A half-mile trail winds through the 11 acres that make up Horseshoe Bay Nature Park, 1514 Golden Nugget. Courtesy photo
At only three years old, Horseshoe Bay Nature Park was chosen as a Favorite Park by The Picayune Magazine readers and KBEY 103.9 FM Radio Picayune listeners in the 2025 Locals Love Us contest.
Two old-time favorites, Johnson Park in Marble Falls and Inks Lake State Park in Burnet, were again named top Highland Lakes parks for their respective areas. Johnson Park has been a favorite for the Marble Falls area since Locals Love Us began publishing as an annual magazine in 2019, while Inks Lake State Park was named the best in the Burnet area from 2020-25.
Horseshoe Bay Nature Park opened in 2021. In 2023, it received certification by the organization Texan by Nature for its conservation efforts. Located at 1514 Golden Nugget in Horseshoe Bay, the 11-acre area was initially slated for high-density condominiums.
The park contains eight ecological zones highlighting different topography, rocks, plants, and wildlife habitats. Zones include prairie grassland, dry creek woodlands, a persimmon thicket, boulder draw, and a prairie woodland. It also contains three mottes, or tree clusters.
Informational signs about the wildlife, geology, water conservation, trees, and plants line the walking path. The park includes a bird blind, an observation deck, rainfall harvesting tanks, a water fountain, nesting boxes, beehives, and benches. It is open from sunrise to sunset and admission is free.
Johnson Park is located at 230 Avenue J South in Marble Falls. Pecan trees shade the picnic tables and playscapes along Backbone Creek where it empties into Lake Marble Falls. The city park has a leash-free area for dogs, barbecue pits, a boat ramp, an amphitheater, three open-air covered pavilions, restrooms, and a hike-and-bike trail. Admission is free.
Inks Lake State Park, 3480 Park Road 4 West in Burnet, sits on the shore of Inks Lake. It offers camping, geocaching, and 9 miles of hiking trails. Visitors can launch their own boats or rent paddleboats, canoes, and standup paddleboards. No license is needed to fish in the park, which has rods, reels, and free tackle to borrow. Devil’s Waterhole draws a crowd of swimmers in the heat of the summer. The park is open for day visitors from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. with a $7 entrance fee for ages 13 and older (free to 12 and younger).
