Park Road 1, Bastrop and Buescher State Parks, TX

[buck000]

What: If you're a high-testosterone, knee-to-the-ground rider, you may look at other threads now, thanks for visiting :-D . However, if you sometimes get the urge to just cruise through a little section of Heaven in Texas, read on...

7/20/03 Edit: Now with piccies! Scroll down to see 'em...

Park Road 1 runs through both the Bastrop (http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/park/bastrop/) and Buescher (http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/park/buescher/buescher.htm) State Parks. It is about 12 miles of 30 mph twists and turns, dips and doodles, through a constant canopy of loblolly pines and hardwood trees, with the pine-needle-lined road occasionally opening up to very nice scenic vistas. I imagine this is a Central Texas taste of the Piney Woods, eh, Tourmeister? :wink:

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/park/bastrop/images/bikingonparkroad300.jpg

The road is a narrow two-laner, with some limited-sight distance turns. More than once, I was happy to hug the apex of a right-hand bend, as oncoming vehicles left not much more than 6-8 feet of space. Thus the recommendation to use this road as a soul-feeding leisurely cruise.

There is an entrance fee to the park, which looks to be $1/rider.

Bastrop SP Facilities PDF file (http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/park/bastrop/bastropfac.pdf) (315 Kb)

Buescher SP Facilities PDF file (http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/park/buescher/images/buesfac.pdf) (120 Kb)

Where: This road is just outside of Bastrop (http://maps.yahoo.com/py/maps.py?Pyt=Tmap&ed=RxAfD.p_0ToWMNTERjX4APV44jCMen74ZZ0fB.U.YXY2caC XvhdrkaTDPjeZpmwH&csz=Bastrop,+TX&country=us&cs=4&name=&desc=&poititle=&poi=&uz=78602&ds=n&BFKey=&BFCat=&BFClient=&mag=7&newmag=6), TX, off of Texas 21. Due to a sudden inexplicable inability to read a map, I wound up getting on this road via State Highway 71 to FM 153 to the Buescher SP entrance, and riding 1E up to 1C, then left on 1A through Bastrop State Park, exiting the park and ending up on 21.

Designation: Park Road 1. Texas Natives call this area the "Lost Pines."

[max955]

Oh yeah! I rode this stretch of road last summer, and it was great. Not a place you can go real fast, for several reasons, but it sure is a pretty and relaxing ride.

[Tourmeister]

Howdy,

:tab Nice write up. It is funny that you posted this because I was just recently daydreaming with my map and I kept coming back to this road. The only problem for me is that it is not on the way to anywhere that I go, so I'll have to make a special trip for it someday.

[VFRinAustin]

:bigokay: Here Here Paul,

great write up for a great road. I do this ride every time I head out to parts East of Austin (just cant stand to pass it up, even if I need to get somewhere fast). I just love all the ups and downs in the curves and the feeling of riding through the forest is just Awesome (almost like being back in CA).

As for the pace, weelllll, :angel: , once you have done it a couple of times, you get the feel for the road and it is possible to carry a little more speed than the posted 30 MPH :twisted: . But you still have to be wary of that stray deer crossing the road (or one of those evil squirrels).

[brd]

Sounds/looks like some of the roads around Silver City, NM. The "triangle" loop out of there goes through the Gila Natnl Forest and the riding was like what you describe, especially the road width and hugging the corners to avoid oncoming vehicles. :eek:

Nice write-up and sounds like a cool road. I'll have to check it out one day.

[buck000]

As for the pace, weelllll, :angel: , once you have done it a couple of times, you get the feel for the road and it is possible to carry a little more speed than the posted 30 MPH :twisted: . But you still have to be wary of that stray deer crossing the road (or one of those evil squirrels).

Well, it's worth noting that I'm an extraordinarily slow rider anyways, as you know from our little Llano excursion. I http://members.aol.com/ranlynh/images/hail.gif to anyone who can cook through the PR-1 bends, though.

Wasn't even thinking about fauna during my ride, thanks for the reminder. http://members.aol.com/ranlynh/images/brick.gif

I was mainly looking out for the odd F150osaurus.

I definitely wanna go back and do the whole loop, with the vidcam mounted... :P

[scratch]

That is a nice ride! Another caution - keep an eye out for sand and gravel in a few of the corners.

It's interesting how the flora changes going from one end to the other. At Buescher on the south end there's a fairly typical central Texas Post Oak woodland that gradually transforms into piney woods as you approach Bastrop SP. Be sure to check out the cabins on the west side of the pond at Bastrop while you're there. I don't know how they handle it these days, but years ago, you had to act fast whenever they were taking reservations for those.
________________________________________

Another scenic park you might want to check out in that general area is Monument Hill / Kreische Brewery down in La Grange. It's situated on a high bluff with an excellent view overlooking the Colorado River valley, and there's a nice set of switchbacks climbing up the incline to get there on Highway 77.

