Canyon Lake is a reservoir on the Guadalupe River in the Texas Hill Country in the United States. Canyon Lake is a U.S.Army Corps of Engineers reservoir formed on the Guadalupe River in Comal County by Canyon Dam, which is located about sixteen miles northwest of New Braunfels. The dam, lake, and all adjacent property are managed by the U.S. Army Corps Of Engineers. Water rights, waste water treatment, and hydroelectric generating facilities are managed by the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority. Construction of the dam began in 1958 and was completed in 1964. C The reservoir serves to provide flood control and water conservation for the communities downstream from the dam. The lake is also a popular recreational destination.

The construction of the dam and subsequent growth of the area surrounding the lake are among the most significant developments in twentieth-century Comal County history. Inundating a portion of the Guadalupe River valley cost the area productive farm and ranch land as well as two rural communities-Cranes Mill and Hancock-but it also stimulated development that transformed the economy and demography of the county. After the lake was filled north central Comal County became one of the largest population centers in Central Texas and the focus of a resort and tourist industry that rivaled manufacturing and agriculture in importance to the county economy. The dam made possible land development along the lake shore and in the area downstream, which for the first time was protected from periodic flooding. Even as the lake was filling, the first residential subdivisions-including Canyon Lake Hills and Canyon Lake Village-began attracting permanent and temporary residents. By 1967 there were forty-six subdivisions on the shores of Canyon Lake and fourteen more in the hills surrounding it. By the mid-1980s more than eighty neighborhoods had been built, and estimates of the permanent population of the lake area ranged from 12,000 to 15,000. Seven lakeside public parks and two public marinas served thousands of weekend visitors. Residents and tourists supported a variety of new businesses and service industries that transformed the former farm and ranch communities of Sattler and Startzville into thriving commercial centers and occasioned the new town of Canyon City. In the late 1980s two schools and thirteen churches served the permanent residents of the lake area. The Canyon Lake community, forty-eight miles from San Antonio and fifty-six from Austin, continued to attract new commuter, retired, and weekend residents. Towns in the immediate vicinity of the lake include former city Canyon City, Hancock, Fischer, Sattler, Startzville and a census-designated place known as Canyon Lake, Texas. Larger towns nearby include New Braunfels and San Marcos.

Canyon Lake, Texas

Sits conveniently between Austin and San Antonio and just minutes from New Braunfels, Gruene, Bulverde, and Spring Branch. On the rim of the beautiful Texas Hill Country, Canyon Lake has a shoreline of 80 miles. Canyon Lake is known as the Water Recreation Capital of Texas. Canyon Lake has beautiful clear water, a variety of bass, camping and day parks, hiking trails, and lots of room for recreation. 22 boat ramps provide easy access. Canyon Lake welcomes the Upper Guadalupe River from the west while the Canyon Lake Dam provides a controlled release of cool waters into the Lower Guadalupe River, temperate enough to sustain rainbow trout life throughout the summer.

Canyon Lake is a unique community among rolling hills in the midst of lake and river waters. Day trips to heritage-rich central Texas towns, such as Fredericksburg, Kerrville, Johnson City and Bandera, make us a top location for lodging. Water activities are abundant. The cedar and oak woods are saturated with wildlife. Neighborhoods are shared with pet-like deer. It’s calming and natural. Photographers will be exhilarated. Enjoy local hangouts and concerts on the river. Take a helicopter ride for a bird’s eye view.

Central Texas Hill Country

Canyon Lake Texas is a true hidden treasure of the Central Texas Hill Country. With breathtaking waterfront and lake views; this is the place where many are starting to call home. White tailed deer, foxes, roadrunners, and other wildlife are in abundance in the Texas Hill Country and especially at Canyon Lake. The Texas Hill Country is famous for its hilly terrain, live oak trees, limestone rocks, native animals, and clean fresh air. Canyon Lake has so much to offer: Boating/Sailing, Water Skiing, Kayaking, Fishing, Scuba Diving, Parasailing, Hiking, Dining, Shopping, and much more. Canyon Lake is located just forty miles north of San Antonio and twenty-five miles west of New Braunfels and San Marcos.