But decades ago a few daredevils did! That was before the 25' maximum cliff height was put in place, thankfully! Those were the days when you could water ski in Neeley's Slough, Scuba Point Dive Shop was the major visitor attraction, La Villa was pretty much the only marina on the lake with sparkling new wooden cabin cruisers, and luring largemouth bass was big-time sports fishing! Over the years much has gradually changed around Possum Kingdom Lake. Water skiing has evolved to much more radical wake boarding & surfing, striper fishing requires skilled techniques to seek out the really big game, and an abundance of other outdoor activities have emerged since those early days like championship golfing, hiking, kayaking and mountain biking. The changes are great! There is so much more cool and SAFER stuff to do at PK these days! The entire area has become the mecca in North Central Texas for outdoor activity! The one change that's on everyone's minds these days is the fires. No doubt last summer's wildfires were horrific and they abruptly altered both landscape around the lake and the lives of all of us in the PK community. However, that experience gave rise to an overwhelming surge of volunteerism, ingenuity and grass-roots support that cannot be found in just any community and we are fortunate and proud to have been part of it! Everyone stepped up, from the hundreds handling food preparation at the PK Chamber and Graford High School, to the tech-savvy folks at Pondera running the blog, to River Authority personnel providing logistics support for firefighting Command Post ops, to folks who kept constant vigil by texting and facebooking when smoke was spotted. Each and every resident across Palo Pinto County contributed in their own way. It's a testament to our way of life out here at Possum Kingdom, what everyone envies as our lake life. It's not just all about recreation. Hidden underneath is a community chock-full of extraordinary individuals who, in the face of serious unexpected challenge, demonstrated to.... well, the world... what we're really made of! We turned to each other, locked hands and wove a firefighter safety net so strong that even the federal boys were impressed! Like the pioneering days of old when in 1859 Henry Belding moved to this area. In the midst of great adversity he managed to build a ranch which included all of Sportsmans World, Gaines Bend and The Cliffs. He fought extreme drought, cold and heat; dust storms, floods and fires; Indians and intruders that he called "depredators"; all the while showing the pioneer spirit still seen today from the people of Possum Kingdom who stand tall against adversity! Even now, witness the rebuilding of homes which is occurring lakeside and inland at a phenomenal rate! Land once heavily wooded has been cleared and new neighborhoods have sprouted up such as Rawhide Vistas in Gaines Bend with exceptional lake views where only cedars could be seen before! The front entrance of The Cliffs Resort is totally rebuilt and they're reopening their fabulous golf course this week with brand new greens! Yes, a lot HAS changed! But thankfully there are a number of things that will NEVER change! Boating below these gorgeous limestone bluffs is absolutely to die for! Deer are abundant everywhere and always looking for a handout! Sandy Beach is the best spot ever for family picnics, swimming and camping out! Rafting boats in Hells Gates Cove with anyone and everyone is just a downright blast! And naturally, Hells Gate will forever remain the most incredible rock formation on this, the Greatest Lake in Texas, Possum Kingdom.