Field Guides
Burnet, Texas
(Burnet COUNTY)
Highland Lakes playground with caverns, bluebonnets and granite outcrops.
Highlights
Starting with the thing that will keep you out of trouble with the locals: the correct pronunciation is “BUR-nit” instead of “bur-NET.” The next most important thing is that this is one of Texas’s most strikingly beautiful counties. The Colorado River winds through the Hill Country in this county to stunning effect. In the 1930s, the Lower Colorado River Authority began damming the river for flood control and power generation. The result was the Highland Lakes, which include Lake Buchannan (shared by Burnet and Lampasas counties), Lake LBJ (shared by Burnet and Llano counties), Lake Travis (shared by Burnet and Travis counties), and Inks Lake and Lake Marble Falls (both entirely in Burnet County). Lake Austin is the only Highland Lake that does not touch Burnet County.
If there is a place that can be called the “Lake Life Capital of Texas,” you are reading about it. As these lakes are not Corps of Engineers facilities, plenty of shoreline properties are available to own or rent. All the watersports are in play. The vibe is relaxed and fun-loving—lots of craft brews, local wines, unique restaurants, cute stores, and beautiful scenery. There are two state parks to explore.
Austin is coming for Burnet County but it has not transformed it yet; Texas Ten hopes it never will. You can see a changing demographic more in prosperous Marble Falls, which draws lots of Austin weekenders, more than in the county seat of Burnet where Texas rural still reigns. Choosing from these two largest towns, a host of smaller communities, and all that water, Texas travelers can enjoy some of the best weekends (or weeks or months or years) the state offers.
The County Courthouse
Make sure to stop by the Burnet County Courthouse in Burnet. Set in the center of the town square, the modern-designed beauty finished construction in the 1930s. A 1974 addition managed to keep the feel of the original to a degree unusual among Texas courthouse additions. The finish is pink granite veneer, which matches both the design and the setting.
The exterior of the courthouse features a stunning relief representing the county’s history. In addition, there is a unique brick maze with historical facts about the area. Across the street sits the restored jailhouse, a beautiful building from the outside. Texas Ten will not speak to what it looked like to the inhabitants from the inside.
Texas Ten favors the older, more imposing courthouses. But among those built from the 1920’s to the 1960’s, Burnet is one of the best.
Things To See And Do
Of course, the lakes take center stage, so here’s a bit about them. The lakes exist to provide flood control, so they hardly ever rise above “full”, which allows for building close to the shoreline. When drought hits, however, lake levels can drop to disappointing levels. Historically, falling lake levels are more of a threat to Buchannan and Travis than to LBJ, Inks, and Marble Falls. The latter three tend to stay full, while the first two fluctuate radically. Currently, Buchanan and Travis are between 60-70% full. That level is fine for boating and fishing but low enough for the perennial concern to be sharper.
Of the lakes in Burnet County, Buchanan and Travis are by far the largest. These two lakes are large enough to spend a weekend exploring shorelines and small islands without seeing the whole lake.
Lake Travis is populated and busy with all sorts of diversions. Legendary among those activities is Hippie Hollow, the only clothing-optional public park in the state. Weekends at Devil’s Cove are one big floating party. Beyond those two spots, the shoreline and hills are dotted with impressive homes and plenty of water sports rental opportunities. Fishing will produce a variety of bass and catfish in good numbers, but the big ones are rare.
Buchanan is farther from Austin and has less boat traffic. While the homes and private lake businesses are still impressive, more of the area than at Lake Travis is devoted to public parks. Buchanan is renowned for its bass fishing, with various species, good numbers, and good size.
Lake LBJ is the third largest lake and is highly populated with weekend homes and full-timers. Still, the area is more sedate than Lake Travis. In particular, Horseshoe Bay earns its acclaim as one of Texas’ premier resort communities with some of the state’s most iconic golf courses. The lake offers anglers plenty of opportunities at most of the freshwater Texas standards: largemouth, Guadalupe, and white bass; channel, blue, and flathead catfish; crappie; and sunfish.
