Hide-A-Way Lake, Hideaway, TX

About Hide-A-Way Lake

Hide-A-Way Lake is in Hideaway, in the East Texas Lakes & Piney Woods region of Texas. Developer: Hide-A-Way Lake Club, Inc. (owner-run homeowners association). Status: Open. Not age-restricted; it is included for retiree-oriented amenities.

Hide-A-Way Lake is the community that became the City of Hideaway in Hideaway, in northwestern Smith County, north of Interstate 20 and about thirteen miles northwest of Tyler by the city's own description. Lot sales began on July 4, 1967, and the development was promoted as a weekend retreat for residents of Dallas and Shreveport. The land was deeded to Hide-A-Way Lake Club, Inc., the homeowners association, in 1969, and the club has been operated by its members through a 12-member board since 1973. In 2001 the community incorporated as a city to avoid annexation by a nearby city, and the city has the same boundaries as the club.

The club's about page says the community covers almost 10 square miles, with over 1,600 homes arranged around 235 acres of lakes and a total population of just over 3,000. It describes a mix of families, retirees and people who like a small community. The club lists manned access gates and roving security patrols around the clock, three lakes with boat ramps, docks, fishing piers and a beach, a 27-hole golf course with a golf shop and driving range, four parks, on-site dining, a swimming pool with lifeguards, community buildings available to residents without charge, an emergency medical service base and dozens of resident organizations. The Census Bureau's 2019-2023 estimates for the city show a population of 3,259, a median age of 59.5 and 36.1 percent of residents aged 65 or older.

This is a retirement-heavy community, but it is not age-restricted. The club and city describe all ages, and the club's bylaws and membership application make provisions for families, including children under 25 who live at home. A buyer who wants a guaranteed 55-plus neighborhood should look elsewhere; a buyer who wants an active lake-and-golf community with a mix of ages will find it here. Buying is also conditional. A purchase requires membership in the club, and the club's application process includes background and credit checks and board approval, described below.

Golf is part of membership rather than an add-on: the club's 2026 fee schedule says greens fees are included in membership. The schedule also says the swimming pool carries no fee and that members have use of activity rooms, can join social and recreational groups and vote for directors and in referendums. Dining is pay-as-you-go, with a monthly food credit built into the dues. Rules matter in daily life. The club's rules prohibit privately owned golf carts on the golf course and on any other club property, and they prohibit unlicensed motor vehicles such as golf carts and go-carts on the community's streets and roads, so a retiree who expects to travel the community by cart should ask about the current rule before buying. Pets of any kind except service dogs are prohibited on the beach and at designated areas such as the pickleball and tennis courts.

Utilities and services are partly private. The city has no employees; the club handles management, security and the maintenance of common property. The city's website identifies Undine LLC as the water provider and posts documents about water service, including boil water notice information, a notice about a three-tier rate increase and correspondence with the Public Utility Commission. A buyer should obtain recent water bills, ask about current rates and any notices, and check electric and internet service for the address.

Age restrictions at Hide-A-Way Lake

The community is not age-restricted. The City of Hideaway describes the community as home to people of all ages, the club describes a mix of families, retirees and others, and the club's bylaws and membership application make provisions for children under 25. Occupancy is governed by club membership and by the club's deed restrictions, which the club's rules and regulations say require that all lots be used for residential purposes.

Housing types at Hide-A-Way Lake

• Single-family homes on membership lots
• Vacant membership lots (building requires club approval)
• Owner-occupied or rented homes (rentals subject to club rules)

Pricing at Hide-A-Way Lake

The Census Bureau's 2019-2023 estimates for the City of Hideaway, which has the same boundaries as the club, give a median owner-occupied home value of $287,600 and median monthly owner costs of $1,659 for homes with a mortgage. Those are survey estimates for the whole city with margins of error, not asking prices for current listings, and they exclude club dues. Homes on or near the lakes and golf course can sell well above or below a median, so current listings and recent closed sales are the better guide to a particular purchase.

HOA and fees at Hide-A-Way Lake

Under the bylaws, owners of membership lots are qualified to be elected as members of Hide-A-Way Lake Club, Inc. by action of the board on the recommendation of the membership committee, and the membership application requires background and credit checks. The application materials say each applicant pays $40 for the background and credit reports, that review by the membership committee can take up to 3 weeks, and that board approval can take another 15 to 30 days and may delay a closing. Grounds for rejection include inability to confirm identity or ownership, a history of criminal background or noncompliance with laws or club rules, and a credit rating below good, and a rejected applicant may not reapply for one calendar year.

