Land O' Lakes
Come On In; The Water's Fine.
by Suzy Banks and Katy Vine
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Courtesy of TxDot | |
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ARTESIAN SPRINGS (about an hour north of Beaumont; from Newton, head east on U.S. 190 for 6 miles, then turn left on FM 2626 for 4 miles; 409-379-8826). Is it a lake or a swimming hole? Who cares when the sandy shores are this soft and white, and the cool, clear waters bubble up to the surface? The densely forested camp—the Blanchard family's sixteen-year labor of love, complete with cabins, nature trails, and more—was spared from last summer's wildfire, which ravaged land only a mile or so away. Day use 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily; $4, children under 2 free. Suzy Banks
BENBROOK LAKE, Benbrook (about 10 miles southwest of downtown Fort Worth; head south through Benbrook on U.S. 377, turn left on Lakeside Drive, then right on Beach Road; City of Benbrook 817-249-3000). If this spot hadn't been totally landlocked, we would have thought we were on the Gulf shore as we drove through the gates to Baja Beach. A long stretch of fine sand crunches beneath your toes, and two small slides in the water keep the kids happy. Open daily 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; $3, senior citizens and children under 13 $2. Katy Vine
CEDAR LAKE, Cleburne State Park (in North Texas; from Cleburne, take U.S. 67 southwest for 6 miles, then turn left on Park Road 21 for 6 miles; 817-645-4215). Size isn't important if you're a no-wake lake with spring-fed waters as crystal clear as these. Paddleboat and canoe rentals, the weathered green concession stand on the tree-lined shore, and overly friendly resident ducks give this 116-acre lake the nostalgic feel of an old-time summer camp. Day use 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily; $3, senior citizens born before August 1, 1930, and children under 13 free. Suzy Banks
CRYSTAL SPRINGS BEACH, Maud (in northeast Texas; 3 miles west of town on U.S. 67; 903-585-5246). This twelve-acre spring-fed lake, which opened to the public more than fifty years ago, sports a four-hundred-foot-long serpentine water slide, a three-hundred-foot-long trapezelike cable "ride," two playground slides set out in the water, and possibly the longest sandy beach this side of Cozumel (okay, this side of Lufkin). May 26 through July: open Wednesday through Saturday and Memorial Day 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sundays noon to 6; call for August schedule; $5.50 Wednesdays and Thursdays, $6.50 Friday through Sunday, $1 off for children 3 to 6, under 3 free. Suzy Banks
DEVIL'S WATERHOLE, Inks Lake State Park (in the Hill Country; from Burnet, go west on Texas Highway 29 for 9 miles, then turn left on Park Road 4 for 3 miles; 512-793-2223). The mix of Spring Creek's waters cascading over granite boulders, a tranquil cove, and coral-colored gravel shores makes this spot devilishly alluring—and devilishly crowded on weekends. Day use 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily; $4, senior citizens $2 (free if born before August 1, 1930), children under 13 free. Suzy Banks
LAKE DAINGERFIELD, Daingerfield State Park (in northeast Texas; from Daingerfield, go east on Texas Highway 49 for 2 miles, then turn left on Park Road 17; 903-645-2921). It's a short stroll down a lush, grassy slope from the retro-cool concession pavilion to the steps leading into this limpid eighty-acre gem in the Piney Woods. A swim platform—an easy dog paddle from shore—beckons. Day use 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily; $2, senior citizens $1 (free if born before August 1, 1930), children under 13 free. Suzy Banks
LAKE MINERAL WELLS STATE PARK, Mineral Wells (in North Texas; from town, go east on U.S. 180 for 2 miles, then turn left on Park Road 71; 940-328-1171). The seventy-paces-long beach here is quieter on weekdays, when the nearby boat ramp isn't busy, and if you hit the park early enough in the morning, you'll be rewarded with gorgeous views of the tree-covered hills across the lake and purple martins plunging through the cove to their house on the edge of the water. An old-fashioned stone park store offers, among other things, six kinds of canned beans. Day use 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily; $3, senior citizens $1 (free if born before August 1, 1930), children under 13 free. Katy Vine
LAKE TEJAS, Colmesneil (in southeast Texas; from town, head east on FM 256 for 1 mile; 409-837-5757, extension 100). Who said staying wet can't serve some higher purpose? Entrance fees at this fifteen-acre spring-fed lake fill the coffers of the Colmesneil school district. You can do your part for public education by leaping from the multilevel diving platform or wading in from the sugar-sand shores. Open Memorial Day through Labor Day: Sunday through Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturdays till 8; $2, children under 12 $1. Suzy Banks
LAKE WHITNEY, Walling Bend Park (in north-central Texas; from Whitney, take Texas Highway 22 south for 10 miles, turn right on FM 56 for 2 miles, then turn right on FM 2841 for 1 mile; 254-694-3189). The operator of this dramatic park—the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers—strongly advises against jumping off the limestone cliffs, which is probably why teenagers persist in doing it despite frequent injuries and one fatality. Swimmers with a sense of mortality can enter the clear waters a toe at a time from gentle, shaded slopes. Open daily 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.; free. Suzy Banks
RAY ROBERTS LAKE STATE PARK, Isle du Bois Unit (in North Texas; from Sanger, go east on FM 455 for 9 miles and look for the park entrance on your left; 940-686-2148). This park on the south shore of the lake offers a clean, sandy beach in a roped-off cove with clear water. A nearby store provides goodies for picnicking at one of the dozen covered tables as you watch swallows swoop overhead. Day use 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily; $3, senior citizens born before August 1, 1930, and children under 13 free. Katy Vine
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