Texas is seldom connected with anything small, but Buescher State Park is a delightful exception. At a little over 1,000 acres, it is less than a fifth of the size of sister site Bastrop State Park, about 10 miles up the road, and attracts less than half the visitors. Those in the know often refer to it as a hidden gem, making it a quiet alternative for an outdoor escape in the Lone Star State.
Its underrated status is surprising, since the park is just under an hour east of Austin and less than two hours west of Houston, with miles of hiking trails and a 6-acre lake stocked with canoes to rent for fishing and boating fun. Trails at Buescher, pronounced “bisher” in a nod to the family who donated the original acreage to the state, range from the easy Big Tree Retreat, which ends at a majestic former state champion elm tree, to the challenging 4-mile Pine Gulch Trail.
Explore Buescher State Park’s unique ecosystem by foot, bike, and boat
The Pine Gulch Trail is a great way to explore some of the park’s other famous trees – the loblolly pines that make up part of the “Lost Pines” ecosystem. So-called because this stand is isolated 100 miles west of the next nearest habitat, making it the westernmost loblolly forest in the United States, Lost Pines stretches into nearby Bastrop State Park and provides a special habitat for wildlife. The trees, in various stages of growth, and other plants along the trail are evidence of 2015’s Hidden Pines wildfire and the ways the forest is recovering. The Pine Gulch trail connects with others to form an 8-mile loop.
Prefer to explore on two wheels? With the exception of two short walks, all of the paths in Buescher are open to mountain bikes. Not only that, but Park Road 1C connects Buescher with Bastrop State Park via a 12-mile paved road with a few hills that make for a challenging trek…