Grapevine Lake Boating Guide: Ramps, Marinas and Water Level

October 17, 2026

Grapevine Lake boating guide: 14 public ramps, 65 ft max depth, the 535-ft pool, level on Oct. 17, 2026, fuel docks near the lake and Texas boating and drain rules.

Grapevine Lake is a North Texas reservoir on Denton Creek, just north of the city of Grapevine, owned and operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Fort Worth District, with 14 public ramps and launches in the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) inventory. On October 17, 2026 it stood at 532.9 feet, 91.9% full, about 2.1 feet under its 535-foot conservation pool (Marinalo data, October 2026, measurement date Oct. 17, 2026). TPWD lists a maximum depth of 65 feet.

This guide covers the lake's basics, the ramps, marinas with fuel docks in Grapevine and Flower Mound, what the current level means, and the rules that apply on Texas public lakes.

Grapevine Lake at a glance

Item	What the sources say
Location	On Denton Creek, a tributary of the Elm Fork of the Trinity River, in Tarrant and Denton counties, just north of Grapevine (TPWD)
Owner and operator	U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (TWDB, TPWD)
Dam	Grapevine Dam; construction began January 1948 and finished June 6, 1952; deliberate impoundment began July 3, 1952 (TWDB)
Surface area	6,707 acres at conservation pool (TWDB 2010 survey); TPWD lists 6,684 acres
Maximum depth	65 feet (TPWD)
Conservation pool	535 feet above sea level; flood pool to 560 feet (TWDB)
Typical fluctuation	5 to 10 feet (TPWD)
Water clarity	Stained (TPWD)
Public ramps (TPWD inventory)	14, via Marinalo

The shoreline matters here. TPWD describes many drop-offs, underwater boulders and rocky shorelines, with boulder-lined banks around parts of the lake. That makes the level more important than the depth number: a few feet down puts rock closer to the surface. Compare it with the larger Lake Ray Hubbard if you want an open-water alternative.

Public boat ramps

Marinalo lists 14 public ramps and launches from the TPWD inventory. The names include Dove Loop, Farris Branch, Katie's Woods, Lake View Park, McPherson Slough, Meadowmere Lane, Oak Grove Softball Complex, Sand Bass, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Murrell Park ramps and Vineyards Campgrounds, plus two entries named "Lake Grapevine Boat Ramp". The Grapevine Lake boat ramps page maps them. The inventory has no trailer-space counts, so we give none.

The Corps notes the Grapevine Lake Office no longer accepts cash payments for any USACE-operated campground or boat ramp. Corps passes are sold at the Murrell Park gate house at 880 Simmons Road in Flower Mound, and the lake office at 110 Fairway Drive answers at (817) 865-2600 on weekdays. For more lakes, browse all Texas boat ramps.

Current level and what low water means

At 532.9 feet, Grapevine is 2.1 feet under conservation pool and inside the 5-to-10-foot swing TPWD lists. The Corps lake page links a drought report on boat ramp closures caused by changes in lake levels, but we could not find current ramp-by-ramp thresholds, so we give none. An older record shows how it plays out: a Corps facility closure report archived in January 2009 listed ramps at Meadowmere, Murrell, Sand Bass Point, Katie's Woods and Lakeview South, along with Silver Lake Marina, Twin Coves Marina, Vineyards Campground and Scott's Landing, as closed due to low water. Levels and closures change, so treat that as a reminder of what drought can do, not as today's status.

Check the live elevation on the Corps' Grapevine page (it links a USGS gauge) and the Corps closure report before you go.
Call the marina or park you plan to use if the lake is down.
Stay off rocky points in low water and keep to marked channels.
TPWD notes flooded terrestrial vegetation is abundant when the lake is above conservation pool, so high water brings its own hazards.

Marinas and fuel

Marinalo has no marina page for the lake itself. The three marinas below appear in Marinalo's pages for Grapevine and Flower Mound, and the archived Corps closure report above names all three as lake facilities, which is our source for placing them on Grapevine Lake:

Marinas in Grapevine: Scott's Landing Marina and Silver Lake Marina, each marked with a fuel dock and "rates on request".
Marinas in Flower Mound: Twin Coves Marina, marked with a fuel dock and "rates on request".

Marinalo has no official slip rates for any of them, so call for prices. The Texas fuel docks map shows each fuel dock on file, and our Texas boat slip prices article explains why rates are often unpublished. Hours change by season, so call before you count on fuel late in the year.

Planning a day on Grapevine Lake

Pick a ramp on the map, then check the lake elevation, the Corps closure report and the forecast the same morning. Decide where you will fuel: the three marinas above are the ones Marinalo marks with fuel docks, and it is wise to call before you count on one. Because the shoreline is rocky and the level can swing several feet, keep the first trip to daylight, stay off points you do not know, and watch your depth finder on the way in to a cove. The lake is small compared with Lewisville or Travis, so weekend traffic and wake stack up quickly; give other boats room.

Fishing and plants

TPWD lists largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass, notes white bass near the dam's aerated water intake and calls blue catfish abundant. The lake generally lacks aquatic vegetation. Even so, clear plants off your boat and trailer before leaving; leaving harmful aquatic plants attached is unlawful in Texas.

Rules on Grapevine Lake

The Corps sets park and ramp rules; read them on its Grapevine Lake page. TPWD rules that apply on every public lake:

Zebra mussels: TPWD's Grapevine page carries the boater advisory "Zebra mussels have invaded this reservoir!" and says draining water is required by law and that possessing or transporting zebra mussels is illegal. Clean, drain and dry your boat, trailer, livewells and gear before traveling to another water body.
Drain law: boaters must drain all water from the boat and gear before approaching or leaving a public fresh water body. Violations are generally a Class C misdemeanor, rising for repeat offenses. If your boat has been stored in the water on a zebra mussel lake, TPWD says to call (512) 389-4848 before moving it.
Boater education: required for anyone born on or after September 1, 1993 to run a motor over 15 horsepower or a windblown vessel over 14 feet, with a photo ID.
Wake, speed and night skiing: hazardous wakes are unlawful, no-wake areas mean headway speed, and skiing is not allowed from half an hour after sunset to half an hour before sunrise. See no-wake zones.
Alcohol: operating while intoxicated (0.08 or loss of faculties) is an offense on the water.

Safety

The Corps' banner says it plainly: always wear your life jacket. See Coast Guard approved life jackets for fit. Give sailboats room, and know the lights if you stay late; see boat navigation lights. If you tow tubes, read boat tubing safety, and check wind on the Beaufort scale before you launch.

FAQ

Who runs Grapevine Lake?

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, according to TWDB and TPWD.

How deep is Grapevine Lake?

TPWD lists a maximum depth of 65 feet.

How full is Grapevine Lake right now?

On October 17, 2026 it was 91.9% full at 532.9 feet (Marinalo data, October 2026).

How many public boat ramps does it have?

Marinalo lists 14 from the TPWD public boat ramp inventory.

Are there fuel docks on Grapevine Lake?

Marinalo marks fuel docks at Scott's Landing and Silver Lake marinas in Grapevine and Twin Coves Marina in Flower Mound. Call to confirm hours.

Does Grapevine Lake have zebra mussels?

TPWD's lake page says zebra mussels have invaded this reservoir, so clean, drain and dry before you leave.

Sources

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