Recreation
Boating
Lake Travis boat ramps, live
Every public ramp on Lake Travis, checked against today’s level.
14 public ramps
Deepest ramps first: the last to close in a drought.
- Level as of Nov 12 681.4 ft
- 11 open
- 0 near cutoff
- 0 out of water
- 3 no cutoff
- Open
- No cutoff
Know before you go
The seven things that matter most.
Texas boating rules
Life jacketsRequired for kids under 13 while underway
Every person on board needs a US Coast Guard–approved life jacket that fits. Children under 13 must wear one at all times while underway on a vessel under 26 feet. PWC riders and anyone being towed must wear one at all times.Boating while intoxicatedLimit 0.08% BAC, same as driving
Texas BWI limit is 0.08% BAC — the same as driving. Penalties scale with priors and can include up to $2,000 in fines and jail time. Refusing a breath test triggers automatic license consequences.Boater educationRequired if born on or after Sep 1, 1993
Required for anyone born on or after September 1, 1993 to operate a motorboat over 15 hp, a PWC, or a wind-driven vessel over 14 feet. The TPWD-approved course is available online.No-wake zonesWithin 50 ft of docks, ramps and swimmers
"No wake" means slow enough to produce no appreciable wake. Required within 50 feet of marinas, docks, ramps, anchored boats and swimmers. LCRA also prohibits swimming within 50 feet of a public boat ramp.RegistrationAll motorboats and sailboats 14 ft and up
All motorized vessels and sailboats 14 feet or longer must be registered with TPWD. Numbers must be displayed on both sides of the bow and the current sticker must be visible.Required equipmentThrowable PFD, extinguisher, horn, lights
Type IV throwable PFD on boats 16 feet and longer, a USCG-approved fire extinguisher, a sound-producing device (whistle or horn), and navigation lights between sunset and sunrise.Zebra musselsDrain all water before leaving the ramp
Present throughout Lake Travis. State law requires you to drain all water from live wells, bilge and motor before leaving the ramp. Clean — Drain — Dry every trip.
Source: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department and LCRA.
From locals
Devil's Cove
The big party cove between Northshore Marina and Mossy Hollow. On summer holiday weekends 200+ boats raft up. Enter at no-wake speed, throw lines bow-to-stern, never anchor in the middle of the raft, pack out all trash (no public service in the cove), and keep music reasonable — LCRA enforces noise rules. TPWD and TABC wardens run BWI patrols on Memorial Day, July 4th and Labor Day.Hippie Hollow
Adults 18+ only. No photography of any kind along the park shoreline — that's the rule visitors get cited for most often. Boaters anchoring offshore must stay outside the marked swim area.Low-water hazards
As the lake drops, normally-submerged stumps, rock shelves and old building foundations come within prop range — especially in the Sandy Creek arm, the upper basin near Marshall Ford, and the back of every major cove. At sub-660 ft levels, run on plane only in the main channel.Post-storm debris
Lake Travis catches runoff from the entire upper Colorado basin. After a Hill Country storm, entire trees, propane tanks and dock pieces float in the main lake for 2–5 days. Run slow until LCRA clears the surface.Flood-gate releases
When Mansfield Dam gates open (lake above 681 ft), strong current pulls toward the dam. Stay well clear and expect ramp closures.Cove crowding
On busy weekends Devil's Cove, Starnes Island, Sometimes Islands and the basin off Sandy Creek get packed by 11 AM. Upper-lake parks (Muleshoe, Gloster, Camp Creek) stay quieter all summer.
Frequently asked
Which Lake Travis boat ramps are open right now?
It depends on the lake level. LCRA publishes the official open/closed list, but status changes weekly. Mansfield Dam Park (min 637 ft above sea level) and Pace Bend Tournament Point (min 631 ft) are the last to close in a drought; Cypress Creek and Camp Creek (both 667 ft) are the first to close. This page color-codes every public ramp against the live water level.What is the deepest boat ramp on Lake Travis?
Pace Bend Park's Tournament Point ramp at 631 ft above sea level is the deepest publicly accessible ramp on Lake Travis, with Mansfield Dam Park close behind at 637 ft. During the 2022–2025 drought these were at times the only two public ramps still launching boats.How much does it cost to launch a boat at Lake Travis?
At Travis County parks the standard fee is $5 per person day use plus $7 per day for the trailer, cash only. LCRA parks (Muleshoe Bend, Gloster Bend, Camp Creek) charge $5/adult, $2 senior/military/disabled. Jonestown's Jones Brothers Park is pricier for non-residents at $20 parking + $20 launch.Are there 24-hour boat ramps on Lake Travis?
Yes. Mansfield Dam, Arkansas Bend, Sandy Creek, Gloster Bend, and Pace Bend's Collier Cove ramp are open 24 hours. Most other ramps close at twilight when their parks gate up.Where can I launch when the lake is low?
When Lake Travis drops below about 640 ft above sea level, your only reliable public options are Mansfield Dam Park (min 637 ft) and Pace Bend Tournament Point (min 631 ft). Several private marinas like Briarcliff also stay open at lower levels for a higher fee.Do I need a boater's license in Texas?
If you were born on or after September 1, 1993, yes — you must complete a TPWD-approved boater education course before operating a motorboat over 15 hp, a PWC, or a wind-driven vessel over 14 feet on any Texas water, Lake Travis included.
About this guide
Every public boat ramp on Lake Travis, color-coded against the current water level. We pull elevation thresholds from LCRA’s status table so you know what’s launchable before you trailer your boat.
Full pool 681 ft · spillway 714 ft · record low 614.18 ft · record high 710.4 ft
Ramp status is computed from each operator’s published minimum usable elevation and the current Lake Travis level. Conditions on the ground can differ — debris, maintenance closures and storm runoff change things faster than any database. Always check the operator’s status line before you trailer.