Cooper State Park - Doctors Creek Unit — Attraction in Sulphur Springs

The Cooper Lake Creature

The old-timers in Cooper, Texas, don’t like to talk about the thing that lives in the lake. Ask about it at the bait shop, and you’ll get nothing but side-eyes and a few muttered warnings to “mind your business.” But if you find someone who’s had a few drinks and seen a few things, they might tell you about the Cooper Lake Creature—half man, half carp, and all nightmare.

The first real sighting was back in the early ‘70s. A pair of fishermen, brothers from Sulphur Springs, were out on the water before dawn when something huge bumped their boat. At first, they thought it was a gator gar, but then a slick, grayish arm—webbed, scaly, and as thick as a man’s leg—rose from the depths and slapped the side of their jon boat. The brothers swore up and down they saw its face next—a bloated, fish-eyed horror with a mouth like a whiskered maw, human-like but wrong in every possible way.

The thing groaned, deep and guttural, before sliding back under. The brothers never fished Cooper Lake again.

Over the years, others have claimed to see it—usually just a shape in the water, a glistening back breaking the surface, or something moving too fast beneath the waves. Night swimmers talk about an unnatural pull in certain parts of the lake, like something waiting just below, reaching.

Some say the Cooper Lake Creature is a curse, the result of an old tragedy from before the reservoir was built—something that was drowned, but never really died. Others think it’s something older, some prehistoric mutation that’s adapted to the murky waters and learned to hunt. Either way, if you’re out there after dark and hear a slapping sound against your boat or feel something brush against your leg in the shallows, don’t look down.

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I dont give 5 stars very often, but this place is super nice!

I went for a 1 night tent camp. Basically, I have not been camping in a very long time, so I wanted to knock the dust off what I had.

So, here is what I learned. First off. The water and electricity is right next to the pad for camp trailers. If you are going to use a tent, you may consider a 50 or even a 100' extension cord.

The bathrooms are clean, they have stalls, hot & cold water and they are heated! I was in slot #28, so bathroom was about 125 ft walk through the trees. But there are paths you can follow. The trash was maybe 125 ft away as well, in a different direction. There is a grill provided, picnic table on a concrete slab, a hook on a pole for light or hand wash station. Fire ring is about 40" across and 10" deep. The lots are very spacious and well managed.

Something else you may consider. It is $18 to get in $5 per person per day. So 2 people going for 2 days is $38. A park pass is only $70. So if you go 2 times, you are break even.

It was very quite. People were friendly. Time to time a dog would bark, but not bad.

The coolest part, 3 deer came through my camp. So it was a...

Great place for photography, walking, biking, play-day w/ the kids, camping, or just sitting & cogitating. The most frequented areas of Cooper Lake State Park - Doctors Creek Unit is well mowed-n-trimmed. Some amenities have failed / broken & haven't been repaired. E.G., the lake is 4-8' lower than the end of Lone Pine Boat Ramp which has been blocked off. I visited at the end of September '18, so there weren't many campers, maybe 5 - 10 % occupied. 🌱 The lake's beautiful & flora spectacular due to recent rains. At Pelican Point Day Use Area (1 of 2 day-use areas) there's a picnic pavilion, playground, several picnic tables, & public restrooms w/ showers. ⛺️ Camping areas all have concrete slabs for RV's or autos. 42 multi-use campsites w/ H₂0 & electricity, 5 screened shelters, 2 premium shelters, hiking trail, & a trailer dump station. I paid $5.⁰⁰ / adult for a day pass. ⏰ Park offices/front gates are open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

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