Inks Lake State Park – Texas State Park 22/89

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The Deets

Inks Lake State Park is located in Burnet, TX, about an hour and a half northwest of Austin, TX. The park covers just over 1,200 acres and has much to offer. The main draw to the park is Inks Lake, and you can swim, fish, boat, water ski, and even scuba dive. Paddleboats, canoes, kayaks, and life vests are available for rent (although, as of this writing, they are not renting due to covid). There are no lifeguards on duty, so keep that in mind when enjoying the lake. There are 9 miles of hiking trails to enjoy as well.

You can also picnic, play volleyball, nature watch, geocache, and camp. There are nearly 200 campsites plus an additional 22 cabins. If you forget anything, don’t fret. The park store sells a wide variety of things, from food to sleeping bags. They’ve got you covered if you leave something at home! During the summer months, keep an eye out for Kona Ice. They set up across from the park store and offer snow cones and many other items. We had a snow cone during our visit and it was delicious! The cost of entry into the park is $6 per adult and free for children aged 12 and under (or free for all if using a Park Pass).

The History

The land of Inks Lake State Park has always drawn people. A constant water source that offers its own food supply plus game drawn to the water means a sustainable location. From prehistoric people roughly 8,000 years ago to the Apache and Comanche tribes that came later, this land has been a prime location. Settlers began arriving in the area after Texas became a state, and they farmed the area and raised livestock. While the river was vital to their survival, it could also be their undoing. The Colorado River would flood and burst its banks often, so a series of dams were built to curb the destruction. Inks Lake came to be because of these dams, Inks Dam to the south and Buchanan Dam to the North.

The CCC (Civilian Conservation Corp) helped construct roadways and facilities at the park, but with WWII bearing down, the CCC camp at Inks Lake was abandoned. With their work unfinished, not much remains of their efforts at the park today. Grand plans were made, but only a few buildings were completed before work came to a halt.

Our Experience

Admittedly, this was not our best day. We arrived at Inks Lake State Park around 2 PM, much later than we would have liked. Starting in the heat of the day is never ideal. Your body doesn’t have time to adjust with the temperature change. We were both tired (which seems more and more common these days), and for what seems like the tenth park in a row, there was very little shade. However, we did our best to make the most of the day. The park itself is lovely and the lake is a beauty to look at. We didn’t have the chance to go out in the water, but it looked rather inviting, and there were plenty of people enjoying a refreshing dip.

Every employee that we spoke to was nice and happy to help us. The nicest person we met was the woman running the snow cone trailer. She was so upbeat and joyful, which really made our day. And she was great with the kids that were in line in front of us. Patience for days while they decided what flavor they wanted. Really, she was great!

The facilities at this park seem rather new and are very nice. The layout of the park is also something to appreciate. Camping is spread out nicely, and it feels like everyone has their own slice of paradise. They also have cabins for rent in case camping isn’t your thing.

The Trails

We have mixed feelings about the trails. On the one hand, they are stunning. There are so many beautiful spots and countless overlooks that would make perfect picnic locations. We didn’t find them difficult at all, and they were very pleasant to hike. On the other hand, some trails are poorly marked, the Lake Trail in particular. The first section is marked with green squares on markers, which is great, but then the trail splits.

It isn’t obvious that the Lake Trail continues straight ahead because it’s solid rock. We turned to the right, where the trail is more established. Then, we saw a green marker and followed it. Mistake number 2. That trail is the Upper Fisherman’s Trail which is marked in a lighter shade of green. We didn’t notice the color difference and thought we were still on the Lake Trail. After about 30 minutes of searching and backtracking, we finally found our way back to the correct trail and continued on. Our bliss was short-lived.

From this split, the Lake Trail is mostly rocks. That in itself isn’t a problem, but it becomes hard to mark since sticking a pole in the ground isn’t an option anymore. Instead, the path is marked with green dots painted on the rocks. Some of these have almost completely washed away and are really hard to spot. We got lost multiple times. Game trails are plentiful and are hard to differentiate from the real trail. By the time we had found our way to the Woodland Trail, we were running out of daylight and didn’t have time for it. Other than better trail markings, we have no complaints. We also fully understand that marking solid rock is difficult, and they’re doing the best they can with what they’ve got.

Our Takeaway

Inks Lake State Park is a gorgeous spot. It has views for days, beautiful trails, and an inviting lake to keep you entertained. The general store inside the park has practically everything you’ll need if you forget something. From food to souvenirs to sleeping bags, they’ve got it all! The snow cone stand is great, and there is also another trailer next to it that serves burgers and the like. I think it’s only a summer thing, but it was really nice and has plenty of picnic tables out front for folks to use.

This park is a great destination park where you can spend a long weekend with family and friends. There were tons of families with young children and also plenty of couples out for a romantic getaway. This park has a lot to offer, and we think anyone who visits will thoroughly enjoy their time at Inks Lake State Park.

Prefer to see Inks Lake State Park in action? Check out our vlog episode of our visit!
Cheers,
Lydia and Billy