What's Still Open at Lake Weatherford While the Beach Is Rebuilt

The sandy beach on Lake Weatherford is scheduled for construction this winter. Weatherford's Municipal Utility Board approved the beach contract on Sept. 24, 2026, with work set to begin Sept. 30. At that meeting, Parks staff said the park would be fenced off and closed until the new beach is finished. The city's target is spring 2027. When it reopens, the beach will be run by the city and will be free to visit.

The rest of the lake stays open this winter. The bait shop, the Crappie House, the boat ramp and Tavern on the Lake keep their usual operator. The 1.18-mile Boardwalk across the water is also open. Texas Parks and Wildlife says crappie fishing is best in winter and spring, which is exactly the stretch of time the beach will be fenced.

What's going up behind the fence

The beach project is the biggest change at the lake in years. The agenda packet for the Sept. 24 meeting names Patcon Services, LLC as the contractor, with a ceiling of $1,367,871. The plan includes:

• new beach sand and a large retaining wall
• a new restroom building
• two large pavilions and three smaller ones, which the city also calls palapas
• two regulation sand volleyball courts
• lighted walkways, expanded parking and a trail connection

Getting onto the beach and using the restrooms will cost nothing. You'll pay only if you reserve a pavilion or a volleyball court for a party or event. Otherwise those spaces are first come, first served.

Here's the schedule from the packet, alongside the city's own description:

The Parks and Recreation quarterly report covering July through September says the contract has been signed and gives spring 2027 as the estimated finish. Parks Director Jaycob Kirkpatrick explained the project's purpose in the city's May 28 announcement:

"Lake Weatherford is one of our community's most scenic outdoor spaces, and these improvements are about making it easier for everyone to enjoy."

Why only the beach changed hands

The city owns the Lake Weatherford marina. For years, one operator has run the tavern and the other marina facilities under a lease and concessions agreement. That included the beach, the boat slip, the bait shop, the mechanic shop and the Crappie House.

The first proposal was bigger. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported that the city first pitched a $1.8 million lakefront overhaul. It covered $1.5 million for the beach, $200,000 for the Crappie House and $100,000 for the boat slips. In late May, the utility board decided to end the agreement for the beach operations only and leave everything else as it was. City spokesperson Erin Spicer told the Star-Telegram the change is about "bringing the beach area under City operation so it can be improved and made free and open to the public."

Weatherford News covered the agreement as well. Under the revised plan, the operator keeps earning from the non-beach marina facilities. The paper also ran a correction saying no lease-termination notice was ever issued.

What this means for your winter is simple. The fence surrounds the city's project. The marina business sits outside it and keeps operating.

The marina side stays open, and winter is crappie season

Tavern on the Lake is at 210 W. Lake Dr. Experience Weatherford lists it as open year-round, serving burgers, catfish and other American food. The weekly lineup on that listing:

• Wednesdays: Bingo
• Thursdays: live music
• Sundays: Dallas Cowboys watch parties

That listing doesn't give hours, so call 817-550-6408 before you head over on a weeknight. If the building looks familiar, it may be from TV. The Star-Telegram noted it appeared in the third episode of "Dutton Ranch," the "Yellowstone" spinoff.

For boaters, Texas Parks and Wildlife lists Weatherford Marina as privately run and open year-round. It has an improved ramp that works for any boat, plus courtesy docks, a convenience store, tackle and bait. Launching costs a fee; TPWD's page doesn't give the amount. To get there per TPWD's access directions, take FM 5 north from US 80/180 and turn left on West Lake Drive. The ramp is less than a mile down on the right. The two unimproved ramps at the upper end of the lake only work for small aluminum boats, and camping overnight isn't allowed anywhere on the lake.

Fishing is the main reason this side of the lake stays busy in cold weather. TPWD's Lake Weatherford page lists largemouth bass, white bass, crappie, channel catfish and sunfish as the main species. It says crappie are best in winter and spring, and that minnows are the usual bait at the enclosed dock and marina. Bass fishing is good in spring and fall, and catfish bite all year. The Crappie House stays with the marina operator under the revised agreement.

The Boardwalk is the stroll that stays open

You can still get right next to the water without a boat or a fishing license. The Boardwalk at Lake Weatherford runs across the lake between West Lake Drive and East Lake Drive. It has two entrances, one at 1198 W. Lake Dr. and one at 2864 E. Lake Dr. According to a WeatherfordNOW feature, it opened in April 2020. It's flat and ADA-accessible, there's parking at both entrances, and the full out-and-back loop is 1.18 miles. Experience Weatherford mentions benches along the way and calls it a good spot for bird-watching, fishing and reading.

Parks crews mowed and cleaned up along the Boardwalk this summer. They also brought in goats to clear brush from the steep Lake Weatherford hillsides that are hard to reach.

What spring 2027 adds beyond the beach

The beach is the first piece of a longer plan. The city's May release describes a Lake Trail Project that will link the lake neighborhoods, the marina area, the beach and the parking areas. It's being built in two phases:

1. Phase 1, a 10-foot-wide hike-and-bike trail, is planned to be done in spring 2027.
2. Phase 2 will carry the trail across the dam to East Lake Drive. Its target is summer 2029.

The city says both the beach and the trail come from its General Plan and Parks Master Plan.

Holland Lake Park is getting work too. In September, Weatherford News reported a $2.457 million contract with Whirlix Design Inc. for a new playground there. Its centerpiece is a 27-foot tower with a cable-netting climb, connected to a second play structure. Kirkpatrick said only two other cities have this tower, and Weatherford will be the first to connect it to another piece of equipment. The paper reported a June 2027 completion date.

I love hearing how people around Weatherford spend time at the lake, whether that's crappie fishing at the Crappie House, a Thursday night at Tavern on the Lake or a morning walk on the Boardwalk. If you'd like to talk about the streets around Lake Weatherford, or what the new beach and trail could mean for nearby homes once they open, I'd be glad to help. Reach out to Leslie Billingsley anytime. Let's Connect.