Bastrop State Park
Almost every time we discussed camping, my husband would always suggest: Bastrop State Park! I am not sure if he had fond memories of the park or if he simply likes the tall trees, but eventually he convinced me, and we made plans with his parents to go camping for the weekend.
We got in around sunset. The air was damp and the temperature was already in the lower forties. We set up camp, heated up some chili, shivered around a fire. Well at least we tried to. My husband had purchased two cords of wood from HEB on the way, and it turned out to be green.
As I went to sleep that night, I was beginning to question our decision to camp in February. But when the sun came out the next morning, I quickly remembered why the winter is one of the best times to visit Bastrop State Park.
The weather warmed up and the boys spent the morning exploring and racing pine cones down a small creek.
After lunch we went for a nice hike. The park has rolling hills, so all of the trails are can be hikable by littles. We also took some time to explore the other campsites. Our three-year-old thoroughly enjoyed exploring the old CCC buildings.
General Thoughts on the Park
Bastrop State Park is a “lost” piece of the Piney Woods still recovering from a 2011 fire and a 2015 flood. The park is worth visiting simply to get a glimpse of the recovery process; however, the lack of shade makes it a challenging summer destination.
Additionally, the camping areas are right next to TX-71. If you are sensitive to road noise, I would suggest a different Texas State Park.
Campsite Recommendations
The park has four camping areas: Piney Hill, Deer Run, Creekside, and Copperas Creek (see map). I would recommend them in that order. Piney Hill and Copperas Creek allow RVs. The other two are tent only.
Piney Hill lost almost all of its trees during the 2011 fire, and now has no shade and no privacy. I would recommend avoiding it, particularly if you are tent camping.
Deer Run is conveniently located next to the pool and playground. While a portion of the campground lost its trees, sites 32-37 remain relatively shaded.
A fair amount of the Creekside Camping Area’s trees also survived the fire. While not enough trees survived to provide significant midday shade, they provide for an attractive camping area. Creekside’s sites are spacious, but offer no privacy.
I would recommend sites 49 and 46 as they are not near the parking area (no headlights). I also recommend 47 and 48, but with a bit of caution. There is a bridge connecting Creekside to Copperas Creek between these two campsites. During our two-day stay, about a half dozen people people staying at Copperas Creek walked their dog across the bridge to use the restroom in our campsite. It was a bit odd.
The Copperas Creek Camping Area is the most shaded of the four areas. It seems to have been missed by the 2011 fire. I would recommend sites 53 and 54 for their size; however, all of the sites were relatively shaded, with the exception of 77 and 78. I would avoid those.
Kid Friendly Activities
Bastrop State Park has about 10 miles of hiking trails, all of which are kid-hikable. We hiked the Scenic Overlook Trail, the Post Oak Spur, and a portion of the Piney Hill Spur. Because the trails have no shade, they offer plenty of sweeping views! One gripe: the trial system does not form an loops. If you want to hike in a loop, you will have to walk for a bit on one of the park roads, which can be a bit harrowing. Otherwise, all hikes are there-and-back.
The YMCA operates a swimming pool inside of Bastrop State Park. Despite being a gigantic concrete oval, it is surprisingly pleasant. There is not any natural shade, but they do have some chairs with umbrellas. Admission for park guests is $3.
