Lockhart State Park

Introduction of Lockhart State Park

263.7 acres of Lockhart State Park are located in Caldwell County, west of Lockhart. Between 1934 and 1937, deeds from individual landowners were made. The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) built the park between 1935 and 1938, and it was inaugurated as a state park in 1948.

A few miles to the north of the park, in August 1840, the Battle of Plum Creek took place.

Picnicking, camping, fishing, hiking, wildlife research, and a 9-hole golf course are among the things to do (the only staff-operated course in the Texas State Park System.)

There are many different species of birds, as well as deer, coyotes, bobcats, foxes, raccoons, opossums, nutria, rabbits, squirrels, and numerous different types of snakes, including coral snakes and rattlesnakes. Bass, catfish, and sunfish are among the most popular species caught in Clear Fork Creek.

Campsites in Lockhart State Park

Group Hall

The ADA accessible group hall may be rented for bigger parties of up to 75 people, but you must stay for at least two days. Whether it’s a large gathering of family, friends, or club members, our website provides everything you need to keep everyone entertained. There are enough beds for 40 guests and seating for up to 50 people in the interior hall. There aren’t any beds, so bring a bedroll instead. Water, electricity, a functioning kitchen, heat, air conditioning, and a fireplace are a few of the facilities. To enjoy the Texas warmth during the cooler months, they even have screened windows and ceiling fans. You will need to bring your own BBQ