Pace Bend Park Overview:
Pace Bend Park is located in far western Travis County in the Hill Country of central Texas. This 1368 acre Park is rugged in Nature and has scenic views from the limestone cliffs or lake access on gently slopping terrain on the north and east side of the park. With more than nine miles of shoreline along scenic Lake Travis, Pace Bend is one of the most popular areas in the Highland Lakes region, offering visitors a wide range of recreational opportunities. The west side of the park features high, limestone cliffs and numerous rocky coves with some of the most impressive views available of Lake Travis, especially at sunset.
Most of Pace Bend Park is easily accessible by vehicle from the seven-mile, paved roadway that loops the park. However, the interior of the park is managed as a wildlife preserve and can be reached only by foot, bicycle, or horseback. Numerous trails lead into the hills and provide excellent views of the lake and the Hill Country. This area serves as home to a large number of whitetail deer, raccoon, fox, ringtail cat, and dozens of bird species.
These pictures were taken on a rainy and overcast day and don’t do the park justice – it is very scenic. Also the lake level was down about 20 feet due to the 2006 dought.
Travis County Resident Annual Permit: $80
Permit covers Day Use fee during posted hours for one person to most Travis County Parks. Annual Permit is valid for one year from the month of purchase through the end of that month the following year. These permits are valid for Travis County Residents only.
*This annual permit is not valid at either Hippie Hollow Park or Hamilton Pool Preserve. Nor can it be used for Commercial Use.
Frequently Asked Questions :
- Where is Pace Bend RV Park?
Pace Bend RV Park is located at: 306 Pace Bend Rd N, Spicewood, TX 78669, USA.
- What is the phone number of Pace Bend RV Park?
You can try to dialing this number: +1 512-382-6295 – or find more information on their website: pacebendrvpark.com
- What is the opening hours of Pace Bend RV Park?
Monday: 9:00 AM 5:00 PMTuesday: 9:00 AM 5:00 PMWednesday: 9:00 AM 5:00 PMThursday: 9:00 AM 5:00 PMFriday: 9:00 AM 5:00 PMSaturday: 9:00 AM 5:00 PMSunday: 9:00 AM 5:00 PM
- Where are the coordinates of the Pace Bend RV Park?
Latitude: 30.4119462
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Activities In The Park
- Best for RVs: Levi Cove improved campsites
- Best for Lakeside Views: Kate and Johnson Cove Campground
- Best for boating and fishing: Tatum Cove
Tips for Snagging a Campsite Reservation
When to Go
Pace Bend Park is open year-round, but peak season is summer, when popular spots can get crowded, especially on weekends. A late spring or early fall visit is the ideal compromise, when its still warm enough for swimming and water sports. Alternatively, visit in April when fields of bluebonnets bloom along the lakeside.
Know Before You Go
A Typical Texas Outsider Day:
We spend most of the time exploring Lake Travis skiing, partying in Devils Cove, or enjoying some of the great restaurants with music. Read our review of Lake Travis by The review will tell you more about Lake Travis and fun things to see and do on the lake.
We also like to bike the trails or bike around the various campgrounds. Or spend some time walking the shoreline, swimming, or chilling in the campsite. If the water level is up, you’ll see a lot of people cliff diving. You can also climb on the cliffs, check outErockOnlinedotcomfor some climbing information.
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Texas Outside Campground Rating System
Texas Outside uses a tough rating scale and itâs difficult for a campground to get a â10â. Each park is rated on:
- Scenic Beauty: a campground that is flat with no trees or character gets a â1â and hills, lots of trees, beautiful lake site, and lush ground cover gets a â10â
- Park Condition: the cleaner, well kept, and maintained campgrounds receive high scores
- Amenities: we are looking for lots of amenities like restrooms, dump stations, playgrounds, boat ramps, shelters, concession stand, rental toys, and more.
- Campsites: low scores are given for sites that are right next to each other have no lantern holder, no water or electricity, no fire pit, no grill, or no picnic table have no trees and no view the ground cover is crushed rock and they require a lot of work to get your rig level.
- Things To Do: Bonus points are given for campgrounds that offer lots of fun things to do at the park or very nearby â this includes: biking, hiking, climbing, boating, entertainment, golf, swimming, fishing, volleyball, horseshoes, and more
Pace Bend Park Camping
Pace Bend Park – Photo by parks.traviscountytx.gov
If you already decide to explore the park by a pitch a tent, then you will be able to choose the primitive campsites or improved campsites.
