Bastrop is a few miles southeast of Austin, Texas and it boasts one of the more popular state parks. It has some big features: a large pool and a golf course for starters. It is also in what is called the Lost Pines forest of Texas. East Texas has mile after mile of natural pine tree forests but the Lost Pines are separated by around 100 miles from all of that, making it the most westerly stand of this particular pine tree. This is, as you can guess, a shady park!
There are many campsites ranging from walk in camp sites to full hook up RV sites to cabins. Our visit is on Memorial Day weekend and the park is at full occupancy. We’re in the full hookup campground which boasts not only full hookups, but all pull through sites to boot. The negative is that many of the sites aren’t as level as most RV’ers want. Those with big rigs may want to do a drive through before settling on a site. The other campgrounds appear to be a bit flatter. All of life is a trade off!
Our full hookup campground is designed in an interesting way. There’s just one road in and the sites, obviously, are on both sides of the road. The campsites themselves are close together, with your neighbors to front and rear and across the street close by. However, out the front door there’s nothing but forest, giving one a more state park and not commercial park feel.
We’re camping in central Texas the last of May and it is hot. In fact, it was 101 here as I set up. This area can be surprisingly cool or brutally hot – depending as much on the humidity as on the actual temperature.
There are some renovations going on here. A new, beautiful playground is about finished and the pool has been redone. Also, each campground is being upgraded to include some wheelchair accessible campsites. There is WIFI but don’t expect to use it from your campsite (at least in this campground). I think it’s at the restrooms which aren’t in the middle of the campground as one might expect but are at the entry, making it a long walk but for all but those in the first campsites.