To Texas Ten, Lake Marble Falls is more of a stretch of the Colorado River than a lake. But what a stretch! Many Texans are familiar with the lake based on traveling over the bridge on SH 281. Texas Ten has done it just short of a million times, and strangely, the weather has been either sunny with lazy, puffy white clouds or has showcased a striking sunset/sunrise every single time. The steep cliffs covered with hill country vegetation set off the sparkling water in a way that is hard to replicate or describe. Texas heaven.
What Lake Marble Falls lacks in size, it more than makes up for it in other opportunities. On the water, the relatively narrow passage and protection by the cliffs make the area prime for water skiing and its derivatives. Up the hills from the water, the town of Marble Falls is the county’s cultural center. Downtown offers a variety of shops, galleries, restaurants, and frequent live music that will put you in a Texas state of mind. On 281, near the bridge, is one of the must-stop restaurants in the state, the Blue Bonnet Cafe. Try to hit their “pie happy hour.” Repeatedly and with a vengeance.
Inks Lake is a medium-sized reservoir with a shoreline shared by private residences, the iconic Camp Longhorn for children, and Inks Lake State Park. The lake is well stocked for fishing, with largemouth bass and crappie being the most frequent targets. The geology and scenery around Inks Lake are fascinating and dramatic.
Away from the lakes, geology remains an attraction; nowhere more so than Longhorn Cavern State Park. Geology, beautiful scenery, and a ghoulish history collide at Dead Man’s Hole just south of Marble Falls. The Falls on the Colorado Museum does a great job of telling the area’s story. For those who love to experience the outdoors with a shot of adrenaline mixed in, Hidden Falls Adventure Park and Spider Mountain Bike Park (lift served) are among the state’s best. Special interest museums include motorcycles, vintage aircraft, and military history.
There are many, many great places to eat and shop explored in the sections devoted to those pursuits. For those who like to talk to the people who craft their adult beverage of choice, here is a list of local distilleries, wineries, and craft beer/ale brewers. Putters and Gutters is a great amusement location for children of all ages.
Food, Drinks, and Music (Eat Local!)
Burnet is a relatively large county, ranking 74th out of the 254 in land mass. The communities tend to group by lake except for the city of Burnet, which serves as the “neutral” county seat. Our restaurant and nightlife listings follow that pattern, giving you the offerings first in Burnet and then by communities grouped by the lake they are closest to. Keep in mind that Lake Buchanan and Inks Lake are right next to each other, as are Lake Marble Falls and Lake LBJ. Some of these communities share counties. If for some reason you do not find what you are looking for, hop on over to those shared counties. In alphabetical order:
City of Burnet:
Trailblazer Grille is a well-reviewed cross between a Texas steakhouse and a diner, with frequent entertainment added. A highlight of the Hill Country dining scene. Van Brocklin’s Bistro has a great vibe, a great view, and great food overlooking the Burnet Riverwalk. You will leave happy. Warehouse BBQ and Meetery is high-end barbecue. The setting is great in a converted Coca-Cola plant with a tractor out front. The tractor is important as the motto is “We’re open if the tractor is smoking.” A signal you should obey. The other barbecue option in town is Fire & Smoke Payne’s BBQ, also highly recommended. Texas Ten has had a personal and deeply satisfying experience with Bill’s Burgers Wings & Things. Get the burger. Mama’s Home Cooking is exactly what the name says. Except that our mamas never had a full bar. On the other hand, Crazy Gal’s Cafe (also in Kingsland) has a great reputation for its Chicken Fried Steak, the core of any great Texas cafe.
For Tex-Mex, choose from El Rancho Mexican Restaurant, Hacienda El Charro, Las Comadres, and Rosita’s Mexican Restaurant. Wow, that is a lot of enchiladas to eat.
Aranya Restaurant provides a great Asian option with a Thai specialty.
Finally, Storm’s Drive-In offers quite a bit of history, although this location is not the original. Well, read the history and eat the burgers.
