Bastrop State Park — Attraction in Bastrop

I wasn't too hopeful as we pulled into Bastrop State Park for my wife's annual family reunion, but I soon changed my mind. I had visions of black, charred trees that had suffered through the catastrophic wildfires from several years ago. But to my delight, the forests had rebounded and you could only tell from the occasional barren tree that something tragic happened there. And if you didn't know about the wildfires that raged through the park, you might not have even known going on looks alone.

Although it's a small park, Bastrop is very well kept and is simply beautiful. The customer service at the entrance was stellar and we were well received. Our park ranger explained all of what to expect and where some of the best sites to visit and where to go hiking, bird watching or just walking around the park.

We were at the main lodge (Refectory) for a family reunion and the building is an amazing structure. Built in 1934, the craftsmanship put into the building takes you back to another time, where honor, time and pride were deployed inside and outside. And with a world class swimming pool just across the yard from the building, the children (and some adults) had a blast cooling off from the June heat.

At the RV park where relatives were staying, up the hill just a hundred yards or so was the community restroom building. I went in and was caught off guard when I was met head on with a 70 degree cooled restroom! I'd never seen one so nice. I've included a picture of the restroom in this review. They were clean, bright and very, very comfortable.

But with lots of shade trees and a nice breeze all weekend, the stay outside was quite pleasant. Within a few minutes drive you can be at one of dozens of restaurants and at one of the world famous "Buc-ee's" convenience stores. That place is a destination all its own and worthy of a whole 'nuther review.

We had lunch at a quaint little restaurant downtown called Maxine's and it is a must -see if you're in the Bastrop area. It's one of my restored, turn-of-the-century buildings and the food is amazing. Our server, Bailey, was at our elbow the instant we needed anything and the prices were very reasonable. The downtown area was well manicured and there were dozens of nice shops and destinations in the restored down-town area to visit.

Bastrop State Park, although a small state park has a lot to offer if you're there for the quiet and the solitude. With it being so quiet and with access to many different sites and destinations, we will be back for a...

This review is for the hiking trails and scenery only.

Since the catastrophic wildfires of 2011, this park has been left decimated. There are a few small areas that still have some of the tall pines, but most of the park looks like a nuclear wasteland. It’s a sad site to see. Volunteers and TPWD employees have planted hundreds of thousands of loblolly pines, and although many of them are already 15-20 feet tall, it’s still not quite the same, and probably won’t be for another generation or more. Unfortunately, the lake no longer exists since the dam collapsed due to flooding in 2015.

I took the following trails to get to the Lost Pines Loop (which was listed as “challenging” on the trail map): Farkleberry Spur to Scenic Overlook Trail, to Lost Pines Trail, and back again for a total of 7.5 miles. The Lost Pines Trail was hardly challenging. There were a few inclines, but the trails aren’t rocky, or hard to hike on at all. Mostly made up of packed sand, with a few loose rocks, and a couple of short areas that had deep sand, making it a little difficult to walk in, but not too bad. When you get to the end of the Lost Pines Trail, you will have to walk about a quarter of a mile along a paved road to reconnect with the trail. It’s well marked though, so follow the signs.

Instead of trail markers with the trail names on them, they are marked by colors that coordinate with the colors on the trail map – get a trail map and bring it with you.

Since the fires, there are several detours on the Lost Pines Trail. If you are using a phone app to track your trail via GPS, it may appear you are no longer on the trail. But trust the trails, don’t trust the app. You’ll get on track again and be heading the right direction soon. It’s difficult to get lost out here.

There are a couple of scenic overlooks, and structures built by the CCC back in the 1930s. They are marked on the trail map, so keep an eye out for them.

The camping sites are still beautiful and boast tall loblolly pines that survived the fire.

In the camping and day use area, they have bathrooms with showers that are very modern and very clean.

Pull through spots for RVs, so you don’t have to back in our out. There’s also a nice swimming pool in the day use area.

All in all, it’s not a bad hike – just expect to be in the sun for most of it – and don’t expect a lot...

We really enjoyed our Stay in this State Park. It was really simple to Reserve a Campsite and Pay Online. It was also easy to Check in and Find Our Spot. Remember to get a Park/Trails Map when you check in. The First Day, we Drove the Scenic Drive between This Park and Buescher State Park about 15 miles away. This is a Very Windy, Curvey Paved Road with lots of Hills and Valleys and Some Tight Turns. Back at Camp Site, The Campground we were in has Hot Showers and the Usual Amenities for a Campground. We chose an Electric/Water Pad. Most of our Neighbors were in RV's. The Restroom Building was Really Clean, One of the Showers in the Ladies Room had a Shower Bench with an Adjustable Hose and a Massage Setting on the Shower Head. It also had a Large Dressing Area to accommodate Wheel Chair Access. And, I noticed it even had a few Electric Wall Plugs if you need to Charge something while you were there. They also offer a Dishwashing Station, and a Water Fountain with a Bottle Filler, if you need it. In another area of the Park, we discovered There is a Swimming Pool, a Kids Playground and a several Picnic Tables for Day Use if you don't have the time to Stay and Camp. There is a Souvenir Shop at the Camp Headquarters. If you need Ice or Firewood you can find it at the Headquarters, also. The Next Day, We only explored One of the many Trails and Hikes that are available here. For the Most Part, I Found the Copperas Creek Campground enjoyable, but, I have to say this, It is located Adjacent to a Very Busy Highway. The Traffic Noise was Constant and Deafening, IMHO, especially After the Quiet Hours started at 10 pm. Two Nights here just weren't enough time for us to Explore everything this State Park has to offer. We'll...