Buescher State Park in Texas, USA - map and visitor information

Research checked: 2026-11-01. Check linked official notices before travel.

Buescher State Park near Smithville, Texas, suits a forest walk or a camping break in the Lost Pines. Texas Parks and Wildlife manages the park. Start with trail time and day-use fishing: low lake levels currently prevent lake views or access from the cabins and the Oak Haven and Lakeview campgrounds.

Forest trails and CCC landmarks

Nearly six miles of trails provide a choice between wooded walking routes. Winding Woodlands passes oaks and cedars, while Pine Gulch is the more challenging option beneath loblolly pines. The CCC-built group hall and pavilion give the park a visible connection to its 1930s development.

Know before you go

Fees, hours, and seasonal access

Safety information

Swimming is not allowed in the lake. The facility map also warns of falling trees. Give the burn ban priority over normal campsite fire-ring arrangements, and keep the trip flexible during prescribed burning.

Visit responsibly

Stay on trails to reduce erosion. Keep vehicles on pavement and pets attended on leashes no longer than six feet. Pets are not allowed inside facilities, including cabins and screened shelters. Do not gather firewood.

Reservations and arrival

Reserve camping and day passes through the authorized Buescher reservation page. The park reaches capacity, and advance reservations help secure entry. The booking provider lists year-round operation, with camping, cabins and shelters bookable up to five months ahead and day entry up to one month ahead.

Campsite and shelter check-in is 2 p.m., with noon checkout. Mini-cabin check-in is 3 p.m., with 11 a.m. checkout. After office hours, campers must register at headquarters by 9 a.m. the following morning.

Maps, location, and access

Use the entrance from FM 153 at Smithville. From Highway 71, exit onto FM 153 and travel one mile north. The booking provider warns that GPS can route RVs through the back on Park Road 1C, where low clearance and tight curves make that approach difficult. The official facility map shows camping areas and day-use access.

Nearby parks

Bastrop State Park is the adjoining Lost Pines option, connected by scenic Park Road 1C. Use the FM 153 approach above for an RV arrival at Buescher. Farther southwest, Lockhart State Park provides another road-accessible stop at 2012 State Park Road, Lockhart. Check each park’s entry reservations before adding a stop.

Things to do

Walk the woodland trails or bring a mountain bike. CCC Crossover and Big Tree Trace are excluded from the trails open to mountain biking. For a shorter outing, fish from the day-use areas that retain access despite low lake levels. No fishing license is needed to fish in the park lake.

Camping and visitor facilities

Choose electric sites, water-only sites or primitive walk-in camping. Screened shelters and cabins without restrooms are also offered. Restrooms with showers serve the park. The facility map marks wheelchair-accessible features, so consult it when selecting the area and contact headquarters about specific needs.

About the park

Land donations and the CCC

The park opened in 1940. Emil and Elizabeth Buescher and their heirs donated land, and the state acquired additional land from Smithville. The CCC constructed the hall, pavilion, lake and dam.

Woodland habitats

Buescher lies in the Post Oak Savannah ecological region. Its loblolly pine woodland is separated from the East Texas Pineywoods by about 100 miles of rolling post oak woodlands.

Contact

Official Buescher State Park page. Headquarters: (512) 237-2241, [email protected]. Park address: 100 Park Road 1E, Smithville, TX 78957.