There is no doubt that this horrid summer drought has taken its toll upon the lakes here in Austin. Parts of Lake Travis have dried up into nothingness, as has Jones Brothers Park in Jonestown (there is nothing left).


Photos by Jessica Schneider

Yet, if you’re looking for some last minute summer activity, Inks Lake is a great place to visit, both for hiking, camping and swimming.

It also has nice bathrooms and showers (clean), and there are places to park near to the lake, where you can picnic and swim.

The hiking trails are enjoyable and not overly difficult, though there are parts that are not well marked. Yet despite this obstacle, navigating your way through the terrain is fairly easy since there are landmarks to note.

According to the website: “Visitors enjoy camping, backpacking, hiking, and golf. Since Inks is a constant level lake, droughts do not affect water-related activities such as lake swimming (unsupervised beach), boating, water skiing, scuba diving, and fishing.”

The park is located in Burnet and is definitely worth the stop. Visitors will have to pay a fee for parking, and there are many fun activities to do while visiting Inks Lake.




Photos by Jessica Schneider