LLELA Nature Preserve Review & Rating
Lewisville
LLELA Nature Preserve Website
Locate This Park
LLELA Nature Preserve Overview:
The Lewisville Lake Environmental Learning Area (LLELA) was created in the early 1990s when the Army Corp of Engineers formed a consortium to manage nearly 2600 acres below the Lake Lewisville dam. A variety of habitats (prairies, bottom land hardwood forests, wetlands and cross timbers forests) within LLELA means that there is a wide variety of wildlife to be seen, some of which includes: deer, bobcat, mink, birds, turkey, and a variety of waterfowl.
During your visit you can enjoy:
- 5 trails that range from 0.3 to 2.5 miles long and are interconnected and together create a longer 6-mile hike
- paddling on the Elm Fork of the Trinity River or on Beaver Pond
- picnicking in a large pavilion
- visiting an 1870s pioneer homestead
- plenty of birding opportunities
- fishing
- special scheduled events
- primitive camping
Primitive camping in LLELA is open seven days a week in designated areas. Potable water is available in several locations in the campground and portable toilets are available in the parking lot. Pets, alcohol, and firearms are not allowed. Cost is day-use fees plus $10 per campsite per night. Groups of 25 people or more can reserve a group camping area.
Amenities and Fun Things To Do:
During your visit you can enjoy:
- 5 trails that range from 0.3 to 2.5 miles long and are interconnected and together create a longer 6-mile hike
- paddling on the Elm Fork of the Trinity River or on Beaver Pond
- picnicking in a large pavilion
- visiting an 1870s pioneer homestead
- plenty of birding opportunities
- fishing
- special scheduled events
- primitive camping
LLELA also offers several diverse guided activities which can be enjoyed by visitors with a wide variety of skill levels and ages. Some of the guided activities include: night hikes, nature walks, kayak tours, bird walks, and more.
A Typical Texas Outsider Day:
During a stay at LLELA we have camped, hiked, and taken a kayak tour. Given time, we'll head out and play a nearby golf course - use this map to find a golf course near LLELA.
Cool Nearby Activities:
Lewisville is loaded with lots of fun things to see and do. Lake Lewisville is excellent for all boating related activities. Read our review of Lake Lewisville to learn more about the lake. There are several nearby golf courses and lots of restaurants and places for shopping.
Campground Information
- Website:
- Website Link
- Locate This Park:
- Area Map
- Map:
- Campsite Map
Campground Rating
- Overall Rating:
- 7.3
- Condition:
- Scenic Beauty:
- Campsites:
- Amenities:
- Things To Do:
Texas Outside Campground Rating System
Texas Outside uses a tough rating scale and it’s difficult for a campground to get a “10”. Each park is rated on:
- Scenic Beauty: a campground that is flat with no trees or character gets a “1” and hills, lots of trees, beautiful lake site, and lush ground cover gets a “10”
- Park Condition: the cleaner, well kept, and maintained campgrounds receive high scores
- Amenities: we are looking for lots of amenities like restrooms, dump stations, playgrounds, boat ramps, shelters, concession stand, rental toys, and more.
- Campsites: low scores are given for sites that are right next to each other (good for getting to know your neighbors, but not what we’re looking for when we’re camping); have no lantern holder, no water or electricity, no fire pit, no grill, or no picnic table (or it’s rotten wood); have no trees and no view; the ground cover is crushed rock (my bare feet hate that stuff!); and they require a lot of work to get your rig level.
- Things To Do: Bonus points are given for campgrounds that offer lots of fun things to do at the park or very nearby – this includes: biking, hiking, climbing, boating, entertainment, golf, swimming, fishing, volleyball, horseshoes, and more