Cedar Creek Lake

Cedar Creek Lake is the single most important geographic fact about Gun Barrel City. The town sits on the lake's eastern shore, and nearly everything here — the economy, the seasons, the reason people move to town or drive down from Dallas for the weekend — traces back to this water.

Cedar Creek Lake is often described as one of the largest lakes in Texas, with more than 220 miles of shoreline. That is a genuinely large body of water, and the length of the shoreline matters more than the surface area for the people who live and play here: all those coves, points, and inlets are where the marinas, boat ramps, lakeside restaurants, and waterfront neighborhoods are located. A long, irregular shoreline means more places to launch a boat, more protected water to fish, and more homes with a dock out back.

How and when the lake was formed

Cedar Creek Lake is a reservoir — a man-made lake — created by damming Cedar Creek. The project was completed in the mid-1960s, which means the lake predates the incorporation of Gun Barrel City in 1969. The reservoir is managed in connection with the Tarrant Regional Water District, and one of its core purposes is to supply water to the Fort Worth region, well over an hour to the northwest.

This origin story explains a lot about the area. The lake was not built for recreation; it was built for water supply, and the recreation economy grew up around it afterward. When the water came, so did the boaters, the anglers, the lakeside developments, and eventually the retail strip along State Highway 334 that serves them all.

Why the lake is the heart of Gun Barrel City

Gun Barrel City functions as the retail and commercial hub for the entire Cedar Creek Lake area. Roughly 55 miles southeast of Dallas, the town is close enough for a weekend trip but far enough to feel like a genuine escape. Its year-round population was 6,190 at the 2020 Census, but that number tells only half the story: during boating season the population swells to more than 10,000 as second-home owners, renters, and day-trippers arrive.

The town anchors a string of lakeside communities — Mabank, Seven Points, Payne Springs, and Tool among them — that share the same water, with State Highway 198 (the original "Gun Barrel Lane") and State Highway 334 forming the corridors that tie the area together. The lake is also a big part of why Gun Barrel City was designated a Texas Certified Retirement Community in 2008. Mild climate, low cost of living, no city property tax, and easy lake recreation add up to a compelling package for retirees — many of whom first came to fish or boat and decided to stay.

The seasonal rhythm

Life on Cedar Creek Lake runs on a season. The busy stretch is Memorial Day through Labor Day, when the weather is hot, the water is warm, and the lake fills with boats. This is when marinas run at capacity, ramps get crowded on weekend mornings, and lakeside restaurants stay full. If you want the lake at its liveliest, come in summer. If you want quiet water and elbow room — which many anglers prefer — the shoulder seasons of spring and fall are often the sweet spot.

What there is to do

The lake supports three main kinds of recreation, and we cover each in depth on its own page: