TX State ParksAn independent field guide

Purtis Creek State Park

State park in Henderson County, in the Prairies and Lakes region. Established 1988. 1,539 acres by TPWD boundary data.

Purtis Creek State Park
Photo: badkarmatx007, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Purtis Creek State Park is a bass fishing destination about an hour southeast of Dallas, on a 355-acre lake. Only 50 motorboats are allowed on the lake at a time, at idle speed only. You don't need a fishing license anywhere in the park, and a $2 permit lets day visitors fish overnight. You can also swim, paddle (kayak rentals at a kiosk) and ride the 4.1-mile Wolfpen Hike and Bike Trail.

Things to do

Fish for bass

Fish from the piers or a boat for bass, catfish and crappie. The park lends rods, reels and tackle. A night fishing permit costs $2 plus entry and runs until 6 a.m.; campers don't need one.

Paddle

Rent a kayak, with paddles and life jackets included, from the self-service kiosk.

Hike and bike

Ride the Wolfpen Hike and Bike Trail or walk the Beaver Slide Nature Path along the lakeshore.

Purtis Creek State Park
Photo: badkarmatx007, CC BY 3.0
The United States Soil Conservation Service built the dam for Purtis Creek State Park Lake in Henderson County, Texas, United States in the mid-1980s.
Photo: Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0
Unidentified fungi growing on a dead tree in Purtis Creek State Park in Van Zandt County, Texas, United States.
Photo: Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0

Trails

Trails listed by TPWD, with its own distances and ratings.

TrailDistanceDifficultyTime
Solar Walk Trail0.5 miEasy30 min.
Beaver Slide Nature Path1.3 miEasy1.5 hours
Wolfpen Hike and Bike Trail (Green Loop)0.8 mi. (one way)Easy45 min.
Wolfpen Hike and Bike Trail (Blue Loop)2 miEasy2 hours
Wolfpen Hike and Bike Trail (Red Loop)1.2 miEasy1.5 hours

Source: TPWD trail list. TPWD doesn’t list trail surfaces. Printable trail map (PDF).

Camping

There are 59 campsites with water and electricity, five walk-in tent sites and 13 hike-in primitive sites.

Site typeSitesSleepsPer night
Campsites with ElectricityWater and electric568$20
Primitive Campsites (Hike-in)Primitive134$10

Nightly rates are on top of the daily entrance fee. Book a site with Texas State Parks reservations, or call (512) 389-8900.

Visiting with dogs

Dogs are allowed on a leash no longer than 6 feet. Like every Texas state park, they can't go into park buildings or designated swimming areas.

Swimming

Swimming is allowed in designated areas. There are no lifeguards at Texas state parks.

Best time to go

Busy season
March through November and every first Monday weekend
Night sky
Bortle 4.5

TPWD lists March through November as the busy season, plus every First Monday weekend.

Averages and busy season from TPWD. The Bortle scale runs from 1 (darkest sky) to 9 (inner city).

Getting there

14225 FM 316 N.
Eustace, TX 75124
(903) 425-2332

Open in OpenStreetMap (32.3538, -95.9936)

From the nearest cities in this guide
FromApprox. driveStraight line
Tyler1 hr 2 min40 mi
Dallas1 hr 16 min54 mi
Fort Worth1 hr 55 min84 mi
Waco2 hr 14 min89 mi
The Woodlands3 hr 42 min153 mi
Austin3 hr 49 min176 mi
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Nearby parks

  1. Lake Tawakoni State Park34 miles away. $5 per adult, kids 12 and under free. Swimming allowed.
  2. Tyler State Park42 miles away. $6 per adult, kids 12 and under free. Swimming allowed.
  3. Cedar Hill State Park60 miles away. $7 per adult, kids 12 and under free. Swimming allowed.
  4. Fort Parker State Park61 miles away. $5 per adult, kids 12 and under free. Swimming allowed.
  5. Lake Bob Sandlin State Park71 miles away. $5 per adult, kids 12 and under free. Swimming allowed.

Straight-line distance. See every park in the Prairies and Lakes.

Questions people ask

Do you need a fishing license at Purtis Creek State Park?

No. A $2 permit (plus entry) is needed to fish overnight unless you're camping.

Can you swim at Purtis Creek State Park?

Yes. There are no lifeguards.

Photo credits

Sources

Last checked October 14, 2026. Fees, hours and rules change; the official TPWD page for Purtis Creek has current alerts and closures.

  1. TPWD: Purtis Creek State Park, retrieved October 14, 2026
  2. TPWD state parks map (amenities, contact), retrieved October 14, 2026
  3. TPWD GIS: Texas State Parks Public Areas, retrieved October 14, 2026
  4. TPWD: Bortle ratings by region, retrieved October 14, 2026
  5. TPWD: Purtis Creek State Park campsites, retrieved October 14, 2026
  6. TPWD: Purtis Creek State Park trails, retrieved October 14, 2026
  7. TPWD: Purtis Creek State Park history, retrieved October 14, 2026
  8. TPWD: state park rules (pets, swimming), retrieved October 14, 2026
  9. TPWD GIS: Texas State Parks Boundaries (area computed from boundary), retrieved October 14, 2026
  10. Wikipedia: List of Texas state parks, retrieved October 14, 2026
  11. OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap data (approximate drive times), retrieved October 14, 2026
  12. Wikimedia Commons (photos), retrieved October 14, 2026