Lake Buchannan and nearby:
On the lake or right next to it-
Templeton’s Tavern is a great outdoor bar with traditional bar food from Thursday to Sunday. Conveniently located in “Container City” right next to Spider Mountain Biking Park on the east side of the lake. Frequent live music, but it is for ages 21 and up after 9:00 pm. Or, imagine being on the lake all day and needing food. Imagine your solution. Imagine you are at The Dam Grill. Porky’s is a limited-hours operation but a favorite for lakeside barbecue with-no surprise here-pulled pork sandwiches being the signature item. Served out of a shack with covered outdoor seating and great vistas as a free side. The Overlook Restaurant at Canyon of the Eagles Resort has the market cornered on spectacular views. The menu is upscale comfort food.
Kingsland-
The most famous restaurant in Kingsland is Hooper’s, which features southern comfort pub food. What draws them in, however, is that Hooper’s is on the Texas Chainsaw Massacre movie set, so you get film history as a free appetizer or dessert. Junction Prime is the sort of steakhouse where you can get a prime cut done just right but do it in shorts and your favorite lake shirt. As mentioned in Burnet, Crazy Gal’s Cafe serves a great chicken fried. The Potato Shack is not one the name implies, although there are plenty of potato-based items. In reality, this is an upscale mama’s cooking diner in a charming setting. Unfortunately, weekdays only. Reverend Jim’s Dam Pub and Boat Town Burger Bar each argue that their burgers are the best in the Hill Country. Can they both be right? Spyke’s BBQ is great for carnivores.
Kingsland definitely has the pizza and the Tex-Mex covered. For the Italian pies, you cannot miss at Patio 2900 Pizzeria, The Pizza Box, or Angel’s Pizza. Tex-Mex can be found at La Tequila Jalisco, Alfredo’s Mexican, El Bracero, or Mi Pueblo.
Nightlife is lake-centric for the Buchanan/Inks Lake area. On top of Templeton’s, Reverend Jim’s, and many of the Kingsland Restaurants that will host live music, there are nightclub-specific spots. The biggest is Pardners Dance Hall, but Shadow & Light and Pat’s are great spots also.
Lake LBJ and nearby:
Cottonwood Shores-
Bay View Restaurant & Bar offers casually elegant lakeside dining with a fresh, innovative menu. With all the water and all the fish, surely someone specializes in cooking gilled creatures? Why yes, try LeStourgeon Seafood Company. Julie’s Cocina is your go-to for Tex-Mex. Lakeside Thai seems like a strange concept for some reason. But Thailand has lots of lakes, so it actually makes great sense. Hiccups Sports Bar & Grill offers wings, pizza, and great times.
Granite Shoals-
Granite Shoals focuses on Tex-Mex (El Tapatio Mexican, La Morenita, La Cabana) and has a new offering of burgers, dogs, and similar foods in the Hungry Dog Diner.
Horseshoe Bay-
Horseshoe Bay is one of Texas’s biggest and best resorts. There is a full suite of dining options on property. To explore, click here.
Nightlife in and around Horseshoe Bay is mostly of the “sit on the deck with drinks and listen to the Austin musician gigging for the weekend” variety (apologies to Otis Redding). The lakeside restaurants with decks are your best bet.
Lake Marble Falls
Marble Falls-
We already mentioned it in Things to See and Do, but it is worth emphasizing. The Blue Bonnet Cafe is justly renowned as one of THE Texas cafes. Operating since 1929, the food is great, and the people are better. Texas Ten is not sure there is a better option in the state for what they do. The Marble Falls dining scene just starts with the Bluebonnet. The proximity to the water, ever-increasing Highway 281 traffic, and a developed downtown make Marble Falls the culinary center of the area.
If you are interested in a more elevated dining experience, The Bistro at Flat Creek Winery and Hidden Falls Bistro & Bar meet your criteria. River City Grille is traditional American fare but with the best view in town. Doc’s Fish Camp & Grill is a long-time favorite for fish, grilled meats, combinations of the two, and a fun atmosphere.
