 Inks Lake State Park is 1201 acres of recreational facilities adjacent
to Inks Lake on the Colorado River in Burnet County. The park was acquired by deeds from
the Lower Colorado River Authority and private owners in 1940 and was opened to the public
in 1950. Inks Lake is located in the Highland Lakes chain (7 lakes) surrounded by granite
hills. The water level of Inks Lake is usually unaffected by drought and is maintained at
a normal level most of the time. During flooding situations, the lake level can rise as
the flood waters are passed through Inks Lake to other lakes downstream.
History: 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.
Activities: 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 (Link
to detailed lake and fishing information).
Tours: Activities such as
nature walks, geology hikes, fish seining, lakeshore 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.
Directions: 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. Link
to park location map In PDF format
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.
Visit our website for more
information
Facilities:
Link to
facility and fee information for this park.
Link to park
facility map In PDF format
 Flora/Fauna: 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.
Elevation: 900. Weather: July average high 98; January
average low 33; May, September, and October are wettest months; first/last freeze:
November 14/March 29. Open: 7 days a week year-round, except for Public Hunts (call
for dates); no gate. Office Hours: March through November: Monday - Thursday 8 a.m.
- 5 p.m.; Friday 8 a.m. - 10 p.m.; Saturday 8 a.m. - 7 p.m.; Sunday 8 a.m. - 7 p.m. From
December through February: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., 7 days a week. Busy Season: Spring,
summer, and fall.
Area
Attractions: The Lyndon B. Johnson Ranch ; 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. You may want to refer to nearby parks.
Fish Hatchery
The US Fish & Wildlife Service operates a fish hatchery near Inks Dam. " Inks Dam National Fish Hatchery
plays a pivotal role in restoring Gulf Coast striped bass to the northern Gulf of Mexico
and some of its tributaries. The Gulf Coast striped bass is an important sport and
commercial fish, but has become severely depleted from loss of habitat and overfishing.
Leading-edge fish culture techniques employed at Inks Dam should ensure that released
striped bass are well equipped to face the rigors of the wild. The Inks Dam facility
also helps restore paddlefish populations in the Mississippi River basin, and raises
largemouth bass and channel catfish for sport fishing."
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