After a fun few days with family in Lubbock, it was time to get back to East Texas. Our drive out was very windy and the 18 wheelers on I-20 were rather stressful, so I found another route for our windy return trip. We were thoroughly enjoying the new roads and scenery on 82 and were making great time when just after turning out of Jacksboro, we saw a State Park sign right on the highway. Between it being lunch time and the fact we had been studying Forts’ roles along the Oregon Trail, this pit stop was kind of a “stars aligning” type pit stop.
The park headquarters are CCC construction and situated overlooking a stocked pond that appeared quite popular with fishermen. The boys spotted a hot wheels car of all things that had been mortared into the brick retaining wall and I had a good giggle at Weston’s *need* to get out it and his ultimate despair when he didn’t succeed.
We had lunch in the day use area next to Lost Creek and decided we would spend most of our time on a hike then briefly tour the outside of the fort area since we had Sally with us and dogs are not allowed inside state park buildings.

 

We selected a 1 mile round trip hike that would take us through a nature trail, camping areas and the location of Lost Creek’s spring! The trails at this park are some of the best marked and maintained we have been on yet! The stroll along the creek was serene and we found amazing rock formations along the entire trail.

 

The spring did not disappoint and I was happy the kids found it as exciting as I did! Allow me to geek out for a second over the fact that we witnessed *fresh* ground water that had forced its way up and out of all the limestone crevices, flow down to the creek that then would feed a large reservoir and then end up who knows where. AH-MAZING and a first for me to see “in real life”.

 

By the end of the hike, we were fairly whooped and drove the car to the Fort area. We walked through the parade grounds and using the provided pamphlet, I explained what the remaining buildings were to the kids.

 

The most prominent and well preserved was the Post Hospital. Since we had been studying the Oregon Trail, they enjoyed imagining the place busy with tents and wagons. We learned that the Fort was initially established by the Union Army during the last years of the Civil War to start reconstruction in the South. Then it became a post for Indian War campaigns after Texas was readmitted into the Union.
With 3-4 still hours remaining on our drive home, we got back on the road. This park will definitely be visited again. However, I think I will wait a few more years for all 3 kids to get proficient on their bikes. In addition to all the other trails and buildings we have yet to explore, the park has a 9 mile horse back/bike trail along Lost Creek that takes you down stream to Lost Creek Reservoir and drops you off at the swimming beach! Yay, more goals! 😉

-Lindsay

UPDATED 11/11/18

On October 15, during an outbound trip to Lubbock, we took the dog less opportunity to pit stop and explore the Fort buildings. What was supposed to be a self guided tour turned into a 3 hour private tour with a park ranger and oh my goodness! What a wealth of information! So much history in one property. I could type it all out in a separate blog post…but instead I’ll just drop some photos here hoping to inspire a want to research for y’all.