The Real New Orleans Style Restaurant does awesome cajun. Rae’s R Bar & Grill and Adele’s Restaurant & Lounge are inviting, fun bars with matching lounge-style food. There are two terrific Italian options at Bella Sera and Adriano’s Italian. Local Eats Craft Food is another great weekday lunch option, as is catering.
Given its location in the heart of the Hill Country, the presence of several high-quality barbecue offerings was inevitable. Each has its fans, but you will enjoy any of them-Inman’s BBQ, Holy Smokes BBQ, and Wingman Bros. Smoke House.
The diversity and quality of Far East offerings reflect the taste of the Austinites who often retreat to Marble Falls. There is Ginger & Spice, Thai Nyom, Simply Pho House, and Fuji Sushi & Asian Grill.
Tex-Mex is of course well represented. Oli’s Kitchen is more upscale while El Rancho, Taqueria Valle Del Bravo, Chuspy’s Burritos, Pablito Tacos, El Jimador Don Pilo, Super Taco, and Jardin Corona all offer dependable quality.
Finally, there is a trio of great local brewpubs with a ton of atmosphere, great brews, and good food. Do the crawl and hit each one: Bear King Brewing Co., Double Horn Brewing Co., and Save the World Brewery.
For nightlife, there is fun to be had. If you are in town the last Saturday of the month, The Cadillac Dance Hall provides an authentic Texas community dance atmosphere. A-1 Texas experience. Brass Hall in town is a live music venue that hosts a variety of shows and dances. We should not have to explain what the “Downtown Beer Hall” does. We did not list it as a restaurant as the food menu is limited. The beer menu is not limited. Lots of entertainment.
Save the World, Bear King, Double H, and Rae’s are all apt to have entertainment as are many other restaurants. Look for the decks. The city and civic groups often have great acts with free public access. If you cannot find the fun, you are not trying.
Lake Travis
Spicewood-
Lake Travis abuts Travis County. There are plenty of great places on the east side of the lake you can find out about at the Travis County entry. On the west side of the lake, however, Spicewood is in Burnet and Travis counties. So we mention the Spicewood restaurants here.
Opie’s Barbecue gets a ton of great press from the barbecue cognoscenti, who can be pretty critical. You need to check it out. Meat eating seems to be a thing in Spicewood because J5 Steakhouse is a popular mom-and-pop steakhouse, while It’s All Good BBQ and Willie’s Burgers & BBQ are also primarily in the cow business to good effect. Angel’s Icehouse, Poodie’s Hilltop Roadhouse, and Lee’s Almost by the Lake do the same in a traditional roadhouse atmosphere.
Tex-Mex is available at La Cabana Grill.
For nightlife, Poodies already mentioned is a first-class honky tonk. Angel’s is great. In addition, check out The Den at Iron Wolf Ranch & Distillery.
Where To Drop A Dime (Shop Local!)
Marble Falls takes center stage for shopping. The downtown shopping district is chock full of unique stores and boutiques. Start at the north end of the district at Old Oak Square, named for one of the most impressive oak specimens you will ever see. Work your way up Main Street, paying attention to the public art, which includes musical instruments everyone can play. Everyone has favorites; for Texas Ten, that list includes Lula’s on Main, Plenty Boutique, Cia Bello, Birdie’s Market, Smarty Pantz, and Pam’s Pearl Home.
All great, but really great, can be found at Choccolattes and House of Cheese. The ride home will just be that much sweeter. If you do it right, the Main Street Strip will take several hours.
Burnet has a different shopping vibe. As befits a lake community, if you want to furnish or decorate a lake house with vintage goods, you can do it easily here. Unlike Marble Falls, the shops are not next to each other. A little driving will be worth it for the bargain hunter. Try Pickins by Sassy, Peddler’s Emporium, The Knot Hole, Burnet Antique Mall, and the Vintage Gypsy. Boutiques include Retro Cowgirl and the Rustic Pearl.
Special Places to Lay Your Head (Stay Local!)
