Life in Bell County · Week 02 · The Lakes

Stillhouse Hollow Lake: The Quiet Side of Bell County's Lake Life

July 11, 2026 Words by Lisa Copeland · Realtor · eXp Realty

If Lake Belton is the big, lively lake, Stillhouse Hollow is its calm older sibling: a 6,400-acre Corps of Engineers reservoir about five miles west of Belton that trades crowds for quiet water, coves for days, and a rhythm built around fishing, family camping, and slow boat rides. This is the guide to the lake families discover second and end up loving most.

Stillhouse is where you go when you want the water without the wake: shoreline access, a full-service park, one of the best campgrounds in the county, and the kind of Sunday afternoon that resets your whole week. Let me show you around.

Stillhouse Hollow Lake in late afternoon light with a wooden dock and overhanging trees

The calm cousin of Lake Belton

The Corps completed Stillhouse Hollow Lake in 1968, impounding the Lampasas River to create a reservoir that sits at roughly 6,429 surface acres with a maximum depth around 107 feet. It is smaller, shallower-feeling, and dramatically quieter than Belton Lake, and that is exactly the point.

Access is easy: the lake sits right off US 190 west of Belton, about five miles from downtown, so the drive from anywhere in the Belton-Temple corridor is short. Day-use parks ring the shoreline, and because the lake is less developed than Belton, you can still find a stretch of bank with nobody else on it.

What makes Stillhouse special is the pace. Boaters use the lake for water sports, but there is room for everyone, and the protected coves are heaven for kayakers, paddleboarders, and anyone teaching a kid to fish. Storm-safe, family-friendly, and never a parking war: that is the Stillhouse promise.

Fishing: the lake's first love

Stillhouse Hollow is a serious fishing lake. Texas Parks and Wildlife manages it for largemouth bass, white bass, hybrid striped bass, catfish, and crappie, and the lake has a reputation for big fish relative to its size. The standing timber and creek channels that still mark the old riverbed hold baitfish and bass alike, and bank anglers do well from the Corps parks through spring and fall.

A valid Texas fishing license is required for anglers 17 and older, and the usual youth exemptions apply. Early mornings are best in summer, and the coves near the fishing piers are where the families line up on Saturday mornings.

The lake record here is not the point. The point is the Tuesday evening cast, the bobber going under, and the kid who is hooked on fishing for life. Stillhouse is where that happens.

Parks and shoreline access

The Corps runs three day-use and camping parks around Stillhouse Hollow, and each has its own personality.

Dana Peak Park

Dana Peak on the north shore is the campground crowd's favorite: more than 30 RV and tent sites with electric hookups plus primitive tent sites, flush-toilet restrooms and showers, a swimming beach, and a boat ramp. It is also a launch point for the lake's mountain-bike and hiking trails.

Union Grove Park

Union Grove on the southwestern shore is the quiet one: fishing, hiking, biking, and a designated equestrian area with trails for horseback riding, plus group pavilions and seasonal hunting in managed areas. If you want the lake to yourself, drive here.

Stillhouse Park

Stillhouse Park is the day-use hub near the dam: two reservable group pavilions, a swimming area, basketball, fishing, and the lake's only marina and fuel dock, with a boat ramp open year-round from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Keep in mind the day-use picnic area closes seasonally from October through February.

Live Oak Ridge Park: the family campground

Live Oak Ridge Park on the Belton side of the water is the lake's flagship campground, and it is one of the best family camping deals in Central Texas. It offers 48 year-round campsites for tents and RVs, every one with water and electric hookups, a covered picnic table, and a grill, plus restrooms with flush toilets and hot showers, drinking water, a laundry room, a group meeting and activity center, fire rings, a boat ramp with a courtesy dock, and a dump station.

Sites run roughly $24 to $30 a night, reservations open through Recreation.gov, and stays are capped at 14 days in a 30-day period, which keeps the place from becoming anyone's permanent address. The playground keeps kids busy, the ramp makes a boat day effortless, and the whole package sits under big shade trees that make even August feel survivable.

For a Bell County family, the rhythm is unbeatable: set up camp Friday, boat and swim Saturday, fish off the dock Sunday morning, and be home in Belton in fifteen minutes by checkout.

