The Texas Utilities Generating Company deeded the park to the state in 1976, and it opened the same year.

[3] The park offers year-round fishing, camping, paddling, lake swimming, hiking and cycling, water-skiing, picnicking, geocaching and nature photography.

Wildlife found in this forested area include opossums, swamp rabbits, beaver, white-tailed deer, raccoons, armadillos and squirrels.

Some of the most commonly seen birds are mallard ducks, great blue herons, green herons, great egrets, northern cardinals, blue jays, red-headed woodpeckers, cormorants and northern mockingbirds.

Fish in Martin Creek Lake include largemouth bass, crappie, channel catfish, yellow bullhead, tilapia and sunfish.