In the primitive campsites, you will be able to enjoy picnic tables, barbecue grills, fire rings, and plenty of trees for shade to make sure that your privacy well-kept. This campsite is spread along the cliffs on the east and north sides of Pace Bend Park.
The gentle sloping shorelines with sandy and gravel beaches will make it easier for you and your kids to access the lake. If you desire, you may also pitch a tent on the beach but there are no shower facilities and the toilets are waterless.
Offering 20 improved campsites, you will be able to get water, electrical hookups, showers, and restrooms as the amenities. Located on the east side of the park above Levi Cove, this campsite offers an easy walk to the lake.
The improved campsites also have plenty of shade trees and grassy area to pitch your tent. This campsite is quickly packed with campers so, make a reservation in advance is strongly recommended for your convenience.
In the campsites, there are quiet hours strictly from 10 PM to 7 AM. The quiet hours were existed to make sure that the campers can enjoy nature in a peaceful state and hear the sound of nature. If you come to the campsites after 10 PM, you need to let the staffs know. During the quiet hours, you are not allowed to turning on the radios and generators.
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Great For Camping With Some Downsides
My girlfriend and I spent 2 nights camping. We reserved a spot at the improved camping sites. The improved camping sites are more fit for RV camping but it was also great for tent camping. Each spot had it’s own grill, table, and campfire pit. The spots also have electric hook-up for the RV, and different types of outlets– I was able to charge my phone. The best part of the improved camping sites were the restrooms/showers. They were well lit, and well maintained. The map they gave us when we checked in was a large general map of the park. The map was great for general direction purposes but it was a bit hard to follow since there were many more trails than indicated on the map. The hiking area was not well marked. We ended up using the power lines to lead us back out toward the paved road. It is notable to mention there’s a lot of sections for mountain biking, and there’s a strip of biking course that runs along the power lines that seems like it would be a pretty fun adventure. The water was not very inviting, mostly because it was muddy and you really couldn’t see into the lake. There are a lot of nice areas to sit and watch the boats and great views of the lake. Overall I enjoyed the experience.
Bob Wentz Park At Windy Point
Located in the basin area of Lake Travis in the scenic Hill Country of central Texas, Bob Wentz Park is a favorite location for water sports. The parks facilities and close proximity to Austin make it attractive for picnicking, swimming, windsurfing, sailing, and scuba diving.
The shoreline areas are heavily used, while an adjacent 150-acre tract is maintained as a natural area. The park includes two sand volleyball courts, a shoreline walking path, a boat ramp, and a pavilion available for rent.
Amenities include: Barbecue grills, boat ramp , drinking fountains, enclosed pavilion , shade covered picnic tables, restrooms, sand volleyball courts, showers.
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Pace Bend Park: Must Read Guide Before Exploring The Park As A Whole
Tripboba.com – Well known as the coolest spot to camping on the cliffs while overlooking Lake Travis, the Pace Bend Park is located in far western Travis County in the Hill Country of central Texas.
If you want to know more about Pace Bend Park and what kind of activities you can do there, then you are landing on the right page. Keep reading this article before preparing your adventure gear!
Primitive Camping At Pace Bend Park
We wanted to go see Hamilton Pool Reserve so I called the Parks offices and they said since they were full I would have to stay at Pace Bend Park at the primitive camping sites. They did not tell me that Hamilton Pool Reserve requires reservations made way in advance. The primitive camping was fine but being a holiday weekend all the best spots were taken. Deer ran through our campground and we saw lots of lizards, birds and other wildlife. Park employees constantly drove around so we felt secure leaving our campsite to hike around. You need to bring your own water to the site and latrines were a short car drive away but clean enough. It is a beautiful place to camp about a half hour outside of Austin. The park was clean, secure and the other campers and park staff were all friendly.
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What a great park to explore! My husband and i loved exploring this park by car and hiking the cliff trails. We found a great spot to get in the lake for a bit with no one around. We normally dont swim lakes but it was just a beautiful spot and what a memorable afternoon!! We loved this park and $10 is a reasonable entry fee for the variety of activities offered. We just returned from a trip to fort myers, Florida last month and had been traumatized by their tendency to charge $4 per hour to park at the public beaches offering no bathrooms!! In comparison to that experience, today was a breath of fresh air!! You rock, Texas!!!
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Lake Travis Area Parks Guide: Pace Bend Park
Written by Mandy Spivey | July 1, 2015
Its a special time of the summer when the sun is out and Lake Travis is full.
To get your best views of the water and maybe even dip your toes in a bit, dont forget one of the most popular of Travis County Parks, Pace Bend Park.
