Inks Lake State Park

Every October we hitch up the camper and head out to Inks Lake. This Texas State Park is located near Burnet, TX, about an hour's drive northwest of Austin. It is an absolutely beautiful park with most campsites located right on the lake. You can't beat waking up in the morning to a lakefront view!

I typically reserve 5 or 6 campsites a few months earlier and then spread the word to any friends or family who want to join us. This is a very popular park so you need to make reservations several months in advance. We love to camp here in the Fall because the summer heat has finally started to cool down and it's perfect camping weather.  If you're lucky, it'll be cool enough to wear jeans and a sweateshirt in the early morning hours. But don't be surprised if it warms up enough to swim in the lake by afternoon!

I love the camp store at Inks Lake. It's small, but they sell everything you may have forgotten to bring from home.  And my kids love to stop by every afternoon to buy popsicles and ice cream. The store has a large deck out back with a beautiful view of the lake. You can stay awhile and enjoy your ice cream while playing checkers or chess at one of the picnic tables. Or reserve one of the canoes or paddle boats for the day. They're tied up along the pier behind the store.

Don't forget to bring your bicycles to Inks Lake. You'll see people, young and old, biking throughout the park. Although take it from me, don't try riding up the big hill to Devil's Waterhole without stretching! One year I tore my calf muscle trying to keep up with the kids and ended up on crutches for a month.

Devil's Waterhole is the popular swimming hole at Inks Lake. Many daredevils swim across the lake here, climb to the top of the rocky hill and jump into the lake. I have my fun just by watching them!  If it's too cool to swim, you'll find several hiking trails around Devil's Waterhole. And if you're into Geocaching, there are several caches hidden in the park.

If you don't have a camper or tent for camping, Inks Lake has some mini-cabins that you can reserve. These are small cinderblock buildings, each with two sets of bunkbeds and a table inside. Definitely utilitarian conditions, but they do have air conditioning! And most of them have lakefront views. Every campsite has a grill, picnic table and fire ring.

Photo from TPWD

If you like to fish, be sure to bring your fishing poles. And you don't need a fishing license if you're fishing in a State Park.

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/findadest/parks/inks/