McCown Valley Park (COE)
Whitney Lake, Texas
October, 2006
Facilities & Fees
Campground Name: McCowen Valley Park (US Army Corps of Engineers)
Campground's Website:
http://swf67.swf-wc.usace.army.mil/w...ges/McCown.htm
Last Visited: October, 2006
Number of sites and type:
Primitive: 0
Water Only: 12
Water & Electric (30 AMP): 34 (11 “pull-thru”)
Water & Electric (30/50 AMP): 14 (5 that you might call “pull-thru”)
Equestrian Campground: 39 sites w/ 50 AMP power and water
Screened Shelters: 3
Screened Shelters (w/trailer 30 AMP power and water): 2
Full Hook-Up: 0
Big Rig accessible: Yes
Shade trees: Yes
Waterfront sites: Yes (Lake)
Swimming: Yes (Lake; Swim at Your Own Risk)
Hike/Bike Trails: Limited. Park does have extensive equestrian trails.
Fishing: Yes
Boating: Yes
Clean restrooms: Fair to poor Clean showers: Fair to poor
Pets allowed: Yes (Leashed)
Tents allowed: Yes
Fires/Grills allowed: Yes
Family type: yes
Nightly rate:
Water Only: $10.00
Power & Water (30 AMP): $14.00
Power & Water (50 AMP): $18.00 (Equestrian Campground; $20 per night, year round)
Screened Shelters: $24.00
Screened Shelters (w/trailer ”hook-ups”): $30.00
Pavilion: $45.00 (6AM to 10PM)
“Day-Use” Fee (Not paid by overnight campers): $1.00 per person to a maximum of $4.00 per car load.
Note: All camping fees increase by $2.00 per day between March 1st and October 1st.
Overall Rating (1=poor 10=excellent): 7
Pictures: http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/turnke...9041/my_photos
Pictures associated with this review may only be available at the above link for a limited time. If you find that the link is no longer active, feel free to contact me via “Private Message” and I will do my best to e-mail the related pictures to you.
Our Trip:
Got an opportunity to do some camping at the end of October. I have to thank DW for this one. I normally have to work on the Saturday night of the “Time Change”. Don’t mind the one in the spring as it means working one less hour. The one in the fall is different animal all together. I don’t know why it is but having to work that extra hour just seems to make my night twice as long. Over the years, I’ve been able to avoid it a time or two. Had figured on working it this year until DW arranged for me to have three days “vacation” (ain’t she great?). She set this up with our boss and never even told me about it until it was a “done deal”. So, having the time off, it was decided that I needed to put together a “Men’s Camping Trip”. Got our son, grandson, son-in-law and his dad together and the five of us had a great trip to McCown Valley Park (COE) on Whitney Lake, Texas. This is my second trip to this park and I figure that it’s time that I put a review together. That said, let’s explore McCown Valley and see if might be a place that you’d enjoy visiting.
McCown Valley Park was constructed by and is operated by the U. S. Corps of Engineers. It is located on the east side of Whitney Lake, just north of the town of Whitney. The park can be accessed by taking Farm & Market Road (FM) 933 north out of Whitney for approximately 3 miles. Turn west on FM 1713. This intersection can be identified by a propane distributor on the southwest corner and a flashing light. Follow FM 1713 for approximately 2 miles where you will reach a point where the main road curves to the right and the park road (FM 1713 Spur) continues straight. There are signs but it is helpful to be aware of this curve before you get there. If you miss the park road, you will very soon pass over a bridge spanning the lake. Go until you can turn around and come back. Then take a right turn at the first “Stop” sign you come to. From the Ft. Worth area, the park is about a 1˝ hour drive.
