If You're Dreaming Of A Lakefront Camping Trip, This Texas State Park Is A Great Choice

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If you've been dreaming of setting up a tent near the lake, Inks Lake in central Texas is a great choice. More specifically, Inks Lake State Park would fit the bill for just about anything you could want in a lakefront camping excursion. The park offers more than 150 campsites with varying amenities, as well as almost 2 dozen cabins, many offering great lake views and access. Visitors can also enjoy a wide range of outdoor activities both on and off the water.

Located an hour's drive northwest from Austin in the heart of the Texas Hill Country, Inks Lake State Park covers just over 1,200 acres. The park takes up about one-third of the shoreline on the eastern side of its namesake lake, which is the second in a string of six impoundments along the Colorado River collectively known as the Highland Lakes. Located just a few miles downriver from the dam on Lake Buchanan, which anchors this chain of lakes, Inks Lake covers roughly 800 surface acres and has a maximum depth of 60 feet.

Campers can reserve one of the 22 cabins, each of which have two bunk beds, sleeping 4 people. They are also equipped with air conditioning, picnic tables, outdoor grills, and fire rings. Tents or small trailers are allowed next to a cabin, and each one has both water and 30 amp electric hookups. There are 160 traditional campsites available as well. The vast majority of these accommodate both RVs and tents and have full hookups. There are a handful of tent-only sites with both water and electricity, as well as a few dozen sites that are for either RVs or tents, but have only water hookups. Those who prefer wild camping can also reserve one of nine primitive campsites.

Water sports are popular among those camping at Inks Lake State Park. The park features a 2-lane ramp if you want to put a boat in the water for fishing, skiing, or joy riding. Those with canoes and kayaks can also put in here and at a few other spots along the shoreline. You can rent a variety of water craft, including boats, canoes, kayaks, and SUPs inside the park. Life jackets are available to rent, although to ensure a good fit with kids' life jackets, it's a good idea to bring your own.

Other popular water sports include fishing, swimming, water skiing, and scuba diving. Largemouth bass, white bass, crappie, and catfish are the primary species pursued by anglers. Scuba divers also come to explore the lake's granite rock shores and myriad of marine life. While there are numerous swimming spots, the Devil's Waterhole is hands-down the most famous, and is located within the park.

Landlubbers, don't fret: Hikers have access to more than a dozen miles of trails. Ranging in difficulty from easy to moderate, trails take anywhere from a few minutes to a couple of hours to complete. The shortest and most popular, is the quarter-mile Devil's Waterhole nature trail. There are also several spots for viewing wildflowers in season — most notably the bluebonnet — as well as various birds and wildlife. It's a good idea to come prepared with a pair of field glasses like the Bushnell H2O waterproof binoculars, and check out the park's bird blind. It is also worth knowing what to do if you encounter a rattlesnake while hiking, as rattlers are present in the park, though sightings are rare.