The Ray Roberts Lake Elm Fork Unit is a satellite unit of Ray Roberts Lake State Park in Denton County, Texas. Its access includes a boat ramp, so check the park’s current guidance before you plan a day on the water.
- Location: Denton County
- Access: A satellite unit with a boat ramp
- Typical hours: Daily, 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., according to Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD)
- General park admission: $7 per adult; children 12 and under enter free
Where the Elm Fork Unit is
The Elm Fork Unit is one of six satellite units in Ray Roberts Lake State Park, and it is in Denton County. The park’s three units with recreation and overnight facilities are Johnson Branch, Isle du Bois and Jordan.
The Greenbelt Corridor is a separate feature, not another name for the Elm Fork Unit. This 20-mile multiuse corridor follows the Elm Fork Branch of the Trinity River from Ray Roberts Dam to Lake Lewisville.
How do you access the Elm Fork Unit?
Elm Fork is a satellite unit with a boat ramp, and satellite units are open daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Hours and access details can change, so check the official site before you go.
Ray Roberts Lake State Park has nine units in total: three with recreation and overnight facilities and six satellite units with boat ramps. If you are comparing locations around the lake, the Sanger Unit’s trails, camping and visitor access are covered separately.
What can you do at Elm Fork and around the lake?
The listed feature at the Elm Fork satellite unit is its boat ramp. The Greenbelt Corridor is a multiuse route, but it is separate from the Elm Fork unit. For current equestrian-trail opening and closure information on the corridor, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers directs visitors to TPWD.
Boaters on Ray Roberts Lake must clean, drain and dry boats, trailers, livewells, bait buckets and other gear before moving to another water body. Draining water is required by law, and possessing or transporting zebra mussels is illegal.
What are the fees and reservation rules?
The general daily entrance fee for Ray Roberts Lake State Park is $7 per adult, with free entry for children 12 and under. The lake-access guidance says fees apply at locations except Pecan Creek, where donations are requested; it does not give a separate Elm Fork fee. Confirm the applicable charge when planning your visit.
Reservations are recommended for day-use passes as well as camping because the park often reaches capacity. You can reserve passes online or by calling the customer service center. The park’s busy season runs from March through November.
Weather and park-condition checks
Ray Roberts Lake has an average January low of 30 degrees, an average July high of 95 degrees and average annual rainfall of 38.2 inches. Those averages offer context, but they do not tell you the conditions on a particular day; check current park and lake updates before setting out.
FAQs
Is the Elm Fork Unit part of Ray Roberts Lake State Park?
Yes. Elm Fork is one of the park’s six satellite units, which have boat ramps.
Does Elm Fork have camping?
Johnson Branch, Isle du Bois and Jordan are the units with recreation and overnight facilities. Elm Fork is not among those three.
Can you use the Greenbelt Corridor from the Elm Fork Unit?
The Greenbelt Corridor is separate from the Elm Fork satellite unit. For equestrian-trail opening and closure information, contact TPWD as directed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
How do you get around Bedford?
Bedford city centre is about 23 minutes on foot or 3 minutes by car from Bestway Inn; the guide to getting around Bedford covers local transport.