Take a drive west through the Hill Country along Highway 71 to Spicewood and just before crossing over the Pedernales River, head down Pace Bend Road to arrive at the park. Youll be hard-pressed to find better glimpses of the blue waters of Lake Travis.
With ample camping spots available throughout the park, you have your choice of making it a day trip or even a weekender if youre ready to explore the whole 1,368 acres of pristine parkland.
Follow the winding and deepening serpentine Colorado River to the south and east sides of Pace Bend. This is the beach side, perfect for camping and making a comfortable day home for you on the sand. Swimmers and those looking to cool off will find these shores to be some of the best on Lake Travis.
Boaters will enjoy the more accessible boat launches in Lake Travis both for space on the lake and wait time to get in the water. With two open launches at Collier Cove and Tatum Cove, you wont have to wait long before youre jetting around lakeside.
A 6-mile long paved road guides you along the outer edges of the expansive property, giving you a chance to see all of the coves, beaches, shorelines and campsites available.
Camping on Lake Travis
Amenities And Fun Things To Do:
Pace Bend Park has over 400 primitive sites spread throughout the Park. You have a choice of cliff sites with spectactular views or sites on gently rolling terrain with access to Lake Travis. Most of the sites have plenty of trees, picnic tables, and some have fire rings and barbeque grills. Some of the camping areas have restrooms. Access to most of the sites is on dirt road but you can get a pop-up, small travel trailer, or motor home in most of the areas if you want to dry camp.
Pace Bend offers 20 improved campsites, with water and electrical hook-ups, showers and restrooms. These sites are all located on the east side of the park just above Levi Cove, with no view of the lake but are within walking distance to the lake. They feature plenty of shade trees and flat, grassy areas for tent camping. All sites are back-ins only. Reservations, though not required, are recommended, as improved campsites tend to fill up quickly.
Some of the other amenities at Pace Bend Park include: two single lane boat ramps, designated swim coves , multi-use primitive trails, RV dump station, and seasonal wave runner rentals.
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Pace Bend Park Cliff Jump
Pace Bend Park – Photo by parks.traviscountytx.gov
Do you know Pace Bend Park is a popular spot in Texas to do cliff jumping? Then, you need to rush your adrenaline by jumping over the cliff while in the park.
From the 45-feet cliff, you will be able to jump bravely because almost of the jumper never failed. But if you are scared of height, then you need to put more consideration before doing the cliff jumping.
After the jump, you need to climb back to the parking area and the trails are a little bit difficult, so you need to wear your sneaker or outdoor wear.
Camping In Pace Bend Park Travis County Texas
Pace Bend Park overlooks the shoreline of Lake Travis, a long, winding reservoir on the Colorado River. The 18,600-acre lake is a fishing and boating hot spot, and anyone looking for a place to spend the night need look no further than Pace Bend Park. More than 400 campsites provide ample space to pitch a tent or park an RV, and the park’s 9-mile shoreline and many hiking trails are ripe for exploration.
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Travis County Resident Trailer Permit: $125
Permit covers the Trailer use fee for one trailer during posted hours for the verified permit holder to Travis County Parks. Trailer permits are valid for year from the month of purchase through the end of that month the following year. These permits are valid for Travis County Residents only.
*This annual is not valid at either Hippie Hollow Park or Hamilton Pool Preserve. Nor can it be used for Commercial Use.
Camp At Pace Bend Park
Spicewood, Texas
Added by Brooke Simmons
Pace Bend is located 45 minutes west of Austin. Set up your campsite and enjoy plenty of hiking and biking trails. These 400 campsites are equipped with picnic tables and barbecue grills/fire rings.
Pace Bend is a favorite camping and day use destination near Austin, Texas. The park is approximately 45 minutes West of Austin located off of Hwy 71 and offers visitors a wide range of recreational activities. There is an entrance fee of $10 per vehicle for Day Use only and $15 per vehicle for primitive campsites .
With 400 primitive campsites and 20 improved campsites, the park operates on a first-come, first-served basis. Primitive campsites include picnic tables, fire rings, and plenty of tress to provide privacy.
The west side of the park offers large limestone cliffs with scenic overlooks of Lake Travis whereas the east side of the park offers gentle, sloping shorelines and sandy beaches. The interior of the park is accessible by foot, bike or horseback only and is managed as a wildlife preserve.
Make sure to bring plenty of food and water with you as the nearest store is a gas station located about 5.5 miles away and doesn’t offer many options.
For more information on camping in the park, head to parks.traviscountytx.gov or call 854-PARK.
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