Bastrop State Park

Bastrop State Park sits in the Lost Pines, the westernmost stand of loblolly pines in the United States, one mile east of the town of Bastrop in Bastrop County and about 40 minutes east of Austin. It’s best known for its 1930s stone cabins, the 8.4-mile Lost Pines Loop and a forest still regrowing from the 2011 wildfire. Its swimming pool is closed until Memorial Day weekend 2027.

On This Page

• The Lost Pines and the 2011 Fire
• Hiking the Lost Pines
• Swimming Pool and Lakes
• Best Photo Spots
• Park Road 1C and Buescher State Park
• Camping
• Historic CCC Cabins
• Best Time to Visit
• What Visitors Say
• Getting There
• Know Before You Go
• Nearby Parks
• FAQ
• Sources and Official Links

The Lost Pines and the 2011 Fire

The Lost Pines are a pocket of loblolly pines about 100 miles west of the East Texas Piney Woods, and Bastrop State Park protects about 6,600 acres of them. The ecosystem covers more than 75,000 acres across parts of five counties, and the pines here survive on about 30% less rain than their East Texas cousins.

The Bastrop County Complex Fire

On September 4, 2011, the Bastrop County Complex Fire started in high winds. It burned for 55 days across more than 32,000 acres, destroyed more than 1,600 homes and killed two people. TPWD says the fire affected 96% of the park, though its interpretive guide notes that only about 30% burned heavily. More than 140 TPWD wildland firefighters defended the park, and the historic stone buildings survived.

The photo above shows the overlook in July 2013. Replanting had begun that January: TPWD planted 2 million loblolly pines over five years, and volunteers put in 140,686 of them.

The Forest Today

Recent reviews describe young pines filling in around burned trunks that still stand.

• Recovery: long-time visitors say the forest is well on its way back, though not fully recovered. The line where the fire stopped is still visible along the road to Buescher State Park
• Prescribed burns: TPWD runs planned burns in the Lost Pines parks from October 2026 through February 2027. Dates are announced only 24 to 48 hours ahead, and parts of the park can close or fill with smoke. Text BastropRX to 888777 for burn alerts
• Houston toads: the park is critical habitat for this endangered toad. The resident population disappeared after the fire, and in spring 2026 TPWD and its partners released more than a million eggs in the park, the most in a single year. TPWD asks hikers to keep dogs leashed near the toad ponds

Hiking the Lost Pines

Bastrop State Park’s trails run on soft sand and pine needles over rolling hills, with a few steep pitches and log steps. TPWD’s trail list adds up to about 17.5 miles, though its overview page still says seven. Visitors note that the trails are color-coded on the park map.

Miles as TPWD lists them.

The Lost Pines Loop

The full loop is a half-day hike. TPWD lists 8.4 miles, but visitors who add the connectors report 9 to 13 miles and four to five hours. The north half runs deep in the forest; the south half is more open and passes CCC stonework.

Trail Tips

A few things make the Bastrop trails easier and safer.

• Maps: grab a paper map at headquarters. One hiker reports a ranger warning that the AllTrails version of the loop was wrong. TPWD’s July 2026 trails map also shows areas north of Park Road 1C closed for resource recovery work, so check at headquarters before heading out
• Water and shade: there’s no drinking water on the trails, and the old CCC fountains don’t work. TPWD suggests a quart of water per hour
• Ticks: visitors report ticks in the brush, so check after hiking
• Biking: bikes are allowed only on the paved Tree Army Trails and on park roads. The dirt trails are hiking only, including for e-bikes

Swimming Pool and Lakes

The park pool is the only place to swim at Bastrop State Park, and TPWD lists it as closed until Memorial Day weekend 2027. In a normal season it opens around Memorial Day, and visitors describe a big pool with shallow areas, lifeguards and snacks.

Pool Tickets

Tickets are sold at the pool, first come, first served, so a spot isn’t certain on busy days.

• Ages 13 and up: $5 without a park entry permit, $3 with one (or with a Texas State Parks Pass)
• Ages 6 to 12: $3
• Ages 5 and under: free
• Rules: children 14 and under need an adult, and pets aren’t allowed

Lakes and Fishing

The park lakes are for fishing, not swimming.

