Westcliff

Belton Lake

Westcliff Park is a day-use area and campground located on the southwestern shore of Belton Lake. The lake provides some of the best fishing and boating in Central Texas in addition to amenities such as a swimming beach, boat ramp, playground and picnic areas for RVs and tents, including four tent-only primitive sites.

Belton Lake was created by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers with the construction of Belton Dam in 1954. The 12,300-acre lake is located on the Leon River, just upstream of the confluence of the Leon River and the Little River. It is a long, narrow and winding lake with many curves and coves perfect for fishing.

Facilities List:

1 Gatehouse (Months, days, hours, and pass availability subject to change)

On-Site Park Hosts/Maintenance Volunteers

27 Campsites (w/ hookups)

4 Primitive Tent-Only Sites (w/ water only)

1 Restroom Facility (w/ sinks, showers, and flush toilets)

2 Restroom Facilities (w/ sinks and flush toilets)

1 Vault Restroom Facility

1 Boat Ramp (Multi-lane)

1 Courtesy Dock

1 Playground

1 Swimbeach (Seasonal)

Facilities Description:

West Cliff Park boasts sunny campsites with excellent water access and convenient amenities, including flush toilets, day use areas with a playground, swimbeach, and a multi-lane boat ramp with a courtesy dock for easy loading. Let the kids enjoy the swim beach area and playground while you relax! This park is seasonal, and all but the main road and main boat ramp will close Oct 1 - March 1.

Need to Know

Day Use: West Cliff Park has Day Use areas. Parking is based on first-come, first-serve. Day Use hours are 6 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. daily *Day use fees apply* (No cash). Visitors are required to physically arrive at the park to claim a parking space and pay the fee. Once on-site, follow the posted instructions to pay via QR code or from pay machine near the gatehouse. For additional information, you can download and sign into the free Recreation.gov Mobile App on Android or iOS prior to your arrival to make sure you can access the site when you scan the QR code to pay your fee.
Gatehouse: NEW FOR THE 2025 SEASON - West Cliff Park will have a gatehouse attendant available Friday-Sunday during check-in times beginning March 2025. *Months, hours, and pass availability to be announced and are subject to change*
Camping Check In/Out: Check-in time is 3 p.m. and check-out time is prior to 2 p.m. Early check-ins will not be permitted. See your recreation.gov confirmation e-mail for your 4-digit gate code, which will be located at the bottom of the email.

*Camping at any one or more sites at any one water resource (Lake) project for a period of longer than 14 days during any 30-consecutive-day period is prohibited without written permission of the District Commander.*
Park Specifics: West Cliff Park is open seasonally with camping closures from Nov 1 - March 1. Day use areas are open year-round.

West Cliff Park will be enforcing a 2 car per-site rule. The first camper to check-in for each site will receive all parking passes. Additional day-use parking may be purchased for additional vehicles/visitors and will be required to park in overflow areas located throughout the park. Parking on grass or roadways is prohibited.
Dumping: RV/Trailer tank discharging is only allowed in designated dump stations. Discharge of holding tanks to include "grey water" is probited in all other locations, to include campsite areas. Dumping of household trash (to include vehicle/boat/trailer parts) on USACE properties/parks is prohibited, including park dumpsters. Violations of the aforementioned rules may result in a citation.
Rules & Regulations: Title 36 CFR (EP 1165-2-316) governs the public use of water resources development projects administered by the Chief of Engineers. Visitors to any Corps project are bound by these Title 36 regulations, which are enforced by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Visit the Title 36 section of this website for a copy of the rules and regulations or visit the local lake office.
Events: Fishing tournaments, events/parties, especially those with inflatables or special equipment, require an approved Lake Activity Permit from the Belton Lake Office.
Don't Move Firewood: Protect your forests from tree-killing pests by buying your firewood locally and burning it on-site. Visit DontMoveFirewood Website for further information. Cutting of trees for firewood is prohibited on USACE property.
For More Information: For more information, call the Belton Lake Office at 254-742-3050 Mon-Fri (8a-430p) or visit the Belton Lake Website .

ALWAYS WEAR A LIFE-JACKET!

Natural Features

The campground is mostly open with a few trees providing shade at picnic areas and at some of the campsites. Westcliff is on a bluff overlooking the lake; while many of the campsites are directly on the shoreline, all campsites have a view of the lake.

The lake area is habitat for deer, wild turkey and water birds such as Great Blue herons, ducks, geese, many species of songbirds and even an occasional bald eagle. A man-made wetland on the opposite side of the lake was constructed to provide an additional 25 acres of wildlife habitat in the lake area.

Nearby Attractions

Belton Lake is located adjacent to the Fort Hood Army Base, which has several points of interest for the military buff.

The mural painted on the spillway wall of Belton Dam depicts the history of the Bell County area.

Recreation

With 136 miles of shoreline, Belton Lake offers a wide variety of recreation activities. West Cliff Park is most popular for it's close proximity to the shoreline for campers. Westcliff Park offers a day use area complete with one multi-lane boat ramp, a playground, and campground. The lake is also a popular fishing spot for hybrid striped bass, largemouth bass, white bass, catfish and sunfish.

White-tailed deer, hawks, great blue herons, ducks, geese, many species of songbirds, bobwhite quail, Rio Grande turkey, and even an occasional bald eagle visit the lake area, yielding year-round opportunities for wildlife enthusiasts and kids alike!

Changes & Cancellations

Changes and cancellations are subject to a $10.00 administrative fee. Refund requests are processed through recreation.gov website or app.

Contact Information

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4200 Westcliff Rd BELTON TX 76513

Phone Number

For campground inquiries, please call: 254-939-9828

Rental Options

Learn more about gear rental options for your trip

Driving Directions

From Interstate 35 in Belton, Texas take the 294 exit (6th Avenue or Farm-to-Market Road 93) west. Turn north onto 317 (Main Street) and drive for two miles. Turn west on FM 439 (Lake Road) and go four miles. Turn right on Sparta Road, then take a right on Westcliff Park Road to the park.

Available Campsites

Photo Gallery

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