As stated earlier, McCown Valley Park is a U.S. Corps of Engineers project as is the lake itself. The history of the lake goes back to 1941when Congress first authorized it’s construction. December 7th of that year forced our nation to re-evaluate its needs and the Whitney Lake project was shelved for the time being. The Flood Control Act of 1944 brought new authorization and funding for Whitney Lake and the project was started in 1947 and completed in 1951. By 1953 the powerhouse was also complete. The lake’s primary purpose was and remains flood control with secondary purposes of water conservation and the production of hydroelectric power. Over the years it has also taken on the role of providing recreation for many living in the North Texas area. With a multitude of facilities for camping, boating, fishing and other water related activities, this lake draws its share of outdoor enthusiasts.
Camping opportunities in McCown are varied and can satisfy many preferences. All sites in the park are paved with either black-top or caliche, many having been deepened using concrete. Most appear to be at least close to level, “side to side”. Some rather extensive erosion abatement measures have been taken in the park. This is most noticeable in the 2’ vertical posts that line a good bit of the park roads. These can cause some challenges when backing into a site but nothing that can’t be overcome with some care. All sites are equipped with covered picnic tables, fire/grill rings and up-right grill/smokers. These are a real boon for those of us who don’t enjoy bending over or being on our hands & knees while we cook. All sites are kept meticulously clean by the park staff. After each guest departs, staff members and volunteers clean the entire site including the fire rings and the up-right grills. An empty plastic trash bag is secured to each grill and the site is raked smooth, ready for the next guest. I really enjoy not having to clean my site before I can setup camp. Let’s get into some specifics concerning each camping area in the park.
Sites 0 thru 15 are all “back ins” spaced nicely along both sides of a single road. The area is fairly well shaded and “open”, giving a great place for the kiddos to run. All sites are “Water & Electric” w/30 AMP service. There are two horseshoe pitches behind site 6 and the kiddos will enjoy the playground at the north end of this camping area. Sites 12 &15 are my personal favorites and site 13 would probably be my least desired site (its angled the wrong way and there is a rather large bush to the north side). On this last trip we found that this area has a wonderful advantage that we had not been aware of. On Friday a very strong north wind blew the entire day. This wind came across the lake, blowing up some pretty good whitecaps. This strong, cold wind caused me a bit of concern about our rig but I quickly found that the area’s elevation caused the majority of this wind to just blow over us. I found this very convenient as those closer to the lake were about blown away that day.
Sites 16 though 31 are probably the oldest part of the park. All sites in this area are “Water & Electric” w/30 AMP service. The area is heavily wooded giving an abundance of shade. For the most part, sites are “pull-thru” but are very small and spaced close together. “Leveling” in this area can prove to be a challenge as can finding enough space for both a trailer and a TV. Even pulling our “5th” through this area caused me concern given the proximity of trees and low branches. Though many bring rather large rigs into this area, I cannot see us camping in this part of the park unless we can use site 17. It is a “pull thru” and the only one I would feel comfortable with. Site 18 is a “back in” and should be rather easy to get into. Unfortunately, there is a large, low-hanging branch on the “off” side. This branch has caused much grief for a number of campers as evidenced by scaring of the bark (I even know one camper who got a bit too close to that branch!). I truly feel that this area is far better suited for “pop-ups” and small hybrids and should be reserved for such.
Both of the above described areas share one great boon. McCown Valley Park is home to a very large deer population. These deer become very evident in the mornings and early evenings when they come out to browse. Visitors to the park can be entertained for hours observing the deer as they feed in the meadows just west of site 18 and also east of sites 0 thru 15. Deer can often be seen crossing the main park road that bisects these two areas so care while driving is a good idea. Be advised that though the deer in the park are accustomed to humans, they are still wild animals and should not be approached. My grandson told me that he approached a young buck a bit too closely. Though there was no real confrontation, that buck made it very clear that my grandson was invading his turf and it was not going to be allowed.
