Alcoa Lake & Granger Lake
© Bert Frenz, 1998-2004
These two lakes and the surrounding areas make an interesting day trip whether starting from College Station or Austin. Alcoa Lake, near Rockdale in Milam County, offers great quantities and varieties of ducks, occasionally rare gulls (e.g. Sabine's Gull) and a variety of out-of-season surprises. Granger Lake in Williamson County has the reputation of a great spot for Mountain Plover, Sprague's Pipit and several longspur species, particularly Chestnut-collared Longspur, Lapland Longspur and McCown's Longspur. The huge expanse of open farmlands are home to thousands of meadowlarks which seem to be about 90-98% Western Meadowlarks. Horned Larks also enjoy this habitat. Willis Creek Park on Granger Lake is a great spot for finding 13 or 14 sparrow species, including Harris' Sparrow and LeConte's Sparrow.
Much of the good birding at Alcoa Lake can be done without entering the Alcoa plant. But dont let that stop you. The company is friendly toward birders - dont use your camera, however - and provides access to good habitat around the lake. To bird the restricted area, follow the guide below to Milepost 154.5. Then continue approximately 0.2 mile further and register at the Visitors Center. If you are birding on a Sunday or federal holiday, the Visitors Center is closed and you need to look behind this building at a nondescript one-story building marked "Plant Protection Office." It is about 100 yards off the road and is not obvious. The best times to bird Alcoa Lake are weekends and holidays.
The Granger itinerary is complex because so many county roads weave almost randomly through the sorghum fields and the lake area hides many wildlife management areas that are not obvious to locate. The following table hits all the key areas and marks where unusual species have been sighted in the past. There is insufficient time in one day to make all the birding stops, so plan your trip accordingly. You will need to leave Milepost 129.2 by 3 P.M. to allow enough time for a brief visit to Alcoa Lake.
Starting from College Station -- use the chart as given
Starting from Austin -- head northeast toward Taylor, then take Texas 95 north for 18.7 miles to Circleville. From here, pick up the itinerary at Milepost 107.5 on the chart below. Continue forward on the chart to cover the south side of Granger Lake or read the chart in reverse to head around the north side of Granger Lake.
Starting from Waco and points north -- take I-35 to Georgetown, then FR 971 to Granger. Continue on FR 971 until you join the itinerary at Milepost 95.3 and decide whether you want to use the chart forwards or backwards.
Starting from Houston -- take I-10 or US 290 to Texas 95, continue north to Taylor and then another 18.7 miles to Circleville. From here, pick up the itinerary at Milepost 107.5 on the chart below. Continue forward on the chart to cover the south side of Granger Lake or read the chart in reverse to head around the north side of Granger Lake.
Satellite photo - see Terraserver site
Additional maps -- successive maps zoom in on a previous one.
Alcoa Lake: (largest area) Map A1 Map A2 (smallest area)
Granger: (largest area) Map G1 show above Map G2 Map G3 Map G4 (smallest area)
Report your sightings -- please report you sightings to Bert Frenz for inclusion in his RBA, NAB and TOS reports.
