Cedar Ridge (tx)

Cedar Ridge Park campground is located on the northern side of Belton Lake. This year-round, family-friendly campground accommodates both tents and RVs and has several sites with screened shelters for those who do not have camping equipment. Belton Lake was created by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers with the construction of Belton Dam in 1954. The 12,300-acre lake lies on the Leon River just upstream of its confluence with the Little River — long, narrow and winding, with many curves and coves, and some of the best camping, fishing and boating in Central Texas. With 136 miles of shoreline, there is no shortage of family activities at Cedar Ridge. The park has two multi-lane boat ramps with courtesy loading docks, a designated family swimming beach, a playground, a basketball court, volleyball courts and a hiking trail. White-tailed deer, hawks, great blue herons, ducks, geese, many species of songbirds, bobwhite quail, Rio Grande turkey and even an occasional bald eagle visit the lake area, yielding year-round opportunities for wildlife enthusiasts. All 76 campsites have water and electric hookups, a covered picnic table and a charcoal grill, and range from heavily shaded to full sun. The campground has two sections. The east side holds a two-lane boat ramp with a courtesy dock, the designated swim beach, the playground and the basketball court, and closes seasonally from November 1 to March 1. The west side offers a day use area with a second two-lane boat ramp and courtesy dock, a marina with fuel, basic convenience items and a seasonal restaurant, two group pavilions with large grills that can each host up to 100 people, volleyball courts and a horseshoe pit. A group camping area called Turkey Roost has 10 RV or tent sites with water and electrical hookups surrounding a large pavilion, with a large charcoal grill, volleyball court, horseshoe pit and a waterborne restroom close by. The two group pavilions and the Turkey Roost group campsite are reservable on Rec.gov. Seven restroom buildings around the park provide sinks, showers and flush toilets, and there are two RV dump stations with non-potable water. The park also has a gatehouse and an activity center, which is reservable on-site. The park is staffed with on-site volunteer campground hosts and maintenance hosts. The campground is partially forested with a mix of sun and shade, lying on the shores of Belton Lake and Cedar Creek with its scenic white limestone bluffs. Some campsites are directly on the shore, while others are a short walk away. Springtime brings an abundance of wildflowers that blanket areas of the park; deer, turkey and other small game are commonly seen, and a man-made wetland on the opposite side of the lake provides an additional 25 acres of wildlife habitat. Belton Lake is adjacent to the Fort Hood Army Base, which has several points of interest for the military buff, and the mural painted on the spillway wall of Belton Dam depicts the history of the Bell County area.