| History: Buescher State Park, a scenic area, is 1016.7 acres just north of Smithville in Bastrop County. Between the years 1933 & 1936, Mr. Emil & Mrs. Elizabeth Buescher originally deeded 318 acres of land to the state. After Emil Buescher's death, his heirs donated 318 more acres. The rest of the parkland was acquired from the city of Smithville. The original park totaled 1738 acres & opened in 1940. Approximately 700 of the acres were later deeded to MD Anderson & UT Cancer Center.
El Camino Real (King's/Royal Highway) once ran near the park, connecting San Antonio de Bexar with Spanish missions in East Texas & generally followed present-day Texas State Highway 21 & Old San Antonio Road. This park land was part of Austin's colonial grant, & the original park improvements were made by the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps). A scenic park road connects Buescher State Park with Bastrop State Park & travels through a part of the lovely lost pines, a remnant of what is thought to have once been an extensive pine-oak forest covering much of Central Texas, during the time Ice Age glaciers reigned to the north.
Activities: Activities are non-motorized boating permitted (no ramp/small lake); fishing in a stocked lake; nature study; hiking; interpretive tours (call park or check Calendar of Events) & biking (The scenic, 12-mile-long, winding, & hilly, paved road between Buescher & Bastrop State Parks is ideal for biking, but should be used only by experienced cyclists.) Approximately six miles between the parks is private land; no camping between parks or trespassing on private land. |
Campground: Buescher State Park in Smithville Texas *