Grapevine Lake Guide: Camping, Swimming and Fishing

Grapevine Lake sits between Dallas and Fort Worth, and the Corps of Engineers says its mission includes flood control for the Metroplex and storing and supplying water to the cities of Dallas and Grapevine. Texas Parks and Wildlife (TPWD) places it on Denton Creek, a tributary of the Elm Fork of the Trinity River, in Tarrant and Denton counties just north of the City of Grapevine. The Corps manages the lake, but many facilities are leased to cities and concessions, so who runs the park decides the fees.

This guide pulls together what the Corps, TPWD and the City of Grapevine publish. We did not visit, and we mark the gaps. Check each operator for current fees and closures.

Grapevine Lake at a glance#

The Corps says the lake was built for flood control and conservation and has become a premier recreation destination for the Metroplex and beyond. TPWD notes that some access areas are closed and points readers to the Army Corps closure report for status updates, so check it before you drive out.

Swimming at Grapevine Lake#

Grapevine Lake has recreational areas set aside for swimming. The areas are marked off, and vessels, including personal watercraft, are prohibited from entering the swimming area spaces. The Corps is clear that there are no lifeguards at the swimming areas and that all swimmers swim at their own risk.

Among the leased parks, the Corps lists Meadowmere Park, operated by the City of Grapevine, with a boat ramp, day use, group pavilion, playground, primitive camping and a swimming beach. Pair that with our guides on whether a lake is safe to swim in, the best lakes in Dallas for swimming and lake beaches near Dallas.

The City of Grapevine also runs a loaner life jacket program from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend, with jackets at Lakeview Park, Meadowmere Park, Oak Grove, Rockledge Park, Sand Bass Point and Vineyards Campground and Cabins.

Camping at Grapevine Lake#

Corps camping is only at Murrell Park. It has 11 primitive sites for short-term tent camping, booked by reservation at recreation.gov. The sites have picnic tables with shelter tops, fire pits and stand-up charcoal grills, a short walk from your vehicle. The fee is $14 per day, with a 14-day limit per 30 consecutive day period, and camping is available every day of the year. There is one pit restroom and a communal water spigot but no showers, and no RV or trailer camping.

Leased parks add more. The Corps’ leased-park list includes:

• The Vineyards Campground (City of Grapevine). RV and tent camping, coin laundry, playground, group pavilion, cabins, boat ramp, courtesy dock and a fish cleaning station.
• Twin Coves Park (Town of Flower Mound). A boat ramp, courtesy dock, cabins, RV sites, primitive sites and access to the Northshore Trail.
• Meadowmere Park (City of Grapevine). Primitive camping, a swimming beach and a boat ramp.

We did not find consistent official fees for the leased parks, so check with the city or town. Our lake camping reservation guide explains how to time a booking.

Boat ramps and marinas#

Murrell Park has two lighted boat ramps with courtesy docks for varying lake conditions, and trailer parking at each. The Corps says the day use and the ramp there are free and first come, first served, and that Twin Coves Marina is in the park.

The Corps’ ramp list also names Marshall Creek (City of Trophy Club), Meadowmere, Lakeview 1 and 2, Oak Grove and Katie’s Woods (City of Grapevine), Silverlake by the dam (Marinas International), and Twin Coves (Town of Flower Mound). The City of Grapevine’s own park map lists its lake ramps as Dove Loop, Katie’s Woods, Lakeview North and South, McPherson Slough, Meadowmere, Sand Bass, Scott’s Landing and Trawick. The two lists do not match exactly, which is a reason to confirm the ramp you want before you tow a boat.

Texas law requires a wearable, Coast Guard approved life jacket for each person on board and a throwable Type IV device on boats 16 feet or longer. Use our boat ramp checklist for first-time boaters before you launch.

Trails and shore fishing#

Murrell Park gives access to the Northshore Trail from the trailhead near the marina, and the park offers access to eight separate fishing trails for bank fishing. The City of Grapevine’s trail map lists city trails, including Meadowmere Park Trail at 1.0 mile, C. Shane Wilbanks Trail at 3.2 miles and Oak Grove Trail at 1.3 miles. We did not find an official source for a dog beach on the lake, so ask the park before you bring a dog to swim.

Fishing limits#

TPWD lists largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass, white bass, white crappie, and channel and blue catfish as predominant fish. It says largemouth bass is the most popular sport fish in the reservoir, that the slot length limit is designed to encourage harvest of the smaller bass, that the smallmouth population continues to increase in abundance and quality, and that white bass and blue catfish are also popular.

These are the limits TPWD listed when we checked. Rules change, so confirm before you fish.

• Largemouth bass: no minimum length, but only two largemouth less than 18 inches may be retained each day. Smallmouth bass minimum 14 inches. No minimum on Alabama, Guadalupe and spotted bass. The black bass bag is five in any combination.
• Channel and blue catfish: 25 in any combination, and only 10 can be 20 inches or greater.
• Flathead catfish: minimum 18 inches, five daily.

For tactics, see shore bass fishing in lakes and the best fishing lakes in Texas.

Zebra mussels#

TPWD’s advisory says zebra mussels have invaded the reservoir. Clean, drain and dry your boat, trailer, livewells and bait buckets, and any other gear, before traveling to another water body.

Planning the trip#

Grapevine is a lake of many small operators, so decide first what you want. For free ramp access and tent camping, Murrell Park is the Corps option. For cabins, RV hookups or a swim beach, look at the leased parks. For a bigger reservoir with more shoreline to explore, the Lake Lewisville guide covers one nearby. Our guide to how many lakes are in Texas shows what else is in range. For paddling in a cypress swamp in East Texas, see the Caddo Lake guide.

Frequently asked questions#

Sources#

• Grapevine Lake, US Army Corps of Engineers Fort Worth District
• Lake information, US Army Corps of Engineers
• Parks, US Army Corps of Engineers
• Corps parks, US Army Corps of Engineers
• Leased parks, US Army Corps of Engineers
• Camping, US Army Corps of Engineers
• Swimming, US Army Corps of Engineers
• Boat ramps, US Army Corps of Engineers
• Grapevine Lake fishing and lake characteristics, Texas Parks and Wildlife
• Grapevine Lake fishing regulations, Texas Parks and Wildlife
• Fishing with a boat, Texas Outdoor Annual
• Loanable life jackets, City of Grapevine
• Trails map, City of Grapevine
• Lake parks and routes map, City of Grapevine