The park has apparently paid attention to criticisms about the difficulty of finding the primitive campground, as it is now very clearly marked with a large, orange stake every tenth mile to the campground. This extends the day hike from the advertised 7.5 miles out to about 8. We took a detour around a high water crossing which extended ours to 8.2. You could probably get 8.5 out of it if you felt adventurous.
We've day hiked this trail several times now, completing the full 4 miles into the primitive hiking and out a few times. The trail conditions are, in general, very good. Vegetation is for the most part kept back and the trail is clear the entire way. For parts of the trail, you will hike directly along the banks of the water. This is pretty but also frustrating in parts, as trash -- bottles, glass, bags, old food, etc. -- has piled up along the edges. The lake definitely has seen the effects of irresponsible boating.
Over the several times we've visited Granger Lake this month, we've encountered none in which the gate was actually being manned by an attendant. Whoever is supposed to work the gate is either off-duty a lot or ignoring their duties. Hiking the park is free, but camping is not, and I suspect that there are people getting away with some things with the lack of attendance at the gate. We've noticed on man occasions cars flying through to the campground area. A set of spike strips are laid at the exit and one of the right gates has been left open permanently, at least in the several times we've been in the past few months.
Many of the things at the park which I would assume are supposed to be monitored by an attendant are in disrepair. There are no trail maps at any of the designated map locations at the trailheads, and it looks like it's been this way for a while as dust and cobwebs have consumed the insides of each case. The campground washrooms are somewhat functional but very dirty, with grime, feces, urine, dirty toilet paper and so on covering a lot of the area. It's probably not sanitary to "sit down".
Worse yet, the primitive camping area looks neglected and likely abused by teenagers or something. Many of the fire rings have been destroyed. There is an "outhouse" at the primitive camping area, and we've visited several times where the feces, urine and trash are overflowing the toilet seat by 4-6 inches. Feces is splattered on the walls and seat. You can imagine the smell. People leave their trash and "disposable" foam coolers by the side of the outhouse so they don't have to carry them out. Beer cans litter the everywhere in the area. It looks like it hasn't been attended to in weeks, if not months. Unfortunately the park is too small to "go find some better place". We're talking about a 4 mile trail with a secondary parking lot at 1.5 miles, and fishing all along the border.
I wouldn't recommend camping here, but for a day hike it is pleasant because it is both pretty and far enough out from Austin to prevent too many people from traveling to it even on weekends. We have had several day hikes to Granger Lake in which we haven't encountered anyone. On a busy Saturday, you're likely to pass 1 or 2 other hiking groups and maybe a few groups of kids fishing. It is a nice reprieve from other area hikes where you cannot go more than 20 feet without running into someone. read more