50 STATE PARKS VISITED! Whoohoo! And while we’re past the milestone of half way, there’s something cool about accumulating 50 park visits. 😁 Buescher didn’t carry any particular significance for being our 50th, but rather timed out as a convenient pitstop on our way to ETX to visit friends before the busy holidays at the end of 2021. I had originally looked at Bastrop SP, but due to almost half the campsites being closed for renovations, it was mostly booked. Uniquely enough, Buescher is located 12 miles away connected by a scenic park road and had plenty of openings.

On Wednesday, September 29, we arrived and were set up by 2:30. Ready to explore, we checked out a CCC built recreation hall and the walkways around it before heading to the outskirts of the park closer to Bastrop SP to explore more of the “Lost Pines.”

A quick history note: in 2011 the area was ravaged by a month long wild fire that destroyed thousands of acres in the geographical phenomenon of a pine tree forest in central Texas. 10 years later, the obvious effects remain while showcasing mother nature’s ability to rebound.

The 2.75ish mile hike through pine gulch was incredible. The terrain of the trail was highly entertaining and challenging with it’s elevation changes and switchbacks. It was also shocking to exit a towering canopy of ancient pine trees into an open area of charred remains and new growth displaying the fires’ movement.

We called it a day after that with some dinner back at camp and an early bedtime. We would be exploring Bastrop State Park the next day. And I will go ahead and make note now that we were really happy with our stay at Buescher. The campsites are private and sizable. Ours had a small trail accessing the lake, but it was supposed to be off limits while we were there as they were repairing the dam and other structures around it. After our day visit to Bastrop, and checking out their amenities, I think I would continue to book at Buescher for the peace and quiet. Even if their bathhouses aren’t as swanky 😉

-Lindsay