• Lake Mina: a half-acre pond on the paved Tree Army Trails. Fishing is allowed; swimming isn’t. One August 2026 reviewer found the small pond covered in algae
• Main park lake: TPWD’s June 2026 alert says it’s open but not yet stocked. Visitors reported it dry from mid-2025 through spring 2026 while dam work continued after earlier flood damage
• Little Alum Creek Lake: a 20-acre lake reached on foot by the Heron Hideaway trail. It’s a long walk with little shade; one family reported a catch on the first cast in June 2026
• Fishing: no fishing license is needed to fish from the shore in a Texas state park, and the park lends fishing gear. Bass, catfish and sunfish are the common catches

Best Photo Spots

Bastrop State Park mixes CCC stonework, tall pines and a forest regrowing from fire, and photographers find something in each.

• Scenic Overlook: reachable by car or the Scenic Overlook Trail. Visitors recommend it at sunset; the park closes to day visitors at 10 p.m.
• The Refectory and cabins: red sandstone, heavy timber and stone chimneys. Photographers like the CCC buildings for their textures
• Copperas Creek: some of the tallest pines in the park stand over this camping loop
• Burned and regrowing forest: standing snags with young pines below, along the Lost Pines Loop and Park Road 1C
• Fehr’s Overlook: a short spur off the trail network; one visitor reported crested caracaras there in October 2026
• Fall color: visitors point to November and December

Park Road 1C and Buescher State Park

Park Road 1C is a hilly, winding road through the Lost Pines between Bastrop and Buescher State Park. TPWD calls it 12 miles (the park map says 10 to Buescher), with a 30 mph limit, and it’s open to cars and bikes. Reviewers name it a favorite drive, especially in fall, and road cyclists from Austin ride it for the hills.

Together the two parks make up the Lost Pines State Park Complex. Buescher protects another 1,017 acres, with nearly six miles of trails and a quieter feel. The fast way between the two is TX 71, about 15 minutes.

Camping

Bastrop State Park has 76 campsites in four camping areas, from walk-in sites (tent sites a short walk from parking) to full-hookup RV sites. Each site holds up to eight people, and the daily entry fee applies on top of the site fee.

Campsite Types

Prices are TPWD’s per-night campsite rates.

• Full hookup (35 sites, $25): water, sewer and 20/30/50-amp electric. Piney Hill pull-throughs (no tents) and Copperas Creek back-ins
• Water and electric (19 sites, $20): 20/30-amp, Copperas Creek back-ins
• Tent only (16 sites, $15): water nearby, in Deer Run. No RVs or pop-ups
• Walk-in tent (6 sites, $15): water nearby, in Creekside, 20 to 60 yards from parking

TPWD lists no primitive campsites at Bastrop right now, and camping isn’t allowed on Heron Hideaway.

Reservations and Camp Rules

Book through Texas State Parks reservations online or by phone.

• Campsites open for booking up to five months ahead, online or at (512) 389-8900
• Check-in is 2 p.m. and check-out is noon
• Late arrivals find their site on the sheet outside headquarters

What Campers Report

Campers agree on the restrooms and on the road noise.

• Restrooms: the restrooms and showers come up again and again in reviews as some of the cleanest in the state park system, with hot water and dish-washing stations
• Road noise: Highway 71 traffic can be heard day and night, and it’s the top complaint in low reviews. Campers name Copperas Creek and the Deer Run tent sites as the loudest. Light sleepers should bring earplugs
• Big rigs: the reservation site lists Piney Hill pull-throughs at 28 to 40 feet, while many Copperas Creek electric sites are only 15 feet. Some RV pads are tight or unlevel, so check the site length and hookup side before booking

Historic CCC Cabins

The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) built the cabins, dining hall and many other buildings at Bastrop State Park in the 1930s. CCC Companies 1805 and 1811 arrived in 1933, and architect Arthur Fehr designed the buildings in the National Park Service rustic style, using native cedar, oak, walnut, pine and local red sandstone.

The park opened in 1937. It has been a National Historic Landmark since 1997, one of only seven CCC parks in the country with that status.

• Cabins: TPWD lists 13 cabins at $110 to $200 a night, plus the entry fee. Most sleep two to six. Cabin 12, the Lost Pines Lodge, has four bedrooms and two baths and sleeps eight
• What’s inside: a bathroom with shower, kitchenette (no oven), fireplace, picnic table and grill. Linens are provided; pillows aren’t
• Heat and cooling: the historic cabins have one A/C unit in the main room and no modern insulation. TPWD suggests bringing a fan in summer and extra blankets in winter. Cabins 12 and 14 have central heat and air and are wheelchair accessible
• Booking: Friday or Saturday stays need a two-night minimum, and no pets are allowed. Reviewers say the cabins are hard to book and worth planning ahead for. A few 2025 reviews mention summer A/C failures, and one guest suggests bringing cooking utensils
• Groups: the CCC Refectory holds up to 80 people for $300 a day, and the group barracks sleep up to 64 for $850 a night. Book both by phone at (512) 389-8920

Best Time to Visit

Spring and fall are the best seasons at Bastrop State Park. Summer is hot, and the outer trails have little shade.

