| Lake Tawakoni State Park | |
|---|---|
 Taking in the forest at Lake Tawakoni State Park | |
| Location | Hunt County, Texas |
| Nearest city | Wills Point |
| Coordinates | 32°50′55″N 96°00′00″W / 32.84861°N 96.00000°W[1] |
| Area | 376.3 acres (152.3 ha)[2] |
| Elevation | 430 feet (130 m) |
| Established | 2002 |
| Visitors | 96,988 (in 2022)[3] |
| Governing body | Texas Parks and Wildlife Department |
| tpwd | |
Lake Tawakoni State Park (/təˈwɑːkəni/ tə-WAH-kə-nee) is a state park located in Hunt County, Texas, United States, 11.2 miles (18.0 km) north of Wills Point. It is on the south central shore of Lake Tawakoni, a 37,879-acre reservoir on the Sabine River.[4]
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Lake Tawakoni State Park, Texas [Official]
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Lake Tawakoni State Park - Texas Parks and Wildlife [Official]
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Transcription
(water lapping) >> JUST 50 MILES EAST OF DALLAS, LAKE TAWAKONI STATE PARK OFFERS MORE THAN GREAT SUNSETS. IT'S AN ESCAPE FROM THE HUSTLE AND BUSTLE OF CITY LIFE. (bird chirping) (footsteps thru leaves) >> SOUNDS KIND OF HOKEY, BUT, REALLY, IT'S JUST A CLEAN FAMILY PLACE TO BE. (birds chirping) >> AND THIS IS WHERE I COME TO FISH, CATCH CATFISH. I USUALLY JUST HOP ON THE TRAIL OVER THERE AND WALK DOWN TO THE POINT. THAT'S WHERE I BRING MY GRAND BABIES. THEY LOVE IT OUT HERE. >> THERE'S FIVE MILES OF SHORELINE FOR FISHING, BAIT IN THE GENERAL STORE, A CLEANING STATION, IF YOU'RE LUCKY ENOUGH TO NEED IT, AND A FOUR-LANE BOAT RAMP THAT MAKES IT EASY TO GET OUT ON THE WATER. >> DURING THE SUMMERTIME, WE'LL COME OUT HERE AND TRY TO CATCH STRIPERS, OR HYBRIDS, AND SAND BASS... (motorboat) WE'LL GET DONE FISHING, PARK THE BOAT RIGHT HERE, WALK RIGHT UP THE TRAIL, 50 YARDS, RIGHT STRAIGHT TO OUR CAMP SITE. SOME FOLKS PITCH A TENT. OTHERS CAN PLUG IN THEIR RV AT THE 50 AMP HOOKUPS AND SETTLE IN FOR THE EVENING. >> ...HAVE A GIANT MARSHMALLOW FACTORY AROUND HERE? >> "WE FOUND TWO MORE TRAILS." >> FIVE MILES OF HIKING AND BIKING TRAILS WIND THROUGH TREES AND OPEN OUT TO THE SHORE. (water lapping) AND INTERPRETIVE-LED HIKES ARE A GREAT WAY TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE OUTDOORS AND GET A CLOSER LOOK AT NATURE. >> DIG THROUGH HERE, SEE IF YOU SEE ANY INSECTS. WHAT IS THAT? >> LEAF BUG. >> FABULOUS PLACE TO BIRD WATCH ALL YEAR ROUND. YOU'VE GOT SHORE BIRDS, FOREST BIRDS AND A LOT OF PRAIRIE BIRDS, TOO. IT'S FUN TO WATCH THEM. ONE OF OUR BEST RAPTORS IS THE OSPREY. THERE'S ALL KINDS OF WILDLIFE HERE. >> AND JUST GETTING TO SEE SOME OF THOSE ANIMALS AND NATURE THAT'S SOMETHING THEY ARE GOING TO CHERISH THEIR WHOLE LIFE AND HOPEFULLY THEY'LL LEARN HOW TO BE STEWARDS OF THE LAND AND BE ABLE TO HELP PRESERVE THIS AREA OUT HERE. >> THANKS TO SOME DEDICATED VOLUNTEERS, THERE WILL ONE DAY BE A PRAIRIE TO EXPLORE AT THIS PARK. >> WE'RE TRYING TO RESTORE THE PRAIRIE... AND WE HAVE A LOT OF BOY SCOUTS THAT COME OUT HERE AND HELP US. >> OVER THE YEARS, INVASIVE PLANTS HAVE CROWDED OUT THE NATIVE GRASSES. >> WE'RE CLEARING OUT SOME OF THE TREES THAT HAVE INFESTED THIS PRAIRIE LAND, SO THAT THEY CAN GET SOME NICE PRAIRIE GRASS, MAYBE EVEN RESTORE SOME OF THE MORE RARE PLANTS IN THIS AREA. (music) >> WE WENT IN A CIRCLE. >> GOOD FAMILY PLACE. THE COMMENTS WE GET ARE THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL PARK. WE'LL BE BACK.
History
Constructed in 1960, the lake is named after the Tawakoni Native American tribe, who used to live in the area. It was built to provide a source of water for the Dallas area, and the park was opened in 2002 under a lease agreement with the Sabine River Authority.[2]
The park came to media attention in 2007, because of a giant communal spider web on the premises of the park.[5] The web was mostly the work of thousands of long-jawed orb weavers (Tetragnatha guatemalensis), but other spider species were found to have also joined in.
On January 22, 2009, a fire swept through the park, burning approximately 125 acres (51 ha) of park property.[6]
Nature
Animals
Lake Tawakoni State Park is teeming with wildlife. Animals found in the park include red and gray foxes, bobcats, coyotes, opossums, turtles, frogs, snakes, raccoons, beavers, squirrels, armadillos, minks and white-tailed deer. Additionally, birders have identified more than 200 species of birds in the park. The lake holds many different species of fish such as striped bass, white bass, largemouth bass and crappie, but is noted for its blue catfish.[4]
Flora
Bur oak and cedar elm dominate the forest of Lake Tawakoni State Park. Large shrubs Osage orange and farkleberry along with Virginia creeper and poison ivy are in the understory.
Activities
The park offers a variety of outdoor activities including boating, fishing, swimming, hiking, mountain biking, birding and geocaching. There are also campsites available for tents and recreational vehicles. There are about five miles of trails to explore by foot or mountain bike.
References
- ^ "Lake Tawakoni State Park". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. February 11, 2004. Retrieved July 27, 2018.
- ^ a b "Lake Tawakoni State Park: History". Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Retrieved July 27, 2018.
- ^ Christopher Adams. "What is the most visited state park in Texas? Here's the top 10 countdown". KXAN.com. Retrieved November 21, 2023.
- ^ a b "Lake Tawakoni State Park: Nature". Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Retrieved July 27, 2018.
- ^ "Sprawling spider web blankets Texas trail". NBC News. NBC Universal. Associated Press. August 30, 2007. Retrieved April 15, 2023.
- ^ "Fire Sweeps Through Tawakoni State Park". Herald Banner. January 24, 2009.
External links
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This page was last edited on 22 November 2023, at 06:33