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White Rock Lake
Good-for-Kids Rating
BabiesToddlers & Pre-KSchool-Age KidsPre-Teens & Teens
Park
Bicycling
Hiking
Boating
Fishing
White Rock Lake Description
A huge outdoor wonderland anytime of year, White Rock Lake is an expansive area offering boating and fishing, hiking and biking, a few unusual characters and excellent playgrounds and picnic areas. More than nine miles of trails encompass wetlands and bird-watching areas, as well as foot bridges and shady lanes; a playground at Tee Pee Hill — one of the highest points of land in the park — is named not for Native Americans, but for the Texas & Pacific Railway clubhouse which once stood on the site. (But don't tell the kids).
Kid Tips
Babies: The paths are wide, smooth and enticing for strollers, plus there are plenty of places to stop — the fishing pier, the foot bridges, the playground — so the little ones can stretch and play.
School-Age Kids: Bring a fishing pole if you've got one; the fishing pier (accesible from Garland Road) is a delightful place to cast a line for all abilities.
Pre-Teens & Teens: Stump the experts; a pair of men under a tent on the Western shore of the lake offer free advice on just about any subject.
Planning Notes
- Shop ahead. Depending on which route you take into the park, the food and beverage choices range from excellent to questionable, so plan accordingly.
Just the Facts
Hours: Open year round, Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m with extended hours until 5:30 p.m. during June and July. Tours run from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. daily (4 p.m. in June and July); the last admittance for tours is 30 minutes prior to the start. Closed all federal holidays and the week between Christmas and New Year's.
Fees: Free
Recommended Time: 1 - 2 hours
Reviews of White Rock Lake
White Rock Lake Crappie Fishing
By mr9783733 June 30, 2010
What we loved:
Fishing
What we didn't love:
Not Enough Day Light
- In the winter time the crappie school up in the creek North of the lake in huge numbers following the shad. Carey Thorn from TexasOklahomaFishingGuide.com guides there in the dead of winter and catches limits from the bank! We used him last year as guide and highly recommend him. I took my son with me who has never caught a crappie or used a spinning rod, for that matter. We left with 38 slab crappie to 16 inches. Crazy thing was, Carey was targeting them in 3 ft of water in 39 degree weather! We put on polarized glasses and could actually see them. Other than that, use 4-6 pound mono line. Black/Chart jigs with crappie nibbles are the best thing to use there. Of course the old live minnow trick will do fine, but you will be able to cover more water with jigs is what we learned. Apparently Carey does not start to guide this creek till around Thanksgiving. He said when the water hits about 50 or below, they start the migration up the creek. The colder the better. A rule people dont really know about this water is, you cant wade in it. Make sure you have a fishing license due to the game wardens patrol the woods waiting for poachers! Read More
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