Itinerary for Alcoa Lake, Granger Lake and surrounding areas
Milepost |
Action |
Location |
Notes |
0.0 |
start at |
Texas Av & University Dr |
College Station, Brazos County |
0.0 |
head east on |
University Dr. (FM 60) |
|
1.8 |
turn left (north) on |
Texas 6 (bypass) |
|
6.5 |
cross |
Texas 21 / US 190 |
|
26.8 |
turn left on |
US 79 (south) |
in Hearne |
32.0 |
cross |
Brazos River |
entering Milam County |
57.6 |
turn right on |
FM 487 (west) |
in Rockdale |
79.5 |
turn left on |
CR 422 |
before reaching Davilla |
79.7 |
turn left on |
CR 422 |
gravel road, mesquite habitat, see -------- Map G3 ---------- |
82.1 |
turn right on |
Alligator Rd. |
cattle pastures & wooded edges. Jet-black dark-morph Red-tailed Hawk found from here to the "T". Latitude = 30 45' 31" (30.7552); longitude = 97 18' 29" (-97.3048) |
80.5 |
cross |
Alligator Creek |
entering Bell County |
84.1 |
turn left on |
Alligator Rd. |
sign post says "Althea LP." |
84.2 |
birding stop at |
"T" at Alligator Rd. and Friendship Rd. Latitude = 30 45' 48" (30.7580); longitude = 97 19' 40" (-97.3233) |
Start looking for longspurs, especially Chestnut-Collared Longspurs. |
84.2 |
turn left on |
Friendship Rd. |
Mountain Plovers from the "T" south to the curve. |
84.5 |
road becomes |
CR 360 |
entering Williamson County |
85.2 |
birding stop at |
curve. GSS Latitude = 30 45' 02" (30.7503); longitude = 97 19' 58" (-97.3263). For use on Tiger Maps these correspond to 30.750 and -97.332 |
Mountain Plovers most often seen here. Best time seems to be early morning. Longspurs sometimes fly over this spot. ---------Map G4---------- |
85.7 |
turn right on |
CR 359, "T" |
Burrowing Owl seen here |
87.1 |
turn right on |
FR 971 (west) |
|
87.5 |
birding stop at |
Friendship Park |
on Granger Lake, US Army Corp of Engineers, $3 entrance fee, usually waived for birding. No fee in winter. |
87.5 |
continue on |
FR 971 (west) |
|
88.3 |
birding stop at |
Sore Finger Wildlife Area (to the left on the extension of CR 358) Lat. N 30 43' 47" and Long. W 97 21' 04" |
Granger Lake WMA - Sore Finger Unit, Texas Parks & Wildlife Dept, Short-eared Owl found here |
88.3 |
continue on |
FM 971 (west) |
along north side of Granger Lake |
90.5 |
birding stop at |
Willis Creek Wildlife Area (across from tower with large white sphere) |
Granger Lake WMA - Willis Creek Unit, Texas Parks & Wildlife Dept |
91.9 |
turn left on |
CR 349 (south) |
gravel road along WMA |
92.9 |
turn right on |
same road |
gravel road makes two right-hand turns and returns to FM 971 |
94.7 |
turn left on |
FM 971 (west) |
|
95.3 |
turn left on |
CR 348 (south) |
Beard Manchu Allison cemetery |
95.6 |
cross |
CR 347 (on right) |
Say's Phoebe seen from here to Willis Creek Park. Also Red-shafted Flicker. |
96.5 |
birding stop at |
Opposum Creek |
Granger Lake WMA - Opposum Creek, parking lot and trail along the creek, good wooded habitat |
96.5 |
continue on |
CR 348 (south) |
look for sparrows & Bewick's Wren |
98.3 |
birding stop at |
Willis Creek Park |
on Granger Lake, US Army Corp of Engineers, $3 entrance fee, usually waived for birding, great spot for sparrows, including Harris' and LeConte's, Spotted Towhee. RV and tent camping is available here. |
98.3 |
double back on |
CR 348 (north) |
|
99.2 |
turn left on |
CR 346 (west) |
Mountain Plover seen in fields. |
100.0 |
cross |
CR 347 |
Mountain Plover seen in fields. |
101.1 |
turn left on |
CR 345 (south) |
Mountain Plover seen in fields. |
103.3 |
turn left on |
CR 347 |
|
104.7 |
birding stop at |
San Gabriel Wildlife Area |
Granger Lake WMA - San Gabriel Unit, Texas Parks & Wildlife Dept, parking lot, primitive boat launch (canoeing?) |
