Camping or ‘glamping’? Your choice! Five Burnet County locations to enjoy ‘The Great Outdoors’
By Alexandria Randolph HLN Correspondent Whether a rugged outdoorsman or a luxury aficionado, anyone can enjoy a night under the stars in Burnet County. Glamping For those seeking an outdoor adventure and a camping trip that has a little more glamour, the Canyon of the Eagles campground and resort might be the place. With campsites, RV sites and guest cabins, the camp welcomes any kind of camper. The guest rooms are fully furnished with air conditioning, heat, linens, a coffee maker and WiFi. The camp also includes a full-fledged restaurant and shop for those with a taste for more than hot dogs over the camp fire, as well as an observatory, hiking trails and outdoor family fun activities. Pets are welcome. Canyon of the Eagles is in Central Texas Hill
minutes northwest of Austin and two hours north of San Antonio, making it an ideal location for a weekend getaway. Ranch Road 2341, one of the most scenic roads in Texas, ends at the camp entrance. Reveille Peak Ranch, 105 CR 114 outside of Burnet, has over 250 tent and RV campsites available on weekends for guests and features cycling and hiking trails, a pool and access to the ranch’s private Quarry Lake. Available amenities include restrooms, showers and changing rooms with hot and cold water, a pavilion that can be booked for events and a full-service commercial kitchen with a wood-fired grill, barbecue pit and wood-burning pizza oven. Inks Lake State Park, located at 3630 Park Road 4 West, has 22 cabins that can be booked in advance, completed with air
Cabins are also available for rent at Inks Lake State Park.
TEXAS PARKS & WILDLIFE
Country and overlooks Lake Buchanan, the largest body of in the Highland Lakes’ region. The camp is located 25 minutes from Burnet, 50 minutes from Llano, 90
conditioning and an outdoor grill. But, don’t forget to bring bed linens, and please keep pets outside! Campsites with water, electricity and restrooms are also available,
Inks Lake State Park has outdoor sites where you can hook up your RV or pitch a tent. TEXAS PARKS & WILDLIFE but only four are held for walk-in campers, so visits should be booked in advance. Arguably the best feature of glamping is the ability to make a campsite homey with personalized lighting, backyard games, decorations and prepared meals that may be a little more extravagant than the typical camping fare. Those who want to bring their own glamour to a campsite might consider bringing a generator for lighting or portable A/C units. Rather than sleeping on the ground, campers can elevate themselves with an inflatable mattress, cot or hammock. Portable showers and toilets can also be purchased at several outdoor retailers. Camping – no glam included For the rugged camper, there are a number of parks and recreational areas in Burnet County where one can simply pop up a tent and heat up some S’mores. In addition to cabins, Inks Lake State Park also has a number of tent and RV camp sites nestled under the park’s numerous oak trees. Campsites with water but
without electricity number 49 across the camp. For those looking to get in touch with the wild side, nine primitive campsites without any amenities can be reached by a short hike down the trail. Shaffer Bend Recreation Area is located at 706 CR 343A in Smithwick. The park is managed by the Lower Colorado River Authority and rests along Lake Marble Falls. Visitors can enjoy hiking trails, equestrian trails, fishing and swimming. Campsites feature a grill and a port-o-potty, and pets are welcome but must remain leashed. Reservations may be made, and those arriving after 5 p.m. should contact the park attendant. Just down the road from Shaffer Bend on County Road 343 is another LCRA recreation area called Camp Creek. Like Shaffer Bend, the 40-acre park offers RV and tent campsites with access to Lake Marble Falls. The 16-site campground features a boat ramp, port-o-potty and grills for camp cooking. Camping is available at a first-come, first serve basis. Pets are welcome but must remain leashed.
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