amistad national recreation area

Not much to say about Lake Amistad aside from the fact that it is a fun, outdoor location in Del Rio, Texas to beat the summer heat. The marina offers some deals to rent a boat...providing a much needed distraction from the oven-like weather of western Texas in the summer. Definitely spend the afternoon zooming around the lake tubing or wakeboarding with your friends. It is located about 10-15 minutes outside of Del Rio...super easy to get to and one of the few places worth visiting if you find yourself in this little city. Bring some road sodas (drink responsibly of course!) and enjoy the sun and luke-warm water!

OK! Let's get this straight. This is a "National Recreation Area"! It is NOT (nor is it intended to be) a "National Park". The recreation area stretches MILES beyond what most people see. The Lake, when it is full, has nearly 900 miles of shoreline. Most of that is on the U.S. Side. Beyond the lake, the recreation area extends nearly 80 miles up the U.S. bank of the Rio Grande. The Lake does vary in level. It is principally intended for water storage and flood control. The amount of rain falling in the Chihuahuan desert dictates how high the lake level gets. Even at its worst, this is a great fishing lake. There are several fishing tournaments each year. The lake also has a water ski area, and I have seen sailboats and even a SUBMARINE! (Really!). Kayaking the coves and backwaters is very nice. There are numerous Federal camping areas. These range from "dry camping" for $2-$4 per night to Water and electric sites. The visitors' center is small, but there is a decent bookstore and souvenir shop. Grocery shopping is in Del Rio. We spent a week here this trip and logged seventy species of birds. From Rough Canyon, around to Langtry in the North county, there is about 100 miles of exploring to do. There is lots to do.

We wanted to see the dam and it appearted that the only way that we would be able to see it was to cross over into Mexico. The visitor's center was not very helpful or encouraging.

We were leaving Del Rio, heading north to San Angelo, and thought we'd stop by the reservoir. The visitor center was small but good, and the staff were super friendly and helpful. We drove over to the Diablo East pull off, and the cliffs there are absolutely gorgeous! Definitely worth a quick stop.

One of the clearest lakes I have ever seen. Also there are alot of cool scuptures. Good for fish too.

I was surprised how big this lake is. The drive to Box Canyon was quick and gave a good impression of the vastness of the lake, and also, how low the water level is.

Beautiful lake with great bass fishing. The lake has been low lately but it has been coming up. We love kayaking off the Air Force boat ramp.

We spent a little bit of each day swimming at the lake, as well as couple of days exploring some of the trails. Definitely a great place to spend some time.

This is a park that was created as a result of building a dam. Nothing nationally significant about anything here so probably should not be a national park. That said, if you are into water sports, this would be a great place. But without a boat and in the summer the hiking was not worth the sweat, the facilities are in wretched condition (check out the bathrooms at Pecos, eg.) and the visitor center was pretty sparse. Going to visit the dam, which is not in the park, is a highlight.

The lake looked beautiful and it is huge! The problem is, it has been lowered by about 20 feet from use for irrigation and also the Texas drought. What used to be a great fishing lake is more of a disappointment, at least when my husband and I were there. The locals say the same thing though. There are areas with a great view and covered stone picnic tables where you could have a beautiful view of the lake and eat and relax in the shade. Check with the park information office for information. The officer that helped us was obviously very familiar with every part of this enormous national park.

We were invited by the Elks Lodge as guests to Del Rio for family fishing trip and day(s) on the water. Excellent time hosting parties involved did a lot of work and logisitcal planning to host/sponsor this. Top class organization. The scenary out here is amazing

Camping areas are rustic, but nice and the hunting cant be beat for the $20 price tag. The only problem is the limitations on shotgun use...have you ever tried to bow hunt for turkey?

The view from Hwy 90 isn't much, but get off the beaten path and explore the nooks and crannies of the reservoir - it is a gorgeous place, definitely worth a picnic (PLEASE clean up after yourself) and an afternoon when the weather is nice!

Lake Amistad is famous for fishing but we have enjoyed it immensely for water sports. The lake is so large that even when the boat ramps are full you are able to find some smooth water for water skiing and wake boarding. Take the time to check out Rough Canyon and the Pecos River. There are many rock paintings and areas to explore.

Spent an afternoon here and camped by the lake. Very peaceful. Some hiking to do but it's mostly the lake and related activities. Free junior ranger program for kids (badge and patch). Ranger Leticia was very helpful at the visitor center. Movie was interesting.