If you plan to visit Texas during the summer, the best way to enjoy your leisure time is to enjoy the activities at the various lakes in Texas.
The state of Texas offers a lot of activities to enjoy during the scorching heat. You can have fun at the lakeside cabin and can also enjoy swimming in these water bodies. Those not fond of swimming can also enjoy fishing, kayaking, and camping.
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Whether you visit with your partner for a romantic weekend or with friends, witnessing the beauty of the lakes in Texas is worth cherishing. It is one of the best ways to spend your time in Texas because of the endless possibilities these water resources offer tourists.
Texas is the second largest state in the United States as well as one of the most populous places in the country. When it comes to summers, the state is also one of the hottest places in the country, reaching temperatures up to 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
But the best part about this place is the numerous water reservoirs and lakes that can help the locals and tourists to enjoy the mesmerizing outdoors.
In this article, you will learn about the best options in this context for leisure time.
1. Lake Texoma
Lake Texoma is visited by millions of people every year. It is famous for sailing, windsurfing, fishing, and water skiing. It is also a hub for the best bass fishing, including an opportunity to land smallmouth, spotted, and striped bass.
It is extended to Oklahoma and shares a lesser area within Texas. It is situated at the conflux of the Washita River and Red River.
It was the outcome of the Denison Dam, a famous fishing ground built on the Red River in Grayson County in Texas and Bryan County in Oklahoma. Texoma Lake is one of the popular reservoirs in the United States.
Besides several water sports activities, it also hosts a charity Lakefest Regatta annually during the spring break. It also offers several golf courses and hotels.
The shoreline of Texoma also provides boat rentals, chartered fishing ventures, and marinas. There are roughly 12 marinas guarding it, along with two wildlife refuges and campgrounds.
2. Lake Travis
Travis lake is a flood control reservoir on the Colorado River in central Texas. It also holds the largest storage capacity of the seven reservoirs of the Texas Highland Lakes. It is also used for recreation and electrical power generation.
It came into existence in 1942 while the construction of the Mansfield Dam took place near Austin. Its shoreline is roughly around 270 miles and is 65 miles long upstream from Travis County. This shoreline also supports access points like boat rentals, guide shops, and marinas.
The popular activities of Travis lake include scuba diving, swimming, fishing, jet skiing, and boating. It is also home to various fish species, such as catfish, sunfish, and bass.
Besides, several land-based activities such as golf courses, music concerts, and zipline tours around this scenic water body have also been supported. Also, Splash Day is also hosted by the lesbian and gay community every year at Hippie Hollow Park, a famous spot at this Texas lake.
3. Lady Bird Lake
Lady Bird lake is a beautiful reservoir on the Colorado River in Austin, Texas. Until 2007, it was formerly known as Town Lake. It came into existence in 1960 and has been considered the last entry on the list of Highland lakes.
It was named after Lady Bird Johnson, the former first lady and a long-term resident of Austin. Some locals still like to call it by its older name.
It is a popular destination for Kayaks, paddleboards, dragon boats, and canoes, as motorized watercraft are not allowed on it.
Lady Bird Lake is a perfect spot for enjoying these activities but restrained swimming because of the drownings in it. Moreover, those violating the ban can face a fine of up to $500.
The largest park in the city is also located next to Lady Bird Lake in Austin. Other than water activities, music events are also organized at the venues near it. The Austin City Limits Music Festival, The Austin Reggae Festival, and Spamarama are the few famous events organized annually at its shores.
Besides, the late Stevie Ray Vaughan, a blues guitar legend and a resident of Austin, played several concerts at the Auditorium Shores. He was also honored by creating a statue on the south bank.
4. Canyon Lake
It is a halfway reservoir that stands between Austin and San Antonio. It is also located to the northwest of New Braunfels at a distance of 16 miles from it.
It is the outcome of the Canyon Dam, made by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1964. It was built on the Guadalupe river and serves as the city’s flood control and water supply center.
Canyon lake has also been considered a recreational center, including eight parks maintained and managed by its shoreline. This shoreline is 130 km long and is a hub of several activities, like camping, swimming, boating, and picnicking.
Besides water activities, its beautiful surroundings also cover several trails for horseback riding, biking, and hiking.
5. Lake Conroe
Conroe Lake is a part of Montogomery County in Texas. It is located on the West of the San Jacinto River and is 60 minutes north of Houston. San Jacinto River Authority is also the central controlling authority of this water body.
It is named after Conroe County; however, a minimal amount is covered under the county. Its main area is counted under the Montogomery.
The main attraction of Lake Conroe is wakeboarding, fishing, jet-skiing, and boating. The area around it is lovely and offers the best golf courses and excellent bars and restaurants in Texas.