[hillcountry]

I've done this ride a couple of times and it's worth the trip. You're definately not going to be scraping pegs, but it's incredible how this one patch of Texas is so unique. If the undergrowth were thicker, I swear that I was back in Gainesville Florida.

[buck000]

Be sure to check out the cabins on the west side of the pond at Bastrop while you're there.
...
Another scenic park you might want to check out in that general area is Monument Hill / Kreische Brewery down in La Grange. It's situated on a high bluff with an excellent view overlooking the Colorado River valley, and there's a nice set of switchbacks climbing up the incline to get there on Highway 77.

I swear, these parks are becoming a favorite place for me to putt around on. :mrgreen:

This time, I took my camera and snapped a few piccies (click on the links for bigger images)... Next time, the video camera. ;)

Bastrop State Park Entrance, off of 21 (http://www.bitsof.info/us/tx/07-20-03/bsp-entrance.jpg)
http://www.bitsof.info/us/tx/07-20-03/bsp-entrance-sm.jpg


Lake/pond/whatever (http://www.bitsof.info/us/tx/07-20-03/bsp-lake1.jpg)
http://www.bitsof.info/us/tx/07-20-03/bsp-lake1-sm.jpg


Another angle (http://www.bitsof.info/us/tx/07-20-03/bsp-lake2.jpg)
http://www.bitsof.info/us/tx/07-20-03/bsp-lake2-sm.jpg


Last one (http://www.bitsof.info/us/tx/07-20-03/bsp-lake3.jpg) of the lake, I promise :)
http://www.bitsof.info/us/tx/07-20-03/bsp-lake3-sm.jpg


Park Road 1a (http://www.bitsof.info/us/tx/07-20-03/bsp-pr1a.jpg)
http://www.bitsof.info/us/tx/07-20-03/bsp-pr1a-sm.jpg


Same spot, a little higher camera position (http://www.bitsof.info/us/tx/07-20-03/bsp-pr1a-2.jpg)
http://www.bitsof.info/us/tx/07-20-03/bsp-pr1a-2-sm.jpg


Same spot, trying be artsy (http://www.bitsof.info/us/tx/07-20-03/bsp-pr1a-3.jpg)
http://www.bitsof.info/us/tx/07-20-03/bsp-pr1a-3-sm.jpg


Same spot, looking back from the way I'd be going in a minute (http://www.bitsof.info/us/tx/07-20-03/bsp-pr1a-4.jpg)
http://www.bitsof.info/us/tx/07-20-03/bsp-pr1a-4-sm.jpg



One of the cabins (http://www.bitsof.info/us/tx/07-20-03/bsp-cabin.jpg) that scratch mentioned earlier
http://www.bitsof.info/us/tx/07-20-03/bsp-cabin-sm.jpg



More PR-1a (http://www.bitsof.info/us/tx/07-20-03/bsp-pr1a-5.jpg)
http://www.bitsof.info/us/tx/07-20-03/bsp-pr1a-5-sm.jpg


Overlook on Park Road 1c (http://www.bitsof.info/us/tx/07-20-03/pr1c-look.jpg)
http://www.bitsof.info/us/tx/07-20-03/pr1c-look-sm.jpg


More PR-1c on the way to Buescher S.P. (http://www.bitsof.info/us/tx/07-20-03/pr1c.jpg). I love the tree canopy, even at low speeds, I felt like I was in the Isle Of Man TT...sort of.
http://www.bitsof.info/us/tx/07-20-03/pr1c-sm.jpg


Exiting Buescher State Park, I turned left onto 153, in order to take it to 77 and on to LaGrange, to check out Monument Hill.

Just after I got to cruising speed, I noticed an open gate, some signage, and an Italian flag! I turned around, and went in. Turned out it was the Rocky Hill Bike Ranch, a nice little mountain biking place, with what turned out to be a great little cafe.

Italian bike, Italian flag, seems right, but in Texas? (http://www.bitsof.info/us/tx/07-20-03/153-cafe.jpg) 8)
http://www.bitsof.info/us/tx/07-20-03/153-cafe-sm.jpg


Rocky Hill Saloon (http://www.bitsof.info/us/tx/07-20-03/153-rhs.jpg)
http://www.bitsof.info/us/tx/07-20-03/153-rhs-sm.jpg

The Saloon/Cafe had a nice chef's salad (I'm on the last day of some funky rabbit-food-eating "cleansing" regimen), and monstrous burgers; I was drooling all over myself wanting one of the latter. They played old-timey music (Lynyrd Skynyrd, Tom Petit, and then a set of Grateful Dead tunes); I was in heaven. I highly recommend this pleasant little place, again, just a minute or two from the Buescher State Park entrance on 153.