Boating, paddling, and quiet water

The lake has several boat ramps in its Corps parks, and the Stillhouse Park marina offers fuel and the lake's only permanent fuel dock. Because the lake sees a fraction of Belton's traffic, midweek mornings can feel like you have the water to yourself, and the coves are ideal for kayaks and paddleboards.

A Texas boater safety course is required for operators born after September 1, 1993, and life jackets for kids under 13 are the law. The short version for families: bring the PFDs, pick a cove, and let the kids drive the paddleboard while you fish.

Stillhouse and the Latitude 31 life

Ranch at Latitude 31 sits about fifteen to twenty minutes from Stillhouse's parks, which makes it possible to do the lake on a whim: decided at breakfast, on the water by ten, home for lunch. Families building here love having both lakes, the party lake and the calm lake, in their back pocket.

When you build at Latitude 31, weekends like this are not a plan, they are a habit. And that is the life I want for you.

“Some lakes exist for the crowd. Stillhouse exists for the family. Know which one you need on any given Saturday, and you will always pick the right boat ramp.”

Lisa Copeland, Realtor and Founder, Lioness Real Estate Group

Explore the collection: custom homes at Latitude 31

Common Questions · 09 Straight Answers

Common Questions

These are the questions we hear every week, asked the way people actually ask them. Here is how we would answer each one if we were on the phone right now.

01 Where is Stillhouse Hollow Lake?

Stillhouse Hollow Lake is about five miles west of Belton off US 190, roughly ten to fifteen minutes from downtown Belton and fifteen to twenty minutes from Ranch at Latitude 31. It sits on the Lampasas River and is managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

02 Is Stillhouse Hollow quieter than Lake Belton?

Yes, noticeably. Stillhouse is smaller, around 6,400 surface acres, sees far less boat traffic, and its parks are underserved compared to Lake Belton. That is the appeal: quiet coves, uncrowded ramps, and a slower pace that families and kayakers love.

03 Can you camp at Stillhouse Hollow Lake?

Yes. Live Oak Ridge Park is the main campground with 48 year-round sites, water and electric hookups at every site, hot showers, laundry, a playground, and a boat ramp. Dana Peak Park also offers RV and tent sites plus primitive sites. Reserve through Recreation.gov.

04 How much does it cost to camp at Live Oak Ridge?

Typical sites run about $24 to $30 per night with water and electric hookups. Reservations are made online through Recreation.gov, and stays are limited to 14 days in any 30-day period.

05 Is there a marina on Stillhouse Hollow?

Yes, the lake's only marina and fuel dock is at Stillhouse Park near the dam, with slips, supplies, and a year-round boat ramp open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. The day-use picnic area at that park closes seasonally from October through February.

06 What kind of fish are in Stillhouse Hollow?

Texas Parks and Wildlife manages the lake for largemouth bass, white bass, hybrid striped bass, catfish, and crappie, among others. The submerged timber from the flooded riverbed makes excellent bass habitat, and bank anglers do well from the parks year-round.

07 Can I swim at Stillhouse Hollow?

Yes, at the designated swim beaches at Dana Peak Park and Stillhouse Park. These are unguarded natural swim areas, so swim at your own risk, watch children closely, and follow posted rules.

08 Are dogs allowed at Stillhouse Hollow parks?

Leashed dogs are welcome at the Corps parks, including the campground. Bring water, keep them on a leash, and clean up after them so the swimming beaches and trails stay open to everyone.

09 What is the boater safety law in Texas?

In Texas, anyone born on or after September 1, 1993 must complete a boater education course to operate a vessel. Life jackets are required for children under 13 on vessels under a certain length. Check the Texas Parks and Wildlife boater education rules before you launch.

Build Your Legacy in Bell County

Come see why families are choosing to build their legacy here.

Every place in this guide is minutes from Ranch at Latitude 31: 626 acres of Hill Country, homesites up to 3.11 acres, trails and views, with custom homes by Riata Builders starting in the high $700Ks. Walk a homesite at dusk, and you will feel exactly why this county is home to so many families.

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Lisa Copeland · Realtor, Salesperson #733507 TX · eXp Realty · (512) 944-5472

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