Dana Peak

Summary

Dana Peak Campground sits on the shores of Stillhouse Hollow Lake in Central Texas, offering camping, recreational activities, and wildlife viewing opportunities. With 58 miles of shoreline and a man-made wetland, the lake has clear, deep waters inhabited by bass and catfish for fishing. Visitors can also hike, bike, and horseback ride the Dana Peak Trails located outside the campground. Nearby attractions include the Village of Salado and the Chalk Ridge Falls Environmental Learning Center.

Overview

Dana Peak Campground is located on a peninsula on the shoreline of Stillhouse Hollow Lake in central Texas. The lake offers a wide variety of recreation opportunities, including water sports, hiking, biking, horseback riding, picnicking, large group pavilions, hunting, fishing and more.

The facility is one of only two reservable campgrounds on the lake and often fills up on weekends during summer.

Stillhouse Hollow Lake was created by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers with the construction of Stillhouse Hollow Dam in 1968. The 6,430-acre lake is located 16 miles upstream of the confluence of the Lampasas and Leon Rivers, which flow into the Little River.

Recreation

With 58 miles of shoreline, Stillhouse Hollow Lake is an often uncrowded haven for boaters and fishermen. The campground has a four-lane boat ramp, and visitors who do not have motor boats, canoes or kayaks can rent them nearby.

Families can enjoy soaking up the sun, swimming at the beach or exploring the Dana Peak Trails (located just outside the main entrance to the park) by foot, bike or horseback.

Birding is a favorite pastime for many visitors with hawks, Great Blue herons, ducks, geese, many species of songbirds, bobwhite quail, Rio Grande turkey and even an occasional bald eagle, yielding year-round opportunities for bird sightings.

Facilities

The campground has more than 30 campsites, including RV and tent sites with electric hookups and eight primitive tent sites. The park offers restrooms with flush toilets and showers, a swimming beach, several picnic sites and a boat ramp.

Primitive campsites include a picnic table and a campfire ring with a grill.

A group shelter is available by reservation for up to 80 people at a time.

Natural Features

Aside from two campgrounds and a nearby day-use park, very little of the lakeshore is developed. The edges consist of rocky beaches and sandy bluffs.

Much of the lake area is forested, though the campground is mostly grassy, flat and open with little to no shade. Most campsites are right along the water's edge; others are within a short walk.

The lake has noticeably clear and deep water inhabited by largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and channel catfish. A man-made wetland was constructed on the south shore of the lake, providing an additional 10 acres of wildlife habitat in the area.

Nearby Attractions

Within a short drive, the Village of Salado offers golf, art galleries and shopping, among other pastimes.

Chalk Ridge Falls Environmental Learning Center is below the Stillhouse Hollow Lake Dam. The center has about five miles of hiking trails, including a one-mile nature trail along the Lampasas River, a spring-fed creek, a waterfall, bridges and several wildlife viewing points.

Stillhouse Hollow Lake is located near the Fort Hood Army Base, which has several points of interest for the military buff.