Lake Arrowhead, Texas, USA

Lake Arrowhead boasts nearly 15,000 acres and 106 miles of shoreline in the North Central Plains of Texas, just 14 miles southeast of Wichita Falls near the Oklahoma border. Built primarily as a water supply in 1966 on the Little Wichita River by the City of Wichita Falls, Lake Arrowhead provides an endless supply of recreational offerings. The lake is surrounded by prairie lands filled with mesquite…
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All About Lake Arrowhead, TX

Lake Arrowhead boasts nearly 15,000 acres and 106 miles of shoreline in the North Central Plains of Texas, just 14 miles southeast of Wichita Falls near the Oklahoma border. Built primarily as a water supply in 1966 on the Little Wichita River by the City of Wichita Falls, Lake Arrowhead provides an endless supply of recreational offerings. The lake is surrounded by prairie lands filled with mesquite and Black-tailed prairie dogs, and features 524-acre Lake Arrowhead State Park on its northwestern shoreline.

With a maximum depth of 45 feet, Lake Arrowhead is one of four major reservoirs in the Red River Basin with a water storage capacity that is greater than 200,000 acre-feet. The dominant fish species that inhabit the lake are largemouth and white bass, white crappie, and channel, flathead and blue catfish, with white crappie being the prime catch in the spring. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has stocked Lake Arrowhead with a variety of bass and catfish species since the 1960’s. The most recent species introduced was the Florida Largemouth Bass in 1990, with catches now weighing in excess of 12 pounds. Lake fishing records include a 12.9 pound channel catfish, a 38 pound blue catfish, a 56.8 pound flathead catfish, and a 2.88 pound white bass. There are six public boat ramps at Lake Arrowhead: one at the State Park and five operated by the City of Wichita Falls. The State Park also offers a lighted fishing pier, a floating boat dock, and fish cleaning stations.

Lake Arrowhead holds annual fishing competitions for children and adults on the first Saturday in June. Many educational fishing programs are offered, some even offering teachers continuing education credits. The “Loan a Tackle” program loans fishing tackle to visitors who want to fish. Lake Arrowhead is also a participant in the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s “Free Fishing in State Parks” program. This program waives the fishing license and stamp requirements for children and adults fishing in a participating Texas state park from the shoreline or a pier. Park entrance fees and other Texas State fishing bag and length limits are not waived in this program and are enforced.

In addition to fishing, Lake Arrowhead offers swimming (no lifeguards on duty), canoeing, boating, and water skiing. Lake Arrowhead State Park provides picnic areas, five miles of trails for nature study and hiking, 300 acres for horseback riding, and an 18-hole disc golf course (Frisbee). Several camping options are available, ranging from primitive camping to campsites with water and electricity. Four equestrian campsites provide water, electricity, picnic table, fire ring, tie rail, corral, and four covered stalls. The State Park also offers a group picnic pavilion and a group dining hall with oven, refrigerator, microwave, and central heat and air conditioning.

The Wichita Falls area is brimming with activity year-round. The City hosts its Spring Fling in April. June ushers in the Red River Rodeo and the Texas/Oklahoma Junior Golf Tour. The Hotter ‘N Hell Bicycle Ride takes place in August, and the annual Pioneer Reunion Rodeo takes place the third weekend in September. So whether you’re looking for the greener pastures of a prairie, the solitude of a nature hike, the refreshment of lake waters on a hot summer day, or the excitement of Texas festivities, Lake Arrowhead has all that to offer and more in a convenient location.

Things to Do at Lake Arrowhead

These are some activities in the Lake Arrowhead, TX area visitors can enjoy:

  • Vacation Rentals
  • Fishing
  • Boating
  • Swimming
  • Canoeing
  • Water Skiing
  • Golf
  • Camping
  • Picnicking
  • Hiking
  • Biking
  • Horseback Riding
  • Wildlife Viewing
  • State Park

What Kind of Fish Are in Lake Arrowhead?

Lake Arrowhead has been known to have the following fish species:

  • Bass
  • Black Bass
  • Blue Catfish
  • Catfish
  • Channel Catfish
  • Crappie
  • Flathead Catfish
  • Largemouth Bass
  • White Bass
  • White Crappie
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Find Places to Stay at Lake Arrowhead

If you’re considering a Lake Arrowhead lake house rental or hotel, we’ve made it super easy to find the best rates and compare vacation accommodations at a glance. Save time using this interactive map below.

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More Sites to Book a Lake Arrowhead Vacation

Our interactive Lake Arrowhead lodging map above is an easy tool for comparing VRBO rental homes and nearby hotels with Booking.com, but there could be times when you need to expand your search for different types of accommodations. Here are some other lake lodging partners we recommend:

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Lake Arrowhead Statistics & Helpful Links

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Lake Type: Artificial Reservoir, Dammed

Water Level Control: City of Wichita Falls

Surface Area: 14,969 acres

Shoreline Length: 106 miles

Normal Elevation (Full Pond): 926 feet

Average Depth: 16 feet

Maximum Depth: 45 feet

Water Volume: 228,000 acre-feet

Completion Year: 1966

Drainage Area: 832 sq. miles

Trophic State: Eutrophic

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