Buescher State Park opened in 1940. The land was part of the colonial grant from Stephen F. Austin, and the park was built by the CCC. The park is named after the Buescher family, who donated a significant amount of the land in the park.
The lake is currently closed for construction. Fishing and boating is closed, and construction may impact other parts of the park.
Location
100 Park Rd. 1C, Smithville, TX 78957
The park is located just outside of Smithville, Texas. It is very close Bastrop State Park.
Cost
The entry fee for Buescher State Park is $5 for per person over the age of 13. There is free admission for people ages 12 and under.
There are additional fees for overnight stays which vary depending on the type of lodging or campsite.
To save money when visiting Buescher State Park, I recommend looking at a Texas State Parks Pass. The pass costs $70 a year. The benefit of the pass is that it allows the pass holder, and any passengers in their vehicle to enter the park without paying the day use fee.
Reservations
Reservations can be made in advance online. Reservations can be made for campsites or for day use.
Swimming at Buescher State Park
Buescher State Park does not allow swimming. There is no swimming pool and swimming is not permitted in the lake.
Staying at Buescher State Park
Campsites
Primitive campsites are $15 per night. They are walk-in and cannot be accessed by vehicle, but are a relatively short distance from the parking lot. These campsites have picnic tables, and a fire ring with a grill.
Drive-up campsites with water are $15 per night. They are only suitable for tent camping. These campsites have picnic tables, water, and fire rings with grills.
Drive-up campsites with water and electric are $18 per night. They have water and electricity, a fire ring with grills, and a picnic table.
All of the campsites have restrooms with showers located in the vicinity.
Cabins
Cabins are $85 per night, but for weekends you must rent both Friday and Saturday. They have electricity, air conditioning, and a ceiling fan. They do not have their own attached restrooms, but there are restrooms available in the vicinity. The cabins have water, a refrigerator and a microwave as well as a table with chairs. They sleep four on two sets of bunk beds.
Pets are not allowed in the cabins. You must bring your own linens to the cabins.
Group Facilities
There is also a group hall with kitchen that can be rented or a pavilion.
There are restrooms located throughout the park. The campsite loops have restrooms with showers in them.
Hiking Trails
There are six trails in the park, but most of them are very short. The most challenging trail is the Pine Gulch Trail which is four miles long. It is reached by taking the Winding Woodland Trail which is a mile and a half long.
Dogs must be kept on a leash.
Be prepared for the heat when hiking the trails. Wear a hat, sunglasses and sunblock. Bring plenty of water.
What is there to do at Buescher State Park?
You can hike or bike on one of the trails and learn about nature.
Have a picnic at one of the picnic tables, and children can play on the nearby playground.
Access to the lake is currently closed for construction. When the lake is open there is fishing and boating.
What to do near Buescher State Park
Visit the town of Smithville, Texas
Smithville is just a few minutes away from the park. The small town was a popular location for filming movies, and was most famous for the movie Hope Floats. If you explore the town you will see many locations from the movie.
The town has a nice downtown that you can walk around. There are coffee shops, diners, and antique stores.
Visit the town of Bastrop, Texas
Bastrop is a little further away from the park than Smithville, but it is still very close. The downtown area has shops, and cafes.
Visit Bastrop State Park
The closest state park is the Bastrop State Park.