New To Camping? Stay Close To Austin at Buescher State Park
Want to try camping, but be close enough to home that you could leave if things start going horribly wrong? That was our idea the first time we took our kids camping. We chose Buescher State Park as our destination and it was the perfect location for our kids’ first time tent camping.
Buescher State Park
Buescher State Park is less than an hour away from Austin, which was a huge reason why we chose this as our camping destination. My husband and I had camped before, but our kids hadn’t, and we wanted to be close to home in case things went wrong and we needed to drive back home for some reason in the middle of the night. There’s also a Walmart about 20 minutes away in case you forgot anything.
Admission/Hours
Make sure you book a camp site in advance if you plan on camping here. If you come just to hike, adults 13 and up are $5 each. Kids 12 and under are free.
The park is open for hiking daily from 6 a.m. – 10 p.m.
The Lake
The lake is closed for construction right now and is expected to open back up sometime this year. Check the website for updates on the lake.
Hiking
We chose the Winding Woodland Trail and did a beautiful hike through the forest! It was close to our campsite and a great length/difficulty level for kids.
Camping/Cabins
We stayed only one night in a tent at the campground. It was the perfect intro to camping for our kids. We had a camp fire, made s’mores, and even had access to a bathroom that was close to our camp site. We camped in the area next to the covered pavilion (spot 48). Camping spots are $15-18/night.
Cabins sleep four; four more people can stay outside in a tent. Restrooms are nearby, not in the cabin. Cabin #1 is wheelchair friendly. Reservations for a Friday or Saturday must include both nights; holiday weekends must also include the holiday. Pets are not allowed at these sites. A/C unit, ceiling fan, heater, outdoor grill, microwave, refrigerator, table and chairs, two sets of twin bunk beds. These are $85/night.
Screened shelters are $45/night for premium and $25/night for regular. These are similar to the cabins but without beds or AC/heat.