Inks Lake State Park

Copyright: Texas State Parks & Historical Sites Wildflowers

The park area has been used for cattle ranching since the mid 1800s. It remained a part of various ranches until the state acquired the land in 1940. Culverts and roads in the park were constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps from the camp at Longhorn Caverns in the 1930s.

The park is open 7 days a week year-round, there is no gate.

Attractions - The park is a panorama of cedar and oak woodlands, wildflowers, and pink granite outcroppings in the Central Texas Hill Country. Deer, turkey, quail, numerous songbirds, and other species of wildlife are abundant in the park. The most commonly caught fish are bass, crappie, and catfish.

Facilities: The park has just opened mini-cabins. The inside has two sets of single bunk beds (sleeps 4) with mattresses, a table and 4 chairs, air conditioning, a ceiling fan, and an electrical plug (30 amp). The outside has a grill, fire ring, picnic table, water spigot, and an electrical plug (30 amp). Tents and/or a small trailer or a popup is allowed outside the cabin. A maximum of 8 persons are allowed at each mini-cabin.

Other Facilities include restrooms with showers; picnic sites; campsites with water; backpack sites (1.5 miles in, ground fires prohibited, no drinking water, primitive toilet on trail); a sponsored youth group area (primitive); a group picnic pavilion with tables (capacity 25); an amphitheater; lighted fishing piers; a boat ramp; spread throughout each camping area, except for primitive, are 8 playgrounds; 7.5 miles of hiking trails, including 1.5 miles of backpacking trails; a 9-hole golf course, with golf carts and clubs available to rent; and a Texas State Park Store that rents canoes, paddle boats, and surf bikes year-round; they also offer groceries; and specialized gifts year-round.

Area Attractions: The Lyndon B. Johnson Ranch and State Historical Parks; Colorado Bend, Pedernales Falls, and Longhorn Cavern State Parks; Enchanted Rock State Natural Area; a federal fish hatchery; Vanishing Texas River Cruise; Granite Mountain quarry at nearby Marble Falls that furnished material for the Texas State Capitol; Lake Buchanan and Buchanan Dam (the largest multi-arch dam in the world is located 4 miles from the park); Lake Lyndon B. Johnson; Lake Marble Falls; and Lake Travis; and the historical districts in Burnet, Llano, Johnson City, and Fredericksburg.

Camping and entrance fees vary. For reservations, call 512/389-8900. Current conditions including fire bans and water levels can vary from day to day. For more details, call the park or Park Information at 1-800-792-1112.

Recreation - Visitors enjoy camping, backpacking, hiking, and golf. Since Inks is a constant level lake, droughts do not affect water-related activities such as lake swimming (unsupervised beach), boating, water skiing, scuba diving, and fishing. Activities such as nature walks, geology hikes, fish seining, lake shore ecology, and Junior Ranger programs are conducted on Saturdays in the summer (Memorial Day through Labor Day), and by special request through the park office. TCP activities, such as the Devil's Waterhole Canoe Tour, are conducted the second and fourth Thursday of the month in April, May, September, October, and November; every Thursday in June and July; and the first and second Thursday in August.

Climate - Inks Lake State Park is located at an elevation of 1900 feet. Temperatures within the park range from an average July high of 98 degrees and a January average low of 33 degrees. May, September, and October are wettest months. The first/last freeze are November 14/March 29. Current weather conditions can vary from day to day. For more details, call the park or Park Information at 1-800-792-1112.

Location - The park is located 9 miles west of Burnet on State Highway 29 to Park Road 4. Go south 3 miles to the park headquarters.