In the iconic Texas Hill Country near the town of Burnet, you'll find one of the most popular state parks in Texas. Join us as we explore incredible Inks Lake State Park.
Inks Lake State Park was built after the formation of Inks Lake by the damming of the Colorado River when the Lower Colorado River Authority constructed the historic Buchanan and Inks Dams. Inks Lake is the 2nd of the Central Texas Highland Lakes. (Neighboring Lake Buchanan was the first.)
Interestingly, the Colorado River we're talking about here is NOT the Colorado River you may be thinking of. The Colorado River most folks are familiar with begins in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado and flows more than 1,400 miles through parts of Utah and Arizona, touching Nevada and California before flowing into Mexico. We paddleboarded on THAT Colorado River during our visit to Moab, Utah as one of 5 guided tours we took in Moab.
But THIS Colorado River winds 862 miles all within Texas! In fact, the Colorado River here is the longest river in the United States that begins, ends and is completely contained within one state. Texas has to be big to hold the Colorado!
Featured In This Video
Our Model E e-bikes by Electric Bike Company were the perfect way to get around the park roads inside Inks Lake State Park.
Our Thousand bike helmets are lightweight, comfortable and protect us as we ride, just in case.
Whether we're riding our bikes or hiking, our Columbia hydration packs make carrying water so easy and accessible. Much better than carrying bottles of water.
Texas State Parks We Mentioned
Garner State Park
McKinney Falls State Park
Nearby Places We've Shared
Black Rock Park on Lake Buchanan
Be sure to visit the town of Llano, Texas.
Do not miss historic Longhorn Cavern State Park located just 6 short miles away from Inks Lake State Park!
Inks Lake State Park By the Numbers
Park Size: 1,200 acres
Year Opened: 1950
RV/Tent Camping with 30/50amp Electric/Water: 111
Walk-In Tent Camping with Electricity: 4
Water Only Sites for Tents or RVs Under 26': 44
Primitive Hike-In Campsites: 9
Air Conditioned Cabins: 20
Inks Lake State Park Amenities
Watersport Rentals
Fishing Gear Loans
Firewood Sales
Park Store
Snow Cone Vendor
Enclosed Bird Blind
Multiple Modern Bathhouses
Dump Station
Tips for Visiting Inks Lake State Park
If you will be visiting Inks Lake State Park for more than just a few days and/or if you plan to visit state parks in Texas several times over the next year, we recommend buying a Texas State Parks Pass. This annual pass activates upon purchase and is good for 365 days. Entry and Day Use Fees for all Texas State Parks will be waived plus you will receive discounts on camping, amenity rentals and merchandise for the year. Passes are available online and at all of the parks.
If you do not have a Texas State Parks Pass, you will be charged daily fees as well as your camping fees.
Fees are the same for Texas residents and visitors from outside of Texas. Anyone is eligible to purchase a Texas State Parks Pass.
Big Rig Owners: There are a number of campsites that are large enough for larger RVs. The park roads are good and the trees were nicely trimmed during our visit. The Texas Parks and Wildlife reservation web portal includes size information and photos of each campsite. Take your time in choosing a campsite and call the park for assistance if you have questions about your RV fitting into the sites that are available when you are booking.
You do not need a fishing license to fish from one of the fishing piers or from shore within Inks Lake State Park. A Texas Fishing License is required to fish from a boat since Inks Lake is not completely contained within the state park. Fishing gear can be borrowed from the park.
Feeling Small in the Hill Country Landcape
Hiking trails at Inks Lake State Park range from Easy to Moderate. This is one of our favorite hiking parks in Texas.
Water recreation rentals include paddle boats, kayaks, canoes, and stand-up paddleboards. Rentals with life jackets and paddles are available at the park's General Store.
Inks Lake State Park often reaches capacity (especially on the weekends, holidays and summer), be sure to make your camping reservations in advance. If you just plan to visit for the day, you can reserve a day pass online up to one month in advance.
More About the Rocks
In the video, we notice the rocks and mention that we need to research the "granite". Well, we did. And here's what we learned...
First of all, the rock formations here stretch back more than 600 Million years!
The pink stone is not granite, but Valley Spring gneiss (which is pronounced "nice"). Gneiss is formed from other types of rock being under heat and pressure over millions of years. From what we have learned, it appears that the colors are dependent on the minerals present in the layers of rock. The black color may also be (at least in part) due to weathering.
There is granite here running in veins through the gneiss, and Limestone is the other dominant rock.
We hear that the park ranger programs sometimes include geology talks and hikes.
Equipment Rental Office
Texas Bluebonnets
Inks Lake State Park Fun Facts
Hiking Trails
Approx 9 Miles
Distance to Restaurants/Shops
8-11 Miles
Learn More About Inks Lake State Park
Visit the Inks Lake State Park section of the Texas Parks and Wildlife website for more information, current pricing and reservation links.
We visited Inks Lake State Park in April.
A Few Photos from Our Visit to Inks Lake State Park
Our Inks Lake State Park Campsite
Exploring by Paddle Boat
Bird Blind
Crowd Sourced Bird Sightings
We LOVE Hiking Here
Shade Tree with a View
Park Cabin on the Lake
Geese Hang Out by the Boat Rentals
Trail Sign
Shadows on an Evening Hike
