US lakes & pondsUS lakes & pondsSurface area: TPWD (official surface acres); the USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 96611660, 2 mapped parts) measures 6,980 acres; max depth from TPWD.
The red circle marks Waco Lake.
Towns and counties: U.S. Census Bureau boundaries overlaid on the USGS lake outline (Texas: incorporated places touching the lake, otherwise the nearest one).
Official TPWD pages. Rules and fees change; check before you go.
Numbers on the map match the list at rightbelow.
Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 96611660, plus 1 more mapped parts), public domain. State outline: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb. Points: OpenStreetMap boat ramps (TPWD publishes ramp names per lake, not coordinates). Dashed trails: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Interactive map: Leaflet with © OpenStreetMap contributors. Not for navigation.
OpenStreetMap shows about 4.1 mi of public hiking and walking trail within about 100 m (330 ft) of the Waco Lake shoreline, mostly along the north and east shores.
No trailhead is mapped for these trails. The closest public access site is Boat ramp, right on a shoreline trail (OpenStreetMap boat ramp data).
The dashed brown line on the lake map shows these trails. We include paths, footways and marked trails that OpenStreetMap doesn't mark as private, and leave out roads, sidewalks and snowmobile corridors. Mapped trails can still cross private land or close for the season, and not every trail is mapped, so follow posted signs.
Trails: © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL). Map data as of Oct 8, 2026. Trail lengths count only the parts within about 100 m of the USGS NHD lake outline.
We found 23 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles of Waco Lake, 8 of them within 5 miles. 2 are right on the shore. Distances are straight-line from the nearest point on the shoreline, so driving distance is longer.
Full hookups at 11 sites · RVs welcome · Tent sites · Dogs allowed
Electric hookups · RVs welcome · Tent sites · Dogs allowed
Full hookups at 1 sites · RVs welcome · Tent sites · Dogs allowed
Electric hookups · RVs welcome · Tent sites · Dogs allowed
RVs welcome
RVs welcome
All campgrounds & RV parks in Texas
Green tent icons on the lake map mark campgrounds near the shore, and the interactive map shows the closest 12. Amenities are listed only where a source records them; call or check the campground's website before you go, since seasons and rates change every year.
Campground data: Recreation.gov (RIDB) · OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Pulled Oct 12, 2026.
Live from the National Weather Service API for the lake's coordinates (31.5526, -97.2225). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Waco Lake. No live water-temperature sensor is shown because we haven't found a public one for this lake.
Based on solunar theory, an estimate. Major periods (about 2 hours) center on when the moon is directly overhead or underfoot; minor periods (about 1 hour) center on moonrise and moonset. The 0–100 activity score rises during those periods and gets a boost near sunrise and sunset and around the new and full moon. Weather, water temperature and pressure often matter more. Sun and moon times are calculated in your browser from the lake's coordinates with standard astronomy formulas, shown in CT (America/Chicago), and accurate to within a few minutes.
★ = stocked recently (see Stocking). Predominant species from the TPWD Lake Finder.
| Species | TPWD rating |
|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | Excellent |
| Channel & Blue Catfish | Excellent |
| Flathead Catfish | Good |
| Crappie | Good |
| White Bass | Good |
| Palmetto Bass | Good |
| Sunfish | Good |
Regulations (TPWD): This reservoir has special regulations on some fishes. See bag and size limits for this lake.
Aquatic vegetation (TPWD): Mostly water willow, although lotus, cattails, pondweed, and buttonbush are present
Conservation pool: 462 ft. msl
Water-level fluctuation: 2-6 feet
Normal clarity: Stained to murky most of the year
TPWD Lake Finder page · Lake records · Latest survey report
Ratings are TPWD's own Poor / Fair / Good / Excellent scale. Statewide rules: TPWD Outdoor Annual, fishing. As of Oct 10, 2026.
TPWD has 51 stocking records for Waco Lake from 1971 to 2026. The table shows 2022–2026.
| Year | Species | Fish | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Bass, Lone Star | 61,064 | Fingerling |
| 2026 | Bass, Sunshine | 127,227 | Fingerling |
| 2025 | Bass, Lone Star | 62,473 | Fingerling |
| 2025 | Bass, Sunshine | 140,644 | Fingerling |
| 2024 | Bass, Palmetto | 128,410 | Fingerling |
| 2023 | Bass, Palmetto | 334,010 | Fry |
| 2023 | Bass, Sunshine | 127,000 | Fingerling |
| 2022 | Bass, Sunshine | 86,099 | Fingerling |
| 2022 | Bass, Sunshine | 397,368 | Fry |
5 public access sites listed, 5 with a boat ramp or trailer launch.
| Site | Town | Owner | Type | Parking | Fee | Uses | Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boat ramp | Waco | — | Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp | — | — | Boating | 31.6063, -97.2697 |
| Boat ramp | Waco | — | Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp | — | — | Boating | 31.6011, -97.2417 |
| Boat ramp | Waco | — | Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp | — | — | Boating | 31.5952, -97.2309 |
| Boat ramp | Waco | — | Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp | — | — | Boating | 31.5965, -97.2284 |
| Lacy Point Boat Ramp | Waco | — | Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp | — | — | Boating | 31.5616, -97.2454 |
OpenStreetMap boat ramps (TPWD publishes ramp names per lake, not coordinates)
Fees, hours and rules change; confirm with the site owner before you go.
Reported on or near Waco Lake
USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species database
USGS records matched to this water by location (within about 150 m of the outline) or by the place name in the record. A record shows a sighting was reported; it doesn't prove the species is still there. As of Oct 10, 2026.
Straight-line distance between lake centers. All Texas lakes & ponds · All waters in Waco