Austin area camping/skiing

[WRKTOSKI]

Looking for people that like to camp and check out other lakes. We live by Lake Travis and we camp there but like to try other spots.

[dogbert]

We camped for a while until we bought property on Lake Buchanan. We camped there for 3 years before we finished our home.

Inks Lake is a nice lake with one of the nicests state parks in Texas. Lake Buchanan has a number of lodges and camp grounds. The best ones are Canyon of the Eagles and Big Chief (near the dam). If you do come to Lake Buchanan, find Rocky Point and look for my red and white Tige.

[WRKTOSKI]

Thanks, we have been wanting to try your lake. We live in Briarcliff close to the water on Travis. But we like to get in the RV with the boat and go. We just got home from 14 days to lakes in Tennesse. WOW GREAT LAKES.

[Escondido]

Another vote for Inks lake. It is a great setting and nice park.

There is also an RV park that doesn't look too bad on Lake LBJ. It is called sunset point and it is on HWY 1431 heading out of Marble Falls but before Granite Shoals. Not sure how many of the spots have some tree cover. It seemed to be a little spotty. Their website is: http://www.sunsetpointlbj.com/
I don't know enough about it to recommend it, just know it is there.

Inks would be my first choice.

[Guest]

Jerry,
I see you live in Briarcliff, you are a lucky guy! I would move out there in a hearbeat except I work in North Austin and my commute would be brutal. Oh well, maybe in a few years when we have kids. Anyways, don't have much to offer in regards to camping on other Texas lakes, but I have a question. What are the conditions like on Travis and the Perd now that the water has come down some? I see the lake is dropping about a foot a day and it looks like it will be back to 681 by the end of the week and I think they will open, unless the debris/bacteria is still really bad. We have a big group that is going out this weekend and we are trying to decide whether the conditions will be good enough for boarding and swimming on Travis, what is your take? And what color is your boat, I have a '04 blue and white 22V and we are always in your next of the woods, we try to ride the Perd every weekend.

AustinSouthSide

[raythompson]

Having left Texas 18 years ago I also highly recommend Inks Lake and the state park. Sand tent pads, water at the camp sites, hot showers, electricity at some sites. Most of the park is in a speed limited cove. Nice water. Lake is a little small, but the rest makes it worthwhile.

I lived in Live Oak north of San Antonio and south of the Selma I-35 speed trap. Some trips to Canyon Lake but it was worth the extra distance to Inks Lake. Canyon was many times just too rough.

Inks Lake, highly recommended.

[dogbert]

Inks Lake, highly recommended.

I'll second that!

[bk3104]

RE: Lake Travis conditions ... maybe this will help. LBJ has been open for a little over a week. Was out this past Friday. Main body of the lake still had several large logs (2-3 ft) floating around but overall not too bad. Water has also cleared somewhat. Went down to Kingsland and the colorado still had a lot of small debris all around the bridge. I'd expect most of this to be coming through Travis in the next few weeks.

[dogbert]

RE: Lake Travis conditions ... maybe this will help. LBJ has been open for a little over a week. Was out this past Friday. Main body of the lake still had several large logs (2-3 ft) floating around but overall not too bad. Water has also cleared somewhat. Went down to Kingsland and the colorado still had a lot of small debris all around the bridge. I'd expect most of this to be coming through Travis in the next few weeks.

Maybe not. There aren't any floodgates open on dams upstream of travis, but I suspect that it still has plenty of debris in it from all the flooding. One of my friends who lives on the lake says the water in the coves still smells pretty bad. I'd give it another week or two.

The upstream Highland Lakes are in pretty good shape.

[Escondido]

While LBJ is open, its still in pretty bad shape. On our inlet the water is still very dirty and large flotillas of debris, mostly small much like covering but it was think in places. Wouldn't be out there without a sea strainer. Still some small logs too. Would be clear for a while an then a little clump of logs. The water in our area was till a little smelly. I would think it will still be another few weeks before back to normal.

While Travis is still high, at least the upstream flows have slowed so the debris should be settling and maybe it will clear a little quicker than LBJ. Sure has wiped out the summer on Central Texas lakes. And the chance of more rain coming.

I will never bitch about rain down here after the droughts but its hard to remember that at times.

[dogbert]

You guys are welcome at our lake. PM me if you want to know where to camp and launch.

[Guest]

Thanks for the info. I talked with the guy that runs the boat ramp at Camp Perdernales and he said that the water looks clear from the 71 bridge down the Perd and in front of his ramp, so that is good news. We are going to brave it this Saturday, hopefully the conditions will be good. I miss my Perd butter!

[dogbert]

That's awesome. I've only been up that far back in '95. Now I avoid Lake Travis like the plague. The Cypress Creek boat launch is only 2 miles from my house. If we go out here in town, it's usually on Lake Austin.

[WRKTOSKI]

HI, the lake is looking better up here, but camp ped is still a mess! Maybe by the weekend, I will check it out friday my # 968-5592 call if you like. Our boat is a 03 21I black with o6 decalls and a white tower. Jerry

[dogbert]

Thanks for the offer, but we'll be at a kids competition at TSR on Saturday and then back on Buchanan Friday and Sunday. It's almost as far to my lakehouse as it is to the Pedernales. I do want to make it up there one time this summer, so I'll look for you.

Are you going to the Tige Owner's Reunion? If so, you'll see my red Tige there. I'm sporting an extra set of tower speakers these days, but otherwise it's like my gallery pics.