Lake Buchanan

Take a cruise to see the fall migration of eagles, swim, boat, or just sit on the shore and watch the sunset.

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Lake Buchanan is 23,060 acres and thirty-two miles in length, with a maxi mum width of about eight miles. It is the highest and broadest of the Highland Lakes. Lake Buchanan is favored for boating because of the generous space. The reservoir provides Central Texas with hydroelectricity, flood control, water storage and recreation. Inflow comes from the central portion of the Colorado River and the water level fluctuates. The boundaries of Burnet and Llano counties cross at the river channel. Black Rock Park is on the Llano County side. Cedar Point Recreation Area is the largest public park on the lake. It has three miles of shoreline but no amenities. On the Burnet County side is Burnet County Park, a small park with campsites and a boat ramp, and Burnet Park, close to the dam, also has a boat ramp. A new park, Canyon of the Eagles Park, just opened on the north end of the lake in 1999. The parks are operated by the LCRA. The Buchanan Dam, completed in 1937, is 176 feet high and more than two miles long, the longest multiple arch dam in the country. Tours of the dam are available by advance arrangement by calling (800) 776-5272 ext. 3002. A small swimming beach at the base of the dam on TX 29 is quite an experience. A pier leads out over the water. A visitors’ center has a great view of the lake from an observation tower 145 feet up. They also have telescopes for viewing long distances. The dam has a small chamber of commerce and a museum dedicated to the construction of Buchanan Dam. Visitors can view photographs, get historical information and watch a videotape. You may also feed a school of fish that congregates below the observation deck daily. The museum is open 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. on weekends and holidays.

The Vanishing Texas River Cruise is a unique ecological tour of the Colorado River Canyon on Lake Buchanan. The Texas Eagle sports three decks and holds 200 people on its seventy-foot length. In June, cruisers can see wildflowers and birds. From November to March, people come to see the migration of bald eagles that nest there. Cruises leave at 11:00 A.M. daily but do not run on Tuesdays. Sunset dinner cruises are available May through October on Saturdays at 6:00 P.M. Between September and December, cruises are on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays at 11:00 A.M. The cruise lasts two-and-one-half hours and makes a thirty-six mile round trip tour of Lake Buchanan. The Vanishing Texas River Cruise will be relocating to Canyon of the Eagles Park soon.

This ten-acre park is on a small peninsula on the western shore of Lake Buchanan. A sandy swimming beach has rest rooms and an outdoor shower. The water is shallow. Black Rock Park also has camping, a boat launch, hiking trails, and picnic areas.

This 350-acre park is one of the largest on Lake Buchanan. It is a long peninsula with four miles of lakeshore. There is also a boat ramp and paved parking. Otherwise, the park is quite primitive with diverse vegetation, including wildflowers in the spring. Birds such as heron, pelicans, and roadrunners are abundant. There is no running water or picnic tables.