Waco Lake is an immense reservoir that lies within the municipal boundaries of the city of Waco in the state of Texas. The US Army Corps of Engineers completed work on the dam that impounds the Bosque River in the early 1960s, creating a more reliable water source for the city's residents. Waco Lake is also a prime site for recreation though, once you've pitched camp there, you'll find it hard to believe it's still within the city limits.
Several Corps managed parks border the irregularly shaped lake, two of which have amazing sand beaches that are almost as good as any you'll find in a coastal state. The Waco Lake Wetlands to the north-west of the reservoir is inhabited by more than a hundred species of birds and has an aquatic plant nursery that you can visit. There are trails for walking, horse riding, and biking, as well as designated nature trails winding through wooded areas of the shoreline.
Waco Lake is a big draw for catfish anglers looking to beat the lake record as well as reel in some of the other fifty species of fish populating the lake waters. There are some great activities for both adults and kids in the surrounding area, too, so even if you're unlucky with the weather when you're camping out in your RV at Waco Lake, you'll still find plenty to do. One of those is the Waco National Mammoth Monument. It might be one of the newest and smallest national parks in the US, but it has some giant-sized fossil exhibits.
The suburbs of Waco city border Waco Lake, so to get there, you'll be driving on major highways and well-maintained urban roads until you're going through the gates of your chosen campground. Waco is the McLennan County seat and a major city in central Texas, so expect to encounter traffic as you're passing through.
Whether you're motoring in your rig from the north or south, the I 35 will be your main route almost all the way. If you've been down near San Antonio RV camping at the Guadalupe River State Park, the trip from there to Waco Lake will take you around three hours. You'll be passing through Austin and Temple, so you could meet some traffic hold-ups on the way. If you're coming from out of state after visiting the Lake Thunderbird State Park near Oklahoma City, once you hit the I 35 southbound, you'll be on the road for around four and a half hours. On route, you'll be skirting around Dallas and through Fort Worth, so don't expect to be the only vehicle on the highway.
Expect to be driving through urban areas until you're actually at your campground. Once through the gates of whichever of the four corps campgrounds at Waco Lake you've chosen, you'll find the asphalted internal road systems well-kept and east to negotiate in your rig.
If you're an avid plane spotter, you'll be in your element RV camping at the Airport Park Campground at Waco lake. If you're not, you might want to take some earplugs with you. The Airport Park Campground is situated on the central north shore between the reservoir and the city's airport so expect some noise as the planes are taking off and coming in to land. The campground is open and operates under a reservation-only system all year round. There are forty-six campsites for RVs all with electric and water hook-ups. Twenty-two of the pitches also have sewer hook-ups.
The paved campsites at Airport Park are all distributed along the Waco Lake shoreline so have uninterrupted views onto the water. The site itself has full amenities including showers, flush toilets, a dump station, boat ramp, and dock, plus a playground for the kids and a horseshoe pit.
The Midway Park Campground at Waco Lake is situated on the south-eastern shore of the reservoir and provides RV campers with a choice between thirty-two different campsites. All the campsites are paved, have water and electricity hook-ups and eleven have also been fitted with hook-ups for sewage. All pitches are furnished with picnic tables, grills, and fire rings.
Amenities at Midway Park are good. There's both toilets and showers which are accessible, a boat ramp and dock, dump station and playground. The campground is open from the 1st of January right the way through to the 31st of December with prior reservations being required all year round.
The Reynolds Creek Park Campground is located on the north-western shore of Lake Waco and is accessed via the Speegleville Road. If you're traveling with your horse then this is the campground for you, as it has ten special equestrian pitches as well as forty-one normal ones. All the campsites have standard electric and water hook-ups and are furnished with picnic tables and grills.
There are full amenities at the campground from flush toilets, showers to dump station and a boat dock and ramp. The Reynolds Creek Park Campground accepts prior reservations for camping throughout the twelve months of the year.
There are some pretty big fish lurking in the waters of Waco Lake, so if you're planning on trying to catch one of them, make sure you take some fishing line with a high test. If you're lucky enough to hook one which beats the lake's catfish record, you may well need to tackle up with a rope. An angler reeled in a flathead catfish in 2003, which weighed in at just under sixty pounds. That's a record that still holds. Another fisherman has hooked out a blue catfish almost fifty pounds in weight, and another a grass carp of seventy. That's some monster fish.
Take an easy stroll out of the Reynolds Creek Campground at Waco Lake along the interpreted Tejas Nature Trail. Along the one-and-a-half-mile long trail, you'll be hiking through woods of juniper where there are lots of birds to spot.
For hiking, mountain biking, and horse riding head over to the Lacy Point Trail on the west shore of the lake. The equestrian section of the trail is around six miles long and stretches through extensive grasslands along the lake's shoreline.
Waco Lake is a great place to float your boat. All four of the corps campgrounds at Waco Lake have boat ramps plus there are five more corps managed ramps at the lake. There are also two privately run ones located in the lake's two marinas, Waco Marina and the Texas Harbor Marina.
Waco Lake is ideal for canoeing, kayaking, and paddleboarding too, though care should be taken when navigating close to the shoreline. There are a lot of submerged trees that could prove hazardous.
Make the short trip from Waco Lake into Waco for a visit to the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame & Museum. At the museum, you'll get a fascinating insight into the history of the Texas Rangers from the artifacts and exhibits that span a two-hundred-year period. There are also several galleries of fine art, as well as the hall of inductees celebrating the dedication of thirty-one rangers through media and memorabilia.
The Speegleville Park Campground is the smallest corps campground at Waco Lake and can be reached along the McLaughlin Road. There are thirty paved campsites on the campground for RVs all fitted with water and electricity hook-ups. Many of the pitches have waterfront locations though not all.
The Speegleville Park Campground might be the smallest but it still has a full range of amenities. There are fully accessible showers and flush toilets, a dump station, and a boat ramp and dock. This campground at Waco Lake closes its gates to campers at the end of October.
For a wild day out, head to the BSR Cable Park in Waco. It's perfect for anyone who's a novice at wakeboarding or surfing and is too unsure of their skill to try it on the open waters of the lake.
The park is a big attraction for surfers too, as it has an Expert Wave pool that throws out one hundred and fifty waves an hour. But you don't need to be an expert; there are special waves for beginners and intermediate surfers. For anyone seeking an aquatic adrenaline thrill, the Royal Flush water slide is an absolute must, but if all you want to do is spend the day chilling, grab a float and hit the Lazy River.
The Lake Waco Wetlands are 180 acres of terrain on the north-western shore of Lake Waco that have been designated as a wildlife conservation area. Stroll along the wooden boardwalks running through the freshwater marsh, and you'll be able to spot multiple species of birds including heron and egrets, beavers, tree frogs, and white-tailed deer.