Cool weekend retreats are all over the county, spanning the spectrum of experiences. On the luxury end, there is Horshoe Bay Resort & Spa. Golfers have long made this destination a must. There is much more than golf, though. The “& Spa” should have been a clue. On the other end of the spectrum is actual camping at Inks Lake State Park.
In between sleeping bags and spa appointments, there are lots of options. Spider Mountain attracts mountain bike enthusiasts from across the state. The Container Cabins at Container City and Thunderbird Lodge are popular and surprisingly hip places for those who shred. No one says you must risk life and limb to stay there, so anyone can do it. There is a huge variety of water views available. The Painted Sky Inn is a good example of the many options.
Texas Ten is particularly intrigued by the Missing Hotel near Marble Falls, designed to disconnect you from the hustle and bustle. The Retreat on the Hill in Cottonwood Shores is similar. Cosmic Night goes with a “modern chic Indonesian-inspired yurt” for accommodations. So, we will stop right here and say that the short-term landlords of Burnet County are wildly creative. Check them all out at VRBO for Marble Falls, Lake Buchanan, Burnet, Spicewood, and Lake LBJ.
For the Professional Traveller (Campgrounds and RV Parks)
For the Professional Traveller (Campgrounds and RV Parks)
By the city of Burnet
By Inks Lake
By Lake Buchanan
Lake Buchanan RV & Cabin Resort
By Marble Falls
By Lake LBJ
Bullfrog Cove @ Twin Isles RV Park
By Spicewood
Special Events
Marble Falls almost always has something going on. Like many small towns, both Marble Falls and Burnet do impressive celebrations on the Fourth of July and at Christmas. But Burnet County goes above and beyond a few times a year with festivals that are among the best.
In the early spring, Burnet and the Commemorative Air Force host the Bluebonnet Air Show, featuring great vintage aircraft. The county is the heart of Bluebonnet country, so the April Bluebonnet Festival is a huge event. The county rodeo is held each May. Marble Falls hosts Lakefest each June, drawing speedboats and partyiers from across the country. In July, Marble Falls hosts a second rodeo. Finally, the Spicewood Arts Society hosts a knockout program of performances and exhibitions year-round featuring well-known artists.
One small complaint. For almost a decade, Marble Falls hosted the coolest Saturday event anywhere: the Adult Soap Box Derby. We lost it during COVID-19, and they have not figured out a way to get it back. Please fix this miscarriage of justice.
Fore! (Golf Courses)
Some of the prettiest land in Texas near one of the biggest population centers has produced an explosion of quality golf courses. In Burnet County, Hidden Falls at Meadowlake is a Marble Falls public course that will give you a great outing. Delaware Springs Golf Course does the same in Burnet. Kingsland provides a home for Legends on Lake LBJ, a Tom Kite design that rivals its more well-known neighbors in quality, if not quantity.
The Burnet/Llano county line runs through Lake LBJ, so both counties “own the lake.” While technically in Llano County, there is a set of remarkable courses that practically touch Burnet County, so those courses are also included here. Horseshoe Bay has four courses, one of which is members-only and all of which are terrific and challenging. In addition, it has every type of practice facility one could hope for. The club at Escondido is private, but get on if you can-it is spectacular. Another great option is the Lighthouse Country Club in Kingsland on the Llano County side. Blue Lake Golf Club is a high-quality nine-hole track.
If you are counting, there are ten courses in the immediate area of Burnet/Marble Falls with many more in Travis County. Get your game on.
Getting to Burnet County
Burnet County is northwest of Austin and a mere hour and 20 minutes southeast of Brady, the state’s geographic center. Windshield time from other Texas cities can be found here. The city of Burnet sits at the intersection of US Hwy 281 (running north/south) and SH 29 (running east/west). The nearest interstates are I-35, about 35 miles to the east at Georgetown, and I-10, slightly over 100 miles to the west at Junction.
Austin-Bergstrom International is the default choice for major airlines. The drive takes an hour or slightly more. Smaller craft might try the Burnet Municipal Airport or the Killeen Regional Airport, which is a 50-mile drive.
