Travis County, TX Public Conduct: Loitering Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Location covered
- Loop 360 Boat Ramp only
- Permitted use
- Launch/retrieve or board/disembark watercraft only
- Prohibited
- Loitering, grilling, fishing, picnicking, swimming
- Enforcement
- Travis County Park Rangers, peace officers
- Penalty
- Eviction plus trespass warning under § 232.010
Summary
Travis County's only loitering ban sits in one place: the Loop 360 Boat Ramp on Lake Austin. Section 232.043 limits the ramp to launching and retrieving watercraft or boarding and disembarking, and bars loitering, grilling, fishing, picnicking, swimming, and any other water activity from the shoreline there.
a. The Loop 360 Boat Ramp may be used only to launch and retrieve watercraft or board and disembark watercraft. b. Visitors are prohibited from all other activities, including loitering, grilling, fishing, picnicking, swimming, and any water activities from the shoreline.
Full Breakdown
Chapter 232's park rules contain exactly one loitering prohibition in the entire Travis County Code, and it is narrow by design. 043(a) restricts the Loop 360 Boat Ramp, the popular Lake Austin access point beneath the Pennybacker Bridge, to launching and retrieving watercraft or boarding and disembarking passengers. 043(b) then bars visitors from all other activities, including loitering, grilling, fishing, picnicking, swimming, and any water activities from the shoreline. The rule exists to keep the narrow ramp and parking area moving for boat traffic rather than to police public gathering countywide; Travis County has no general anti-loitering ordinance covering unincorporated streets, sidewalks, or other public spaces outside its park system.
05. A violation can mean confiscation of any park permits in hand, eviction from the park for at least 48 hours, and a criminal trespass warning; repeated or aggravated conduct extends that warning to 30 days. The prohibition applies only at this one facility; nearby facilities such as Bob Wentz Park, Hamilton Pool Preserve, and Pace Bend Park are governed by their own, separate park-specific rules in Subchapter C and do not carry a loitering ban of their own.
Violations & Fines
Loitering at the Loop 360 Boat Ramp is enforced like any other park rule violation under 232.010: eviction for a minimum of 48 hours and a criminal trespass warning, escalating to 30 days for repeat or aggravated conduct and up to six months for an accompanying Class C misdemeanor. A trespass warning, though not an eviction, can be appealed by emailing tcpp@traviscountytx.gov within seven days of issuance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is loitering illegal anywhere in unincorporated Travis County?
What am I allowed to do at the Loop 360 Boat Ramp?
What happens if I get cited for loitering there?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Travis County
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Travis County to another location·View the Texas public conduct overview
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