Inks Lake State Park

Inks Lake SP is hands down one of the most stunning parks in the state. It’s a colorful masterpiece of geology. In the springtime, the wild flowers are absurd and throughout the year, the bird watching is outstanding- you can even spot a pelican flying through once in a while. It is not a very large park and it’s fairly close to Austin (less than an hour and a half away) so it can get a bit crowded when the weather is nice. That being said, it is absolutely worth fighting the crowds for. 

Inks Lake State Park Devil's Sinkhole

Internationally renowned Enchanted Rock State Park isn’t very far away and visitors will often compare the two parks because they are both very…pink. Whereas Enchanted Rock is famous for its bulging granite domes, for Inks Lake it’s just gneiss (pronounced “nice,” and I almost promise not to make that joke again...at least, not in this paragraph). Although the rock looks similar, don’t be fooled- the gneiss at Inks Lake is 1.25 billion years old. The granite of Enchanted Rock is a baby, sitting at about 1 billion years old. 


The Devil’s Waterhole trail and the connecting trails is where you can enjoy the pink gneiss in all its metamorphic glory. According to the park website, the only pink granite visible in the park is the intrusions into the metamorphic rock; granite veins pop through the tortured gneiss around it. You will find fragile vernal pools in the depressions in the rocks that are home to endangered flora- please keep yourselves and your pets out of the pools. If you hike up the Valley Spring Creek Trail, you can see some lovely examples of migmatite rock. If you know anything about migmatite and gneiss, you know that they come to be through extreme events- colliding tectonic plates and volcanic activity. It would not have been a pleasant place to be back in the day. The rock at Inks Lake is some of the last evidence of an ancient mountain range that would have rivaled the Himalayas in height, that once upon a time stretched from Mexico to Canada.

Inks Lake is part of the six dam chain that controls the flow of the Colorado River, north of Austin metro. This lake is considered constant-level, as the discharge is coordinated with inflow from Lake Buchanen. The water level stays fairly steady year round, even in times plagued by drought, but fluctuates wildly during rain events. Flash flooding is very real in this area.


The trails are beautiful and very manageable for the most part, making it easy to take the family on a day trip without overdoing it. Even the trail around Devil’s Waterhole is mostly toddlerable, and if you’re feeling it, you can get some bouldering in. As the park itself is on the smaller side, none of the trails are terribly long but can be a bit much in the heat of the summer months. This park is ideal for someone starting to dip their toes into the trail, and it is always a lovely time for the experienced nature lover. 

There are many activities available year round. Keep an eye out on their calendar page http://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/inks-lake/park_events as they often offer guided tours that highlight the geological wonder of this area as well as outdoor skills classes, snake talks, fishing with park rangers programs, star parties, etc. Inks Lake SP is a 4 on the Bortle Scale.

Inks Lake is also one of the more developed parks around. The restroom and shower facilities are usually in great order and are abundant. If you plan on staying overnight, you can camp, bring your RV or, if you plan ahead, reserve one of the park’s 22 cabins. Two of those cabins are allegedly ADA accessible. There are two piers to fish off of. You can find canoes, kayaks, paddle boats and the appropriate safety gear for rent at the park store. A large picnic pavilion is also available to rent. Kona Ice of the Hill Country is often open on the weekends for a treat. There are some basic food items/snacks available in the park store, but it’s always a good idea to pack in your own meals. 

The restrooms and showers have recently been renovated and accessibility has been improved. As previously mentioned, two of the parks 22 cabins are allegedly accessible. On the website they instruct park visitors to contact the park in order to reserve a special beach wheelchair for use on the sandy areas of the park. There is a web page dedicated to detailing accessibility in this park. 

This park is very well loved and often crowded on weekends and holidays, and even full during the week when the weather is nice. Make sure you have your Texas State Park’s Pass and make a reservation for day trips and overnight stays. 

**Unfortunately, in 2023 toxic algae was detected in the water. Before you go, check the alerts section on the park’s website for potential hazards and updates. 

Make the day an experience…


When you’re looking for Texas food, the Trailblazer Grille in Burnet, TX is probably what you are hoping to find. The chicken fried steak hit the spot. Plenty of desserts and pies. Don’t ask for “sweet iced tea” because they’ll know you’re not from around here. Just ask for ice tea, haha. 

https://trailblazergrille.com/ 


The Barrel House in Llano,TX, is positively delightful. Great food, great atmosphere, great cocktails- pricey as it should be (not cheap but certainly not overpriced for what you get). They have brunch! Get the boudin balls. Worth the side trip. 

https://www.facebook.com/SippinTheGoodStuff/ 


Longhorn Cavern State Park

Not done exploring? Longhorn Cavern State Park is just down the road from Inks Lake. Please note- you’ll want to make a reservation for a paid guided tour if you would like to visit the cavern. It is absolutely worth a visit- much of the cave is well preserved, except for the main room, which was used as a dance hall in the 1920s (and I wish I’d gotten to experience that!). 

https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/longhorn-cavern/park_history 

Links for More Information:


I found that the University of South Alabama shared a couple pages on Inks Lake State Park and the region, that has some additional information on the geology of the area http://www.usouthal.edu/geography/allison/gy480tour.htm 


Into Geocaching? http://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC47HVQ_rockin-at-inks-lake 


Inks Lake State Park Main Website http://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/inks-lake 

Park Info:


3630 Park Road 4 West

Burnet, TX 78611

telephone (512) 793-2223

Entrance Fees

First Published 2014 

*Post Updated September 2023