After chatting with a nice owner of a '97 Heritage Softail, who helped me cement my understanding of how to get to Monument Hill, I set back out again.

153 is a nice little road that goes through its own patch of oak trees. I turned on to 77 toward LaGrange, and cruised on.

I noticed no "shack outside LaGrange" :wink: , but took 77 on through town and up the nice hill that scratch mentioned to get to Monument Hill. Problem was, I got stuck behind some guy in a Rent-a-Wreck who felt that the 30 mph suggested speed limit was a bit too frantic, so I just burbled up the hill.

I pulled into the Monument Hill and Kreische Brewery State Historic Sites (http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/park/monument/monument.htm), and paid my 2 bucks to see the view, and read some history (http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/park/monument/article.htm).

The memorial (http://www.bitsof.info/us/tx/07-20-03/mh-mem.jpg)
http://www.bitsof.info/us/tx/07-20-03/mh-mem-sm.jpg

Close-up of one side of the tomb (http://www.bitsof.info/us/tx/07-20-03/mh-stone.jpg)
http://www.bitsof.info/us/tx/07-20-03/mh-stone-sm.jpg


Yup, the view is quite relaxing (http://www.bitsof.info/us/tx/07-20-03/mh-view.jpg)
http://www.bitsof.info/us/tx/07-20-03/mh-view-sm.jpg


The remainder of the Kreische's Brewery (http://www.bitsof.info/us/tx/07-20-03/mh-brew.jpg)
http://www.bitsof.info/us/tx/07-20-03/mh-brew-sm.jpg


The Monument Hill/Kreische Brewery entrance (http://www.bitsof.info/us/tx/07-20-03/mh-entr.jpg). The bike was a bit impatient to get going...
http://www.bitsof.info/us/tx/07-20-03/mh-entr-sm.jpg

Thanks, scratch, for the recommendation. The weather was hot, but the ride was cool. :P

Paul
'01 Futura

[scratch]

Glad you enjoyed the suggestion, buck! I would have been happy to try to meet you there; let me know next time your going.

The Monument Hill park employees will give group tours of the old brewery ruins if a reservation is made in advance. I think that area would make an excellent destination for a TWT day-ride this fall...are you listening, Scott? 8)

[buck000]

Sorry, scratch, it was a spur of the moment ride that day.

Good idea about a TWT ride, it would give Scott an excuse to hit PR1... :)

[Tourmeister]

:tab Of course I'm listening ;-) The problem is getting people to actually sign up for the tours :-| I've had the TWT rally setup for several months and so far, Paul is the only person signed up ;-) Although, we are doing an East Texas tour this weekend. :-P

[brd]

:tab Of course I'm listening ;-) The problem is getting people to actually sign up for the tours :-| I've had the TWT rally setup for several months and so far, Paul is the only person signed up ;-)

I'm still trying to decide what to do that weekend: TWT Arkansas rally, TSRA rally in NM, or AMA Superbike races at Barber in Birmingham.

Decisions, decisions... :huh:

[Tourmeister]

HE'S ALIVE!! Let's see... which of the three choices will be cheaper? Hmm... that's a real toughie :-P But man... the AMA races at Barber... ohh that would be FUN!

[tex rex]

The only problem for me is that it is not on the way to anywhere that I go, so I'll have to make a special trip for it someday.

Scott,
Rocky Hill Ranch, our once a month destination for one of the biggest hand pressed cheeseburgers around(and some awesome mountainbiking), sits about a mile from the entrance into Beuscher State Park. I usually buy a conservation pass for all Texas State Parks. It allows me to take an additional 3 bikes in with me.(most park employees are unaware of this so I carry an excerpt from a State Park Guideline book with me) Mine just expired, so I need to renew it. Most people just sneak on through without paying. I know it will make for a long day of riding for you to hook up at the beginning of the ride, but hope you can make it out sometime. Also if you travel a little farther West, you can pick up 696 for a nice ride into Weberville and on into Austin.

As previously stated in this thread, a lot of sand builds up in these corners. On a sunny day with all the shadows cast on the ground, it is impossible to see. Just a warning, not lecturing.

Tony

[Tx Rider]

My folks live off of park road 1 about halfway betwen the two parks, I'll be heading off there in about 30 minutes. :)

It's a great road, people get wiped out there every now and then going too fast though. Lots of byciclists out of Austin there on the weekends too.

The cabins at the park usually need to be reserved months if not a year in advance depending on what days you want them (holidays always go first), but a lot of folks are no shows or cancels so it never hurts to call and see. We've done a few new years in them.

