Pace Bend Park shows the cliff side of Lake Travis

Pace Bend Park is the cliff-and-cove version of Lake Travis. Travis County Parks says the 1,368-acre park sits in far western Travis County with more than nine miles of shoreline along the lake. The west side is high limestone cliffs and rocky coves with some of the best sunset views over the water.

The interior is managed as a wildlife preserve you can only reach by foot, bike, or horseback, home to whitetail deer, fox, ringtail cat, and dozens of bird species. Around the shoreline, the county offers improved and primitive camping (including the well-known cliff-top sites), plus boat ramps, swim coves, and hike, bike, and equestrian trails.

The takeaway is that Lake Travis is not one kind of waterfront. Pace Bend is the rugged, camp-on-the-cliffs end of it. Check the county page for the park map, fees, ramp status, and camping details before you go.