Various famous personalities, such as Aaron Gray, Colin Edwards, Roger Clemens, Rudy Tomjanovich, etc., reside in these areas.
6. Lake Lewisville
Lewisville Lake is one of the popular spots of the summer in Texas. It was formerly known as Garza-Little Elm Reservoir and is situated in the north of Texas on the Trinity River in Denton County.
It was created in the 1950s and was initially known as Dallas Lake. It is also the second-largest Lake in the area of Trinity River.
It is fantastic for several camping facilities, golf courses, lodges, and restaurants. It also offers several water sports, such as water skiing, wakeboarding, and fishing. Lewisville provides an excellent environment for catfish, white bass, and crappie.
Besides, you can also enjoy hiking, camping, and bicycling at its shore. Other than that, a view from houseboats is also enjoyed by the visitors.
7. Eagle Mountain Lake
Eagle Mountain Lake is famous for fishing because of channel catfish, white crappie, white bass, and largemouth bass. It also offers wakeboarding, kayaking, and water skiing.
It is also well known for Fort Worth Boat Club, which came into existence in 1929. Besides, this place also offers restaurant facilities, campgrounds, picnic areas, and walking trails.
It is a reservoir in North Texas that came into existence because of the damming of the Trinity River. It covers an area of more than 3500 hectares. It is 198 meters above sea level.
8. Inks Lake
Inks Lake came into existence in 1938 after the construction of Inks Dam under the control of the Lower Colorado River Authority. It is located fifty miles to the northwest of Austin.
This Lake is surrounded by a picturesque view of the Texas Hill Country. The pink rocks near its shore make this place more mesmerizing. Its southeast edge is covered by the Inks Lake State Park, which includes visitor center facilities, hiking trails, and campgrounds.
It is made to provide flood-control assistance and also offers the smallest hydroelectric power plant on the chain of Highland Lakes.
It is one of the most excellent spots to camp in Texas because of the waterfront campsites. Swimming, skiing, and paddling are regular water sports. Other than this, Kayaks and canoes are also available for rent here.
Inks Lake is also renewed for fishing because of two fishing piers, a cleaning station, and a boat ramp.
9. Lake Granbury
Lake Granbury is a vacation lake location on the Brazos River. It is located in the heart of Granbury in northern Texas, 40 miles southwest of Fort Worth. It came to its form in 1969 and is part of three lakes damming the Brazos River.
It is the outcome of the De Cordova Bend Dam and covers a shoreline of 103 miles. Also, it is under the supervision of the Brazos River Authority.
Granbury Lake is a 33-mile-long lake with several parks lining it and a wide variety of shops and eateries. This place also offers public utilities for visitors. With boat ramps, boat rentals, and bathing places available, Granbury City Park is a well-liked public facility to enjoy the water.
It is also a famous destination for water sports like boating, wakeboarding, water skiing, and fishing. Moreover, it is well known that Lake Granbury is a great place to catch fish because the water is teeming with striped bass, flathead catfish, white bass, longnose gar, sunfish, crappie, and largemouth bass.
Several additional campgrounds around it, like Rough Creek Park, Hunter Park, and De Cordova Bend Park. Apart from this, cozy cottages and storied resorts offer lakefront lodging at this Lake.
10. Lake Austin
Lake Austin came into its existence in the year 1939 after the construction of the Tom Miller Dam. The name formerly knew it of Lake McDonald. It is a water reservoir that is 647 hectares fed by the overflow from Lake Travis.
It is also a part of the Colorado River and is supervised by the Lower Colorado River Authority. The purpose of this Lake is electrical power generation, recreation, and flood control.
The most famous recreational activity of Lake Austin includes boating, fishing, and camping. You can also enjoy picnics by staying in its nearby land.
Several companies rent canoes, motorboats, sailboats, and pontoon boats in Austin. Moreover, the Austin Parks and Recreation Department also offers canoeing, sailing, and kayaking, training classes.
Austin lake is also a hub of several species of fish. It consisted of an excellent stock of largemouth bass along with sunfish and catfish in it.
Emma Long Park is a perfect spot nearby Lake Austin for camping and picnics. You can enjoy playing sports like volleyball and having a sun bath on the shores of it.
Summary
Texas is a beautiful city, and there are a lot of lakes in it to explore. The list of lakes in Texas is vast and holds different features. All these lakes offer something unique and unforgettable.
Besides lakes, cities like Austin and Dallas in Texas provide beautiful views and free things to do, which are fun while exploring the city. Do not forget to mark these lakes in your planner and add them to your next travel plan.