This is the point at which I am forced to discuss the only poor attribute of McCown Valley Park. The areas I spoke of above share Shower House #2 and I must say that it is in very poor condition. Not only is the structure old and in need of much repair, it is not kept at all clean. All fixtures work to some degree but nothing works as well as it should. I found the worst part to be that the shower drain is far too slow causing water to backup and pool. It’s not very nice at all. Though the structure is adequate in size, the number of fixtures is too limited to support the number of campers you would expect in a park of this size on a busy weekend. It is my opinion that this structure needs to be gutted and rehabbed or completely torn down and re-built. In addition to Shower House #2, there is also Shower Houses #1 and #3. #1 is near the Boat Ramp, just east of site 60. It was locked the only time I attempted to inspect it but it does look to be a newer structure. #2 is just south of site 54 and though much cleaner, the water to the showers was turned “off”. As said, this is the park’s only drawback and correction would add one to two points to its overall rating.
Sites 32 through 47 are a rather mixed lot, made up of both “pull-thru” and “back-in” sites. All are “Water & Electric”, some being equipped with 50AMP service. Also, this area contains sites 48 through 54 which are “Back-In, Water Only” sites. All of these sites are far less shaded and very open for those who enjoy the sun. They are also much closer to the lake and will get the full benefit of that north wind I described above. This area will be very advantages for those wanting to enjoy McCown Valley Park’s very nice swimming beach during the summer months. The lake, like all Texas waterways is pretty low right now but the weatherman is forecasting a “wet” winter. If this proves to be true, Whitney Lake should come back up to full volume.
On the eastern side of the park and across a small inlet you will find Sites 55 through 60. These are small tent sites, not well suited for any type of
RV. There is no electricity to these sites and I don’t believe water is piped to each site. There is water available in the area.
Just east of the sites described above you will find an area set aside for screen shelters. The park has 5 of these buildings, each measuring approximately 12’ by 12’. Each is equipped similarly to a regular camping site with the structures having one interior light and electrical outlet, along with all the other normal site amenities. In addition, 2 or 3 of the screen shelters have been equipped to support an
RV of some sort. These accommodations include 30 AMP electrical service and water hook-up. I could see one of these sites being used for a 2-4 family gathering at a very reasonable cost.
In addition to the camping facilities described above, McCown Valley Park also supplies an Equestrian Area for those who like to take their large, 4-hoofed friends with them. I have been informed that these sites are equipped with 50 AMP service and can be rented at a cost of $20.00 per night, year round. I did not have the time to inspect this area and would be a poor judge of its merits even if I had. I will supply an appropriate web site and leave it to those who are interested in such to inspect and rate this area of the park.
http://swf67.swf-wc.usace.army.mil/w...Equestrian.htm
Just north of the screened shelters, a boat ramp and parking area has been furnished. The ramp will accommodate three vehicles at one time and appears to have the proper pitch and surface texture for easy launch and recovery. Parking and turn-around has been well planned and skippers will have little difficulty maneuvering their equipment. A small “Courtesy Dock” is available but due to a low water situation, it remains “high and dry” at this time.
McCown Valley Park offers some rather nice “Day Use” facilities. Among these is the McCown Valley Day Use Pavilion. This facility is located at the top of a rise, at the south end of the inlet dividing the camping areas. The pavilion is made up of a covered concrete pad, approximately 30’ by 60’. Under the cover you will find 10, 8’ picnic tables with a seating capacity of around 150. In addition the pavilion is furnished with 110 VAC power, water, lights and a 3’ by 3’ grill. Parking for the area is adequate if not generous with very close parking for the “Grill Master”. The pavilion’s location gives a very nice view of the lake and I could see that backdrop being used for an outdoor wedding. The pavilion can be reserved and rented for the cost of $45.00 per day. It is open for use between 6 AM and 10 PM. Reservations can be made at 1-877-444-6777 or through the site referenced below. Also, I’ve given the site reference for more information concerning the pavilion and will include a few shots of the area in the pictures associated with this review.
http://reserveusa.com
http://swf67.swf-wc.usace.army.mil/w.../grpmccown.htm
Additional Day Use facilities include a number of covered picnic sites, each equipped with an up-right grill. There is water nearby and the area is adjacent to Shower House #1. There are also two sand volleyball courts just west of the Shower House. Also included in the Day Use Area is the swimming beach for the park. As I said above, the lake is very low at this time but this did give me the opportunity to view the Swimming Area sans water. I must say that the sand bottom would be very nice for swimming and I look forward to the lake level returning to something near normal before next summer.