• Spring (March to May): one of the two best seasons. In a normal year the pool opens around Memorial Day, but it stays closed until Memorial Day weekend 2027
• Summer (June to August): hot, with little shade on the outer trails. Carry a quart of water per hour
• Fall (September to November): the other best season, with fall color starting in November. Prescribed burn season starts in October
• Winter (December to February): fall color lasts into December. Prescribed burns run through February 2027, announced only 24 to 48 hours ahead

What Visitors Say

Bastrop State Park holds a 4.6 rating from about 2,500 Google reviews, and reviews from the past 18 months average closer to 4.8. Many visitors say the pine forest doesn’t feel like Texas.

• The forest: the pines and the forest’s comeback get the most praise
• Facilities: clean new restrooms, well-marked trails for all levels, and the CCC cabins and stonework
• The drive: Park Road 1C to Buescher is a favorite
• Staff: mostly helpful, though a few visitors found the front desk curt
• Noise: constant Highway 71 noise in the campgrounds
• Campsites: short or unlevel RV sites, and tent sites close together
• Water: a main lake that sat dry for much of 2025, and pool hours that didn’t match what visitors expected
• Burn bans: they come up often

Getting There

Bastrop State Park is one mile east of the town of Bastrop, at 100 Park Road 1A, Bastrop, TX 78602.

Drive times to the park:

• Austin: about 40 minutes (32 miles)
• San Antonio: about 1 hour 50 minutes
• Houston: about 2 hours 25 minutes
• Dallas: about 4 hours

A few things to know before driving out:

• GPS: TPWD suggests entering “Park Rd 1 Bastrop, TX 78602” in GPS; the park name can route drivers from the west onto unpaved Harmon Road
• Not Lake Bastrop: Lake Bastrop is a separate 900-acre lake run by LCRA, with its own entry fee

Know Before You Go

Bastrop State Park’s trails are sandy and hilly, with no drinking water. These rules and tips matter most.

• Fees and passes: $5 per adult per day; children 12 and under get in free. The Texas State Parks Pass ($70 a year) waives entry fees
• Booking: day passes aren’t required, but the park often fills on weekends and holidays. TPWD recommends reserving a day pass, up to 30 days ahead. Campsites and cabins open up to five months ahead
• Hours: the park is open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily; the office is open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Late arrivals pay at the self-pay kiosk by headquarters
• Dogs: leashed (6 feet or shorter) on trails and in campsites; not in cabins, buildings or the pool. Keep dogs leashed near the Houston toad ponds
• Water and shade: no drinking water on trails and little shade on the outer loops. Carry a quart per hour
• Difficulty: easy to moderate, except the 8.4-mile Lost Pines Loop
• Current alerts (October 2026): a burn ban since October 19 allows no wood fires (charcoal and gas stoves only), prescribed burns run through February 2027, and the pool is closed until Memorial Day weekend 2027
• Ticks: check after hiking
• What to bring: plenty of water, a paper map from headquarters, earplugs for light sleepers in the campgrounds, and a fan or extra blankets for the historic cabins

Nearby Parks

Four other TrekTexas guides are within about an hour of Bastrop State Park.

• Buescher State Park: about 15 minutes away on TX 71, or the long way on Park Road 1C, with a quieter feel
• McKinney Falls State Park: about 45 minutes west
• Lockhart State Park: about an hour southwest
• Palmetto State Park: a little over an hour south
• More parks within reach of Austin: Parks Near Austin

FAQ

Is there a Lost Pines State Park?

No park goes by that name; Bastrop and Buescher state parks together form the Lost Pines State Park Complex.

Is Bastrop State Park a national park?

No, it’s a Texas state park run by TPWD (Texas Parks and Wildlife Department), and its CCC buildings make it a National Historic Landmark.

Is Lake Bastrop part of the state park?

No, Lake Bastrop is a separate lake run by LCRA, with its own parks and entry fee.

Sources and Official Links

Facts in this guide were last checked in October 2026 against these sources.

• Bastrop State Park (TPWD)
• Entrance fees (TPWD)
• Trail list, park map and directions and trails map (PDF) (TPWD)
• Campsites and cabins (TPWD)
• Park alerts (TPWD)
• Texas State Parks reservations

Featured photo: Larry D. Moore, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0)