April 17-18 Lake Travis/Mansfield Dam Park Help

[Aggie Diver]

Hey guys, I'm trying to save a bad situation and figured this would be the place to come to for help.

Our club trip coordinator decided to wait until yesterday to try to book a campsite or two at Lake Travis for the 17th-18th of April.

We were supposed to have about 20 folks going out, but I'm sure you know that Mansfield Dam's park fills up pretty fast.

I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions for say state parks or something cheap that are close to the Mansfield Dam park where we could camp Saturday night (or if you knew of someone who had a campsite reserved at Mansfield who was not going to be able to fill it and wouldn't mind us using some space).

It looks like most of the close Travis Co. parks are day use only, and we'd need something to camp at.

I don't think Windy Point is an option for us either as the price is a little steep for us poor college kids.

Any help is greatly appreciated, you can post here, PM me, or email me at blackwell@tamu.edu

Thanks,

-Your highly irritated Aggie Divemaster

 

[Aggie Diver]

Anyone?

I'd even settle for campsites close to Mansfield at this point.

 

[archman]

Ha ha, you know what my answer is! Sneaking into that bug-infested hole in the cove... yeah! Coral, Lee and I spent a lot of time a few years back trying to find such cheap sites around the lake, and gave up. The LCRA parks are mainly day-use, and they're the majority of parks around the lake. Try the TPWD website for state parks in the north Austin area (they have an interactive map you can point and click on).

Jonathon should have booked Mansfield at least 10 days ago... I thought I reminded him of that last semester.

-your other aggie divemaster

 

[Aggie Diver]

arch, he should have, but didn't. I don't want to be too critical of things on here, but this trip has been planned since January 21.

 

[cyklon_300]

Barstow's, but missed your comment re: being too expensive...

 

[archman]

Barstow's, but missed your comment re: being too expensive...

That's the "expensive place" we're trying to avoid. And some of the female divers object to Barstow's jokes... don't ask.

Cypress Creek County Park is the nasty place we camped three-four years back. Maybe it's nicer in the spring.
http://www.co.travis.tx.us/tnr/parks/cypress_creek.asp

The website says its $15/vehicle to overnight camp there. I wouldn't call that a bargain.

 

[Aggie Diver]

Well if you pile 5 people in a vehicle, it's not too bad, and really cheap compared to $15 a person over at Windy Point.

 

[archman]

I ran through TPWD's parks and don't see anything closer than Pedernales Falls. A quick search of commercial campsites around Round Rock wasn't helpful, and my Garmin maps for Lake Travis don't show anything new.

Unless someone else pipes up, you might be stuck with Cypress Creek. They don't have bathrooms, yuk. Better make sure somebody gets there ahead of time to stake out a site. They don't do reservations.

 

[Diver Kat]

There's also Sandy Creek Park - which is a Travis County Park and has primitive camping - $15 per car .... since it a bit further around the lake, it might be in better shape than Cypress Creek which is on a main traffic road.

http://www.co.travis.tx.us/tnr/parks/sandy_creek.asp

Good luck!!

 

[archman]

since it a bit further around the lake,

No kiddin', you have to hug the east shoreline on Lime Creek Road quite a ways till you're near the top of Lake Travis. I got lost up that way... twice!