Entry for the Day-Use Area and facilities is $1.00 per person to a maximum of $4.00 per carload. There is also an annual pass that may be purchased for the price of $30.00. The site below should give a bit more information.
http://swf67.swf-wc.usace.army.mil/w...s/McCownDU.htm
As noted above, McCown Valley Park is located just north of the town of Whitney, Texas. I cannot say that the town has a great deal to offer but it is quite nice and the residents try hard to make their part of Texas attractive. To supply your needs, you will find a Brookshire’s Supermarket about one mile south of FM 1713 on FM 933. It should be able to supply all that you may need in the way of groceries. You will also find a David’s Supermarket about two miles further south where FM 933 intersects State Highway 22. DW has made it very clear that she prefers Brookshire’s to David’s but I felt it only proper to let you know that both were available. Around Brookshire’s and scattered through town you will find a number of dining establishments, some of them being part of the normally seen “chains”. We’ve found nothing exceptional but they will satisfy your needs. There has been some interest in the development and rejuvenation of the downtown area. This has included the opening of some antique and knick-knack shops that some find of interest.
For more extensive shopping, you may wish to travel the 15 or so miles east to Hillsboro, Texas. In addition to a Super Wal-Mart and other retail stores, Hillsboro is home to a large outlet mall on the east side of Interstate 35. Here’s a site that will give a bit more info about Hillsboro:
http://www.hillsborochamber.org/shop.htm
While we were camped, my son and grandson wanted to do some fishing. I can’t say that the park offers any good opportunities for this, particularly wile the lake’s water level remains so low. We had noted a sign for a place called Lake Whitney Marina @ Juniper Cove and I know that places like these will often offer some sort of fishing. We decided to drive over and have a look and found that we had made a wise decision.
You can reach Lake Whitney Marina @ Juniper Cove by taking FM 1713 west from FM 933 for 1.5 miles. Turn right on Juniper Cove Road and follow it until it ends at the marina (about 1 mile).
I have visited many marinas over the years and as a group, they tend to be slightly slipshod operations. This is defiantly not the case for Lake Whitney Marina. They are operating a very clean, neat and well organized operation that I find enjoyable to visit. All equipment and structures appear to be in good repair and kept that way. There was no trash to be found either on land or water. Many marinas I’ve visited will have a percentage of “junk” boats sitting around in varying states of decay. I noted none at Lake Whitney Marina. Their “Ship’s Store” is clean and bright, well stocked at reasonable prices. An indoor fishing pier/barge furnished a couple of hours of fun for the four of us. In addition to the normal things you would find at a marina, Lake Whitney Marina also furnishes camping/
RV sites. Though not the type of sites that would draw DW and me, I found the area clean and well kept.
Though I cannot see DW and me camping at Lake Whitney Marina, I will keep them in mind for those times when I want to do a bit of fishing. It could also be a very nice place to drop the ‘yaks in on some future date. Here’s a site that should give you much more information then this short review can offer:
http://www.lakewhitneymarina.com/
Well, I guess that about sums up this review of our “Man’s Camping Trip” to Whitney Lake. We all departed on Sunday and returned home with no incidents to report. Hope you’ve gained a bit of knowledge from my pecking at this keyboard. If I can furnish any other information or answer any questions about McCown Valley Park, please feel free to contact me through this message board. Until then and always,
Happy Camping!
Note: Information and site references contained in this review were current as of this writing. I apologize for any errors you may find and will attempt to correct them if notified. Further, any copyright infringement that may have occurred during the writing of this review was purely accidental. In the case of such infringement, I will be more then happy to give proper credit or delete the infringing material when notified.
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