Texas' Prairies and Lakes Region doesn't get the same attention as the Hill Country or the coast, but it has a strong case: dozens of freshwater lakes folded into rolling hills and limestone cliffs. Lake Whitney, a 23,500-acre reservoir on the Brazos River about an hour north of Waco, is one of the best of them — and Cedar Creek Park on its eastern shore is the easiest way to enjoy it, especially if you're travelling on a budget.
The park's headline feature is the price. It's run by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and overnight camping is free. There are 20 camping and picnic sites, each with a fire ring and covered picnic table. Don't expect hookups — no water or electricity at the sites — but there's a restroom building and plenty of potable water faucets. Sites are first come, first served, so arrive early on weekends if you want to claim one.
Fishing is the main draw. Lake Whitney is considered one of Texas' premier striped bass waters, and it also holds largemouth, white bass, catfish, crappie and sunfish — enough variety to keep rods bending year-round. Anglers can launch from the park's free two-lane boat ramp or fish from shore.
Boaters get plenty of room to play, too. Outside a few no-wake zones near the shoreline, there are no speed limits on the lake, and the open mid-lake water near Cedar Creek Park suits water skiing, wakeboarding and jet skiing. Paddlers can launch kayaks, canoes and paddleboards straight from the bank. If you don't own a vessel, Sunset Point Rentals at the south end of the lake hires out motorised boats, and Lake Whitney on Wheels will deliver kayaks and paddleboards to you.
Location is the other selling point. The park sits near the town of Whitney, roughly an hour from both Waco and Fort Worth, with Dallas Fort Worth International Airport about 90 minutes away — an easy weekend escape for anyone in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Add a hiking stop at Lake Whitney State Park, 20 minutes south on the same shore, and you've got a full outdoors itinerary without spending much at all.
