April 6, 2018
These parks, totaling 7000 acres, are connected by a ten-mile scenic drive. Stone and wood structures, designed to be non-intrusive, were built in the 1930s by the CCC. Lyndon Johnson would play poker in one of the park’s cabins.
Refrectory built by the CCC. It’s now used for events.
The medium-colored stone near the center has been notched to fit another stone in its upper left corner.
Golfers would tee off from this starter house.
Shelter at scenic overlook between Bastrop and Buescher parks.
The parks are an isolated forest of loblolly pines, separated from east Texas piney woods by over a hundred miles. The pines in the Bastrop area have adapted to 30% less rainfall than the loblollies in east Texas. In September 2011, after three months of temperatures over a hundred degrees, winds from Tropical Storm Lee knocked trees into power lines, igniting the most destructive wildfire in Texas history. 32,400 acres were burned, affecting 90% of the park, 30% of it being heavily burned.
Replanting careful management are allowing the park to recover.
2 Comments
Carly Appel · April 28, 2018 at 9:55 pm
Nice post
Alice McGregor · April 28, 2018 at 11:56 pm
Have a friend from Bastrop and worried with her during that fire. Glad to see it looks like it’s on the way to recovery.