Free places to dive in TX

[FIXXERVI6]

Does anyone know of any free areas to dive in the DFW area? clear springs charges 20 to get in, along with all the other places, isn't there just some water someplace that is pretty good that you can just go jump in?

Edit : I have NO idea how this got posted here, tried to post in different thread, can a mod please move this post? thanks.

 

[Dee]

Move it to where? Seems OK as it's own thread, to me.

To answer your question....there are lots of 'free' places but that doesn't make them good places. For instance, I can dive from several locations around Lake Houaton, Lake Conroe, etc. for free but there's no viz to speak of and I have to deal with water moccasins and alligators. No thanks!

I admit, $20 is a bit steep and I'd hate to have to pay that every time I wanted to dive but be glad it's available.

 

[Hawkeye Mark]

In my opinion in diving as everything else there is no such thing as a free lunch.. a free place to dive will have no entry docks, shelters, underwater attractions at least from a lake standpoint. No one is going to put these kind of things out there without the expectation of an income. The gulf is free but of course you need a boat to get out there.

Just my opinion

Move it to where? Seems OK as it's own thread, to me.


To answer your question....there are lots of 'free' places but that doesn't make them good places. For instance, I can dive from several locations around Lake Houaton, Lake Conroe, etc. for free but there's no viz to speak of and I have to deal with water moccasins and alligators. No thanks!

I admit, $20 is a bit steep and I'd hate to have to pay that every time I wanted to dive but be glad it's available.

 

[Dee]

Good Point, Mark. Remember how Twin Lakes was when we first found it?

 

[TwoBitTxn]

The cheapest place that I can think of to dive in the North Texas area is Tyler State Park. Even then I don't know exactly how much that costs.

Tony and Brenda dove another spot in the Marshall area but I don't recall the name.

Mansfield dam is pretty cheep. Just park entrance to get in.

I agree, CSSP is not cheep. Athens is $25. The one year I really needed it I bought a season pass for $250. That paid for itself in a hurry.

There really isn't a free spot to dive aroudn here that I know of. You either pay park entrance fees, boat launch fees, or something along those lines.

TwoBit

 

[Zagnut]

.. but Lake Murray in Oklahoma is free and it's fairly close to the DFW area.

It's just off I-35 right near Ardmore Okla. There are places you can basically just pull off the road by the dam and walk to the water and do your thing. It's a short walk, but not the easiest. The path kinda goes over and down a few rocks before you get to the water's edge and the area at the water's edge isn't the most accomodating for a diver who likes to lay his gear out on a tarp to gear up. We did most of our gearing up at the car and trekked down to the water because I didn't feel comfortable leaving anything of value laying out due to the close proximity of the road to the water...too easy for a clean getaway.. and the folks up there.. well they're Okies...know what I mean? (I'm just kidding!!...I jest because I was born in Oklahoma and my wife says that makes me an Okie by default..no matter how much I protest! wink )


Seriously though, I didn't have too much trouble lugging my gear down on my back, but it was a quite a bit tougher for my wife. The lake had alot of activity in boats as well as at the water's edge when we were there (summer on a Saturday) if we had gone when there weren't so many folks at the lake, I probably would have felt a little more comfortable leaving something out. The spot where we entered couldn't be seen from the road, but our car would have clued in anybody driving by to our presence.

The conditions are similar to Lake Travis. There are, however, walleye in Lake Murry. I thought that was pretty cool. I haven't seen walleye since I was a kid, fishing in Nebraska. If your a die-hard diver, I think it might be worth checking out.

 

[sealskin98]

Broken Bow lake in S.E. Okla. is free. Dove there a few years ago. Had to lug gear down a hill to get to the site, but viz. was about 12-15 at the time. Nasty little thermocline at about 25 ft. The dive shop ppl. told me about a couple of other sites that have easier access, haven't checked them out yet. There are also some sites that are accessable by boat. That would be a good day trip some weekend, go look at the sites and get ansy for spring. It's only an hour's drive for me, and you can spear fish for catfish there.Take your spurs though, some of the catfish are big enough to ride.
:yippie17:

Tenkiller lake is also supposed to be decent, but you're talking a further drive. Possum Kingdom is closer, but I've never been.

As has been said, scuba parks have the best stuff.

 

[sealskin98]

Broken Bow lake in S.E. Okla. is free.

Beaver's Bend State Park there is a nice place to rent a cabin for the weekend also. Some of the deer are tame, or used to be. Had a little buck try to follow my son into the back seat of the car about 15 years ago.
:11:

Most all of the cabins have fireplaces, but no phone or tv. I take my 13" tv/vcr combo and a few movies to watch while I kick back with a cold one after grilling steaks.

http://www.beaversbend.com/

 

[capelli]

tyler state park is three dollars a person to dive.
or you could go to lake perky which has a power plant on it,so it is warm .not sure what it cost but it cant be much

 

[Foo]

Lake Purkey...otherwise known as Murky Purkey. My husband did his open water dives in it last spring, and it had been stirred up by lots of rain, prior... could barely see the fins in front of his face. Also, some of the people from my class did their open water dives on it in Dec., hoping to catch the warm waters. Only problem- the power plant was on holiday shut down, so it was a whopping 52 degrees that weekend. Not trying to be negative, just be prepared if you go there. It is probably better when they're not on shutdown and there's no rain- otherwise there wouldnt be dive platforms, I suppose? This is probably the lake in the Marshall area that TwoBitTxn was thinking of. Does anyone dive in the river at Beaver's Bend instead of the lake? I remember going there years ago and swimming in the river, it was very clear. However, it is also probably too shallow. Just curious.
Foo