The 30-second answer
Get permission. Then confirm the boundary.
Only use the narrow strip that waves regularly wash inside Westlake Park. Normal dry grass is off limits. USACE defines the band as about eight vertical feet above or below the normal 522-foot lake level.
Public checkpoints
Use an entrance, not a treasure pin.
These are easy places to begin your official check. They are not a promise that every square foot is open.
- 01Lewisville Lake Project Office
1801 N Mill Street · obtain the detector permit before the trip
- 02Westlake Park entrance
2000 Main Street · day-use park with gate-controlled access
- 03Wave-disturbed shoreline
Ask staff where today’s legal band begins and ends
Rules in plain English
Five things to remember.
- Get the Lewisville Lake metal-detecting permit in advance and carry it while detecting.
- Stay in the wave-disturbed shoreline band. Do not move onto upland park ground or land outside the Corps park.
- Use only a one-hand tool no more than 4 inches wide, 4 inches deep, and 12 inches long. Refill every hole.
- Turn in identifiable finds such as rings and watches, plus any item worth more than $25.
- Leave possible historical, archaeological, or paleontological material in place and notify USACE.
Before you go
Make the last check simple.
- Call the Project Office and obtain the permit; do not arrive hoping the gate can issue it.
- Carry the permit and a small tool that fits all three size limits.
- Check lake level, park hours, fee, and any closure before the drive.
- At the shoreline, use wave action—not a fixed internet pin—to judge the current band.
Quick questions
What detectorists ask first.
Do I need a permit at Westlake Park?
Yes. Lewisville Lake requires a metal-detecting permit from the Project Office, and you must carry it while detecting.
Can I detect the grass above the lake?
No. The official policy excludes upland park areas and limits detecting to the wave-disturbed shoreline band.
Why is there no exact shoreline pin?
The lake level moves. The legal band is tied to wave action and elevation, so a permanent pin could put you in the wrong place.