104.7 |
double back on |
CR 347 |
|
106.1 |
turn left on |
CR 347 (west) |
|
106.5 |
turn left on |
Texas 95 (south) |
|
107.5 |
cross |
CR 374 |
Circleville, lunch?, meeting place?, Great-tailed Grackles |
107.7 |
turn left on |
FR 1331 (east) |
along south side of Granger Lake |
111.3 |
turn left on |
CR 496 (on left) |
water treatment plant |
111.3 |
birding stop at | Comanche Park | good for wintering sparrows |
112.5 |
birding stop at |
Taylor Park |
on Granger Lake, US Army Corp of Engineers, $3 entrance fee, usually waived for birding |
114.2 |
turn left to |
Wilson H. Fox Park |
on Granger Lake |
114.9 |
birding stop at |
overlook |
ducks |
114.9 |
birding stop at |
cattail marsh below south spillway of dam |
Sora, Say's Phoebe, Marsh Wren, yellowthroat, Swamp and LeConte's Sparrows |
116.1 |
birding stop at |
spillway |
cormorant, herons |
117.3 |
birding stop at |
Prairie Replication Site |
Wild Turkey |
117.5 |
turn left on |
FM 971 (west) |
|
118.5 |
cross |
CR 360 |
We've completed the loop around Granger Lake. If short on time turn right here and head back the way you came until Alligator Rd. Pick up on this table at Milepost 129.2. If you picked up the itinerary at Circleville and haven't seen the Mountain Plovers, make this right turn also and follow from Milepost 87.1 backwards. |
121.8 |
pass |
Willis Creek Wildlife Area (across from tower with large white sphere) |
|
122.4 |
turn right on | CR 352 | |
122.6 |
cross | CR 357 (on right) | longspurs sighted here |
124.9 |
slow down at |
CR 353 |
longspurs sighted here to Alligator Rd. |
126.4 |
birding stop at | left on Alligator Rd. | Mountain Plovers seen here early in the 1998 season and again in 1999. Nicknamed the "megafield." |
126.4 |
turn right on |
Alligator Rd. |
Sprague's Pipits along this road |
129.2 |
cross |
"T" at Alligator Rd. & Friendship Rd. |
we've finished the loop and are now headed back to Milam Co. |
129.3 |
continue right at | Althea LP signpost | still on Alligator Rd. |
131.8 |
turn left on | CR 422 | Milam County |
133.9 |
turn right on |
FR 487 (east) |
at Davilla |
139.3 |
turn right on |
FR 3061 |
toward San Gabriel |
143.3 |
turn right on |
FR 486 (south) |
in San Gabriel |
149.8 |
turn left on |
US 79 (north) |
in Thorndale |
157.3 |
turn right on |
FR 1786 |
bird woods beside road to Alcoa Lake --------- Map A1---------- |
161.2 |
birding stop at |
Alcoa Lake |
bird marsh on right and bay on left for herons, ducks, yellowthroats, wrens --------- Map A2---------- |
162.2 |
turn left at |
Alcoa power plant |
|
162.4 |
birding stop at |
pond, Lat. N 30 34' 09" Long. W 97 04' 23" |
100's of ducks |
162.8 |
birding stop at |
hot water runoff |
night-herons, cormorants |
birding stop at |
Alcoa Lake |
To bird more around the lake, continue to the Visitor's Center or Security Office. (See details above). |
|
231.3 |
return to C.S. |
Texas Av & University Dr. |
Other areas where plovers, longspurs and pipits have been sighted:
Mountain Plovers
M-1. South of CR 124 (labeled 338 on many maps) and CR 340 (labeled 337 on many maps). This is west of Texas 95. From the intersection of Texas 95 and Texas 29 travel north for about 2 miles, turn left (west) on CR 124, continue for 2-3 miles until you reach CR 340.
Longspurs
L-1. On CR 192 which is 0.6-0.7 miles north of Texas 29.
L-2. On CR 127 just west of its intersection with CR 192.
L-3. On the hill near the intersection of CR 124 and CR 341.
L-4. CR 158.
Sprague's Pipits
S-1. On CR 124 one-half mile west of Texas 95
S-2. CR 192 between Granger and Round Rock
Return to: Birding in Central Brazos Valley
This page was last updated December 15, 2004.