History
Burnet County’s location in the Hill Country has abundant wildlife, which benefitted the early hunter-gatherers who lived in the area. Later, evidence of the Tonkawas and Lipan Apache camps was found. However, the Comanche made their presence known. Though the Tonkawas and Apache were said to be friendly to Anglo settlers, the same cannot be said for the Comanche, who often raided settlements.
Though the area of Burnet County was included in several colonization grants under the Mexican government, most of the land was part of the public domain. It wasn’t until after the annexation of Texas in 1836 that the United States began to protect this area. Texas Rangers patrolled the area starting in 1847. Due to Indian threats in the region, there wasn’t much settlement in Central Texas until the 1840s, when the US Government built Fort Croghan, where Burnet is now located, to protect the settlers.
The fort was abandoned when the military felt in 1851 that the population had grown enough to defend itself. By 1852, the new county was formed, named after lawyer and President of the first provisional government of Texas, David G. Burnet. There was much discussion as to the name of the county. In 1853, Burnet County’s county seat was Hamilton, but in 1858, it was officially renamed Burnet.
In the early days of Burnet County’s existence, the economy depended heavily upon livestock ranching of pigs and cattle, subsistence farming, and corn. The frequent Indian raids hampered attempts at building schools and educating the youth of Burnet in the county. For the most part, early education was conducted under shade trees, and the older boys would keep their rifles handy. Not until 1890 did the Marble Falls school district extend its district to building schools in Burnet.
In 1860, the county of Burnet faced the same decision as other Texas counties: whether to secede or not. Despite heated discussions, secession was voted down 248 to 159. Despite this vote, many in the county enlisted with the Confederate forces. Rather than fighting Unionists, however, these frontier regiments focused more on protecting their homesteads from Natives.
Reconstruction proved difficult for Burnet County. In addition to Indian raids, cattle thieves and outlaws posed additional concerns. At some points, there were even outlaws masquerading as Indians who would raid the county. Burnet eventually settled down, and by the late 1870s, there were slow signs of recovery.
The 1880s saw an influx of English, Scottish, German, and Mexican settlers. With them, livestock ranching became more prevalent, and sheep and wool production became the dominant resources. The 1880s also ushered in railway expansion, leading to more towns and shipping points in the area. In addition to aiding in shipping, the railways opened up the mining industry and allowed granite quarries to be more easily accessed. The granite mined from the Granite Mountain quarry was used to build the Texas State Capitol and several buildings in New York. Graphite was also mined during this time, becoming the most profitable source of graphite in the entire Western Hemisphere.
Agriculture continued to benefit from the access to shipping points, and cotton grew in importance. Burnett County, however, was hit hard during the Depression, and all livestock and crop profits plummeted. Granite production all but stopped, and many farms failed. With the help of government programs between 1933 and 1935, such as the Agricultural Adjustment Program and the Works Project Administration, residents received help, and the economy began to turn around. During this time, highways were also built throughout the area. The biggest project of all was that of the Colorado River project, which aimed to build a bridge and a damn to harness the power of the river.
Several attempts had been made to damn up the Colorado River, but it wasn’t until The Lower Colorado River Authority came in that the project finally met with success. Farming never fully recovered, and previous lands were converted to grazing pastures, allowing the livestock industry to grow. In the 1950s and 60s, public works through the LCRA created more dams and lakes in this area, thus changing the economy’s focus. Though farming, ranching, and limestone quarrying were still done, the lakes in the region brought more residents and tourists, making this a popular vacation spot.
According to the 2020 census, Burnet County has a population of 49,130, a median income of $71,482, and a median age of 44.7. 77% of Burnett residents are White, and 22.8% are Hispanic or Latino.
Burnet County has had its fair share of notable sports figures, beginning with former NFL quarterback Stephen McGee, Tennis player Ashley Weinhold, and Olympic track and field star Leonel Manzano. Historical notables are Confederate figure and founder of Marble Falls, Adam Rankin “Stovepipe” Johnson, and his son, MLB pitcher Adam Rankin “Tex” Johnson Sr..
Primary Sources: