw a 3 or 4 point buck. We mainly came here thinking we wanted good views of the lake. Unfortunately, this was not the case as there are many homes that border the water's edge. The best views will probably be from a boat.

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!

Really cool little spot to see the river. Restrooms on site, along with picnic tables and BBQ…read moregrills. Great small local park that gives great sunset views of the Colorado River.

This park popped up on Google maps which prompted me to seek it out down a single lane gravel road…read more It's located at the opposite end of Cottonwood Shores almost bordering the lake. It is considered a nature preserve as there are no amenities whatsoever. There is future development coming, but currently nothing here, but scrub, deer and cactus. This park is not worth seeking out at this time.

This public park is barely visible from the road (RM-2147) and the only entry point is next to the…read morecentral fire station, which is next to City Hall. On the other side of the park you will find Slick Rock creek. The first thing you notice is that this park sits directly underneath some big power lines. This is a small park that sits on about an acre and it is very nicely laid out and it does have some very nice amenities. The amenities include six covered picnic tables, water fountain, bathrooms, 2 grills, children's playscape and swings. However, the one thing about this park that you don't see in many parks is the fact that it does have two Pickleball courts which seem to get a lot of use. There is also a patch of green space next to the courts in case you want to toss a frisbee around. However, there are no trails that link this park to other parks in the area. Plenty of pictures to add a greater insight.

We had come to this park once before because we had gone to the museum up the way but we came again…read moreto explore more of it. Walking down to the water was much easier from the other side. There are tons of little stacks of rocks, art and other things. It's very calm and peaceful. If we had more time we would have gone up the way but we wanted to see more of the area this time. Parking was easy and next to lots of other businesses. The only downside was the gross bathroom. I wish they'd take more time to make sure they're clean. Otherwise I'll be back again to see more.

Perfect mix of wooooow, yaaaaay, and weeeeee. BOY am I glad we stopped here. We were headed…read moresomewhere else entirely and I told the kids, "Change of plans - let's check this place out!" I'll bet we ended up staying for at least two hours. The funky and eclectic outdoor art was an unexpected surprise for sure, and it was cool! Love it when cities and towns allow and promote stuff like this. The rocks and water were our main highlight, as we explored and rock-hopped all over the place. Had it been warmer, we would have taken off shoes and waded across to the strip of land in the middle of the river. But the water was freezing and we didn't. :) I've driven by the area when it's warmer / hotter out and it's clearly a popular area for kids of all ages, including teens. The dam and old metal truss bridge add a lot of character to the area. Just a really cool spot overall. There are also a couple of picnic tables and public restrooms (not just port-a-potties) that weren't as filthy as expected. Much to my amazement and satisfaction, I could take my little girl to the men's room and sit her on the toilet without... well, without bailing out completely and finding another toilet! (hahahaha) We'll definitely seek this spot out again.

Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge makes for a great day trip if you don't mind about an…read morehour drive from central Austin, depending on traffic. I did a couple of stops while we were out there, Doeskin Ranch and Shin Oak Observation Deck. The main hike was Doeskin Ranch. There's a restroom right near the trailhead. It's not plumbed, just a chemical toilet, but it was clean, stocked with hand sanitizer, and being able to use the bathroom before starting the hike made the whole experience more relaxed. The hike itself was nice but very seasonal. I went in January, so the landscape was mostly golden-brown grass with limited greenery and not much tree cover. You're mostly enjoying bushes, rocks, and scattered trees rather than lush views. I'd really like to come back in late spring or late fall when things are greener and more alive. The trail is fairly rocky and there aren't many mile markers, although the trails seemed pretty easy to follow. After Doeskin Ranch, I stopped at the Shin Oak Observation Deck, which is very close by. There's a nice gazebo with a scenic outlook and a short, meditative gravel trail with three or four nature signs encouraging you to slow down and be present. It takes about 15-20 minutes to walk through depending on your pace. I recommend starting toward the left and going counterclockwise so you encounter the signs head-on instead of from behind. Overall, both stops were enjoyable. They're not hikes I'd feel the urge to repeat soon, but they made for a fun day hike and I felt worth the drive.

This refuge is a bit spread out, we went to both the Doeskin Ranch and Warbler Vista portions and…read morehiked a few miles. There wasn't any shocking moment of awe, but there's lots of birds around and a neat little creek, it's a good place to get some appreciation of the Hill County and get (mostly) away from development.

Very nice, well maintained park, beautiful scenery. We came to fish and swim and hike and had a lot…read moreof fun. Our only complaint was when we had called to ask questions on the phone, the lady who answered said they're open until 10:00 p.m. and that the Google times are wrong. However, when were there, the man working made us leave around 7:30 p.m. and that was right when the fish started actually jumping around and biting and we might have finally, actually caught something after trying all day. So, that was a little bit of a let down. However, the entrance fee is only $5.00 per adult and no charge for children for the day, which is very affordable and it's still a fun, clean place to come with your family.

I have been going here for years, hiking and mountain biking. I've done a few races also. It is…read moremarked fairly well, but obviously whether can change making trails. Look different and signs get weathered. Always take a map, as they are always passing out at the Ranger station

This park is located deep inside of Cottonwood Shoals and butts up against the lake. It's amenities…read moreconsist of three picnic tables, 2 of which are under trees, one grill, fountain, and a small play scape. The one noticeable thing that stands out here is the outdoor gym equipment next to the basketball hoop. There's about a half acre of green space directly behind the park and you can see the lake in the near distance through the trees. This green space seems to be used as an impromptu softball field. It should be noted that there is no boat ramp here, nor any public bathrooms. It does have a small rocky parking lot for about 10 cars.