Lake Whitney State Park wins the prize for best place to take a nap. The 11 campgrounds within the park are spread out enough along the lakeshore to muffle the occasional outburst of happiness by an overzealous camper at being in such a wonderful place.
About 15 miles off of I-35 and another 20 miles north of Waco, the lake inundates the rolling hills of the Brazos River Valley. The breeze off the 23,560-acre lake cools the afternoon shade in the campgrounds thick with tall trees. It’s easy to fall off to dreamland with the faint hint of smoke from a campfire in the air while in the distance a speeding boat buzzes like a passing mosquito.
The thick natural canopy of the forest provides ideal cover for the 194 species of birds that perform an almost non-stop concert of whistles and chirps. Bright red cardinals dart among the underbrush, while hawks soar high above the fields accented with the colorful wildflowers. The park is a combination of riparian forest and the prickly pear cactus- and mesquite-tree-covered prairie of North Texas.
As a wildlife preserve, the place is teeming with critters. All of the campgrounds are crisscrossed with little paths made by the year-round residents. It’s not uncommon to find a trail emerging from the brush and fallen trees leading past the dripping water faucet straight to the dumpster. The nightly trek to the fast food counter by the raccoons, deer, fox, armadillos, and others has worn the routes through the tall grass down like ant trails.
With 125 campsites along the shoreline in the 1,000-acre park, it is easy to find an idyllic spot to pitch your tent or park your pop-up. One of the most beautiful campgrounds is the first 50 slots tucked away in a thick jungle of native trees. The area with the screened shelters has lots of open space and a nice view of the lake. Most all of the sites come with a minimum of a covered picnic table, fire ring, and water hydrant.
Lake Whitney was built right after World War II, and is one of the older Corps of Engineers lakes in Texas. Although it is used to generate electricity and for water conservation, the primary purpose of the lake is for flood control. The state park was flooded twice in the 1990s. Because of this many of the facilities were recently replaced or renovated.
The 45-mile-long lake is nationally known as a fishing lake with anglers taking trophy-sized bass and catfish from the waters. There are several fishing guides that work out of the lake’s marinas and resorts. The best way to find professional help is through the Lake Whitney Views, a monthly newsmagazine filled with pictures of fish that didn’t get away and advertisements for local businesses. At 50 cents a copy, it is a bargain just for the black and white pictures.
Of course, there is always trying your luck fishing from a lawn chair on the bank. Besides the state park there are 10 Corps of Engineers parks and four county-run parks around the lake. For information, call254/622-3332 or go to www.swf-wc.usace.army.mil/. Horseback riders have their own park at McCowan Valley Park. Canoeists can run the Brazos River from The Outpost-Dick’s Place 7.5 miles below the dam off of FM 2114 (254/622-8364).
Just because napping and fishing are two favorite activities at the state park does not mean that they are the only things to do there. The swimming beach in the park is small, but adequate. Wild turkeys have been spotted from the mile-long hiking trail that winds along a high area behind the recreational hall where the monthly star parties are held. The mile-long hiking and biking trail at the far end of the park passes the wildlife observation blind. This is one of the few state parks that has its own aircraft landing strip. Scuba divers like to explore the lake bottom which can drop to 100 feet and includes the remains of communities like Towash near the state park. Of course, there are also the games that fit in with your camping gear.
Lake Whitney is about two hours north of Austin and about 15 minutes west of Hillsboro. Most necessary services can be found in Whitney, which is near the entrance to the park. For information, call the park at 254/694-3793 or visit their Web site at www.tpwd.state.tx.us. For reservations, call 512/389-8900.
Coming up on Saturday, June 1, is Free Fishing Day. While fishing anywhere in the state won’t require a license on that day, the state parks will still be charging the usual entry fees. Look for special kids events at Lake Texana, Cooper Lake, Huntsville, Lake Arrowhead state parks, and Sea Center Texas in Lake Jackson.
568th in a series. Day Trips, Vol. 2, a book of Day Trips 101-200, is available for $8.95, plus $3.05 for shipping, handling, and tax. Mail to: Day Trips, PO Box 33284, South Austin, TX 78704.
This article appears in April 26 • 2002.