They are great old cabins, built during the depression by those work groups Roosevelt instituted and built out of locally quarried stone.

Monument hill is great, and they tore down the "lil ole shack" outside LaGrange at least 15 years ago, the "proprietors" moved business to the cottonwood motel last I heard. :)

[Anonymous]

New guy here. I immediately came to this thread because I live in Bastrop and cut my teeth on this route. Like Tony mentioned, it is nice to link this up to 969 from Austin. I sometimes like to all the way from La Grange to Austin or the other way by linking up 969, Park 1, then hitting FM 153 to US 77, take that either south to La Grange or north to Giddings. Either direction is gorgeous. Also, if you want some nice twisties that you can take a little bit hotter than you can on Park 1 then take Cottletown Road. It intersects Park 1, take it in the direction towards Hwy 71 and you'll get some nice, smooth sweepers and a couple of sharper twisty bits where you have a chance to really lean.

[Tourmeister]

[quote] Also, if you want some nice twisties that you can take a little bit hotter than you can on Park 1 then take Cottletown Road. It intersects Park 1, take it in the direction towards Hwy 71 and you'll get some nice, smooth sweepers and a couple of sharper twisty bits where you have a chance to really lean.[quote]

Would that be CR 154? I don't really see any other roads that hit PR1 and 71.

Welcome to the forum ;-)

Adios,

[Tx Rider]

Cottletown comes off Hwy71 right about the center between the two parks and intersects park road one. There's two main roads, Alum creek road that is closer to Bastrop state park, and Cottletown which is about center between the parks that run from 71 to Park road 1.

There's three roads that do so altogether, all are nice little twisties I have run hard for years. The latest is a new county road that goes through to P1 closer to beuscher state park that may not be on any maps, it's bad for bikes anyway.

Cottletown goes across Pk road 1 and hits old Antioch road which goes from Park road 1 to Hwy21/290 area, it used to be half gravel as it ran through the last big ranch in there, but the rancher died a few years back and I think they are selling off acreage so it could be paved now.

I stopped running fast down Cottletown and Alum creek roads when the roads got lined with houses. Too many dogs and chances of kids in the road.

Old antioch is paved to Turkey trot, where my sister lives and I do haul down that one a bit. :)

I could do days of dual sport riding up there though, all over that area are tons of gravel roads, water crossings, old timey bridges, rights of way etc.

Along with my parents and sister in Bastrop, My grandparents and great uncle lived outside Lagrange, and I still have an uncle there who has a bike and rides now and then.

[Tourmeister]

So... when are you getting a dualsport? I'd love to go explore over there with you!

Adios,

[Tx Rider]

:oops: I've already got one, and I can't justify a new one until I get that one running and ride it or sell it.

[Tourmeister]

Donate it to charity ;-) Then get one that works.

[Tx Rider]

Can't do that, I paid way too much for it to not get anything back.

Retail blue book is still $2450 on it. I figure I can fix it about 4-5 good days of work and a few hundred bucks. Or fix some of it and have shop do the rest for a few hundred.

But I have to stop riding on the wekends and get to work. This weekend is the big toy run, then riding to Bastrop for christmas, maybe again for new years.....

Fix dirt bike or ride HD or FZ, so far the dirt bike has lost every time. :)

What I need is a two week long ice storm. :)

[mjacks]

I just rode this route today and it was just as advertised. Slow and scenic. It was a very nice and relaxing after cruising on 71 out of La Grange to get to Bastrop. I noticed the Lake was down about 6 feet compared with the earlier photo.

[weslinder]

I rode this road this past weekend, and I must say "This road rocks!" Limited sight distances make you keep your speed down, but there's not a straight stretch of road for more than a couple hundred yards along the entire length. And it's beautiful and very low traffic on an early Sunday morning. I highly recommend it to anyone who likes this type of road.

[Greg in H-Town]

I'll have to try this ride on the motorcycle; last time I was in this park I was riding the MS-150 which has a route that goes through there. What are scenic and fun hills on a motorcycle can really blow you up on a bicycle. I think I'd rather motor through the hills rather than winch my way up on the bicycle... :giveup:

[weslinder]

There were a few cyclists out there Sunday. I had a lot of respect for them.

[Greg in H-Town]

Last time I went through there I exited the park next to a guy that was riding a fixed-gear bike. Seriously; this guy was getting it done with one friggin gear and no coasting downhill! :shock:

[Voltar]

Last time I went through there I exited the park next to a guy that was riding a fixed-gear bike. Seriously; this guy was getting it done with one friggin gear and no coasting downhill! :shock:

Yeah, that is the 'thing' right now. However, it is not the 'thing' for me and my knees.

In CA and CO I have even seen some MNT bikers on fixed gear bikes.