Rentals are limited. According to the application materials, owners must live in the property for one year before they can rent it to anyone, a $500 rental deposit applies, and additional HOA fees apply to rentals on top of regular dues. The club is governed by a board elected by members and, under the bylaws, can place a lien on a member's lot for unpaid dues, fees or assessments. The club's public documents page posts the deed restrictions, building codes, rules and regulations, bylaws, dues structure and a membership application, and a buyer or the buyer's attorney should review all of them before closing.

The club's 2026 fee schedule lists an initiation fee of $11,500. Monthly dues for a membership lot with a house total $339.75, made up of club dues of $282.37, a $25.00 clubhouse food credit, $16.10 for garbage, $1.41 for compost and $14.87 for fire protection. Dues for a membership lot without a house total $323.65. The schedule lists $250.00 for renters. Non-family guests pay greens fees of $60 for 18 holes and $30 for 9 holes on weekdays and $70 and $35 on weekends, and the schedule lists cart fees of $20.00 per person for 18 holes and $10.00 for 9 holes. These amounts are for 2026 and are set by the board; ask the club for the current schedule and for any planned special assessment.

The community is governed by the club and the city rather than a conventional special district, so ask the title company whether any assessment appears on the title commitment. The City of Hideaway's website lists Undine LLC as the water provider, and the dues schedule includes a fire protection line. Smith County property taxes are separate from club dues; see the place page for how the Smith County Appraisal District, school district and other taxing units apply, and confirm any city-level charge with the City of Hideaway and the Smith County Tax Office.

Amenities at Hide-A-Way Lake

• 27-hole golf course with golf shop, driving range and PGA professional
• Three lakes with boat ramps, docks, fishing piers and a beach
• Swimming pool with lifeguards
• Manned access gates and roving security patrols, 24 hours a day
• On-site emergency medical service base
• Four parks with tennis, basketball, ball fields, pavilions and playgrounds
• On-site restaurant and bar, with catering
• Community buildings and dozens of resident clubs
• RV and boat storage, walking trails, campground and dog park

Healthcare near Hide-A-Way Lake

The club has an on-site emergency medical service base. For hospital care, residents use Tyler, which the city places about thirteen miles from Hideaway. UT Health Tyler describes 424 licensed beds, more than 500 physicians, the region's only Level I trauma center, a comprehensive stroke center and inpatient units for oncology, cardiology and intensive care. The club's amenities page lists closeness to hospitals, shopping, art and entertainment among its advantages. Drive time depends on traffic and route, so check it for the address; the details of Tyler's hospitals are in Tyler.

Airport access from Hide-A-Way Lake

The nearest commercial airport named in the materials is Tyler Pounds Regional Airport in Tyler, which the City of Tyler owns and says is served by American Airlines with non-stop jet service to Dallas/Fort Worth and more than 100,000 passengers a year. The city's history says the community was promoted as a weekend retreat for Dallas and Shreveport residents and sited within a two-hour drive from Dallas. Drive times to either airport depend on the route, so test them for a specific address.

Why Hide-A-Way Lake is included

A gated lake-and-golf community in Smith County whose city-level Census estimate shows 36.1 percent of residents aged 65 or older, with golf included in membership, three lakes, a pool, on-site dining and dozens of resident clubs, and Tyler's hospitals about thirteen miles away.

Alternatives to Hide-A-Way Lake

• Buckner Westminster PlaceA nonprofit senior living campus at 2201 Horseshoe Lane in Longview, operated by Buckner Retirement Services, with independent living apartments and patio homes plus assisted living, memory care and skilled nursing on the same site.

Guides relevant to Hide-A-Way Lake

• 55-plus communities versus all-age master plans in Texas
• Golf and Texas retirement markets: what is included, what costs extra and who can play
• Texas homestead exemption, the age-65 exemption and the school tax ceiling
• Texas lake retirement markets: water levels, flood and drought exposure, and private versus public lakes
• Texas property taxes and appraisal districts: how to compare actual total tax bills