Lake Whitney State Park
Our first time visiting Lake Whitney State Park in September of 2020, I wasn’t that impressed. The thing is, though, that had a lot more to do with me than the actual park itself. The first time we visited, I wasn’t doing very well. I was so stressed that I could barely function. Honestly, I was really uncomfortable with who I was, how I was feeling, and how I even fit into nature. I had written off Lake Whitney as a mediocre park. So, when we returned in March of 2024, I was not convinced that we were even visiting the same park we had been to almost four years before. There were wildflowers coating the meadows as we drove into the park. We parked and set up camp right next to the lake, and when we walked down to the water, I was astonished to see bluebonnets all along the shore. We spent the weekend getting to know the park better, and I reformed my memory of what Lake Whitney actually has to offer, which is quite a lot. Now, there isn’t much hiking there, and if you’re not there to enjoy a day out on the lake, you may get a little antsy. However, sometimes camping is about slowing down, relaxing, and rethinking. Well, Lake Whitney State Park is perfect for that.
Smoosh, Heather, and O’Malley enjoying the bluebonnets on the shores of Lake Whitney
Location
Whitney, Tx
Lake Whitney State Park is not far from some of Texas’ most populated cities. It’s a particularly convenient drive from the DFW area and isn’t too bad from the Austin area either. In fact, we (Austin dwellers) have used it as a middle-ground meeting place to camp with friends (Fort Worth dwellers) since the driving distance is pretty fair. Once you get off of 35 from either DFW or Austin, the drive is pretty beautiful, too!
From Austin- 143 mi (2 hours 30 min)
From DFW- 92 mi (1 hour 30 min)
From Houston- 218 mi (3 hours 30 min)
Accommodations
Full Hook-Up Campsites
Electric/Water Campsites
Water Only Campsites
Screened Shelters
2 Cabins
There are almost 140 campsites at Lake Whitney State Park. We’ve stayed at campsite 119 in the Lake View Camping Loop and site 94 in the Bluebird Camping Loop. Site 94 had a little trail granting lake access, so that was definitely my favorite of the two. If you’re able, I would recommend getting a campsite with a view of the lake. There are quite a few that are right on the water!
Vibes
Lake Whitney
If a Texas State Park has “lake” in the name, then you can assume that there is probably a lake to enjoy at the park. Lake Whitney State Park, of course, is no exception. When we’ve visited, there have always been quite a few boats out on the lake, especially fishing boats. The lake water itself seems okay to swim in, although I haven’t ventured in myself. My favorite part about the lake (so far) is watching the sunrise and sunset while sitting at the water's edge. It’s as beautiful as you might imagine, and then some.
A couple of fisherman on Lake Whitney at sunrise in September of 2020
Trails
Lake Whitney State Park does not offer much in the way of hiking. In fact, there are only two trails at the park. However, it can be nice to really get to know a trail and even hike it more than once. We took full advantage of this and used the trails to find some pretty beautiful sunset and sunrise photo spots.
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0.9 mi one-way
Easy
This trails has, you guessed it, two bridges. The bridges cross over two creeks in the forest. The trail is short but offers scenery, shade, and honestly serenity if you’re looking.
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1.2 mi one-way
Easy
This trail is pretty short as well but offers lake views at parts and a pretty good chance of seeing wildlife, specifically birds. We witnessed a heron migration in late September while wandering along this trail.
One of the two bridges on Two Bridges Trail
Nature
Though you can probably expect to see and experience nature at a State Park, I feel that Lake Whitney has some special things to offer.
Unlike some other State Parks we’ve visited, we always run into wildlife at Lake Whitney. Our first time visiting, we witnessed an incredible heron migration! I was sitting at the shore of the lake with my husband, Ethan, and our friends that we were camping with. We were looking out at the sunset and enjoying a quiet moment amongst ourselves. Ethan was recording the sunset, of course. Slowly, we started to see a flock of something coming into view. I remember being excited for Ethan because it would be a great shot for him to get. We soon realized that the group of birds elegantly flying over the lake was actually full of usually solo travelers, the heron. They were so beautiful, and it felt like a really special moment. It still does. I’ve also noticed while visiting that most people spend the day at the lake, which makes the trails pretty quiet. This means you can usually catch a glimpse of deer and a variety of birds on the trails.
If you visit in the spring, Lake Whitney may just take your breath away with the most beautiful wildflowers. I don’t know what all the wildflowers are called, but there are blues, reds, purples, oranges, and yellows. Even the walk to the bathrooms from the camping loops is absolutely beautiful. As I mentioned earlier, I will never forget walking down to the lake from our campsite and being completely surprised and mesmerized by the sight of bluebonnets sprawling all up and down the lake’s shore. We took advantage of the beauty and took some family photos with our favorite camping companions in true Texas fashion.
Additional Lake Whitney Need-to-Knows
If you are a birder, you will have a good time at Lake Whitney! There are over 200 species of birds and even bald eagles.
Lake Whitney is less than and hour from 2 other beautiful State Parks, Meridian and Cleburne.
It’s only 45 minutes from Waco, but the town of Whitney should have most things you would need if you are looking for more amenities than what a State Park has to offer, or if you forgot something.
I would 100% recommend visiting in the spring at the very least! The wildflowers are amazing to see.
There are no water toy rentals (kayaks, canoes, etc.) so be sure to bring your own if you are wanting to go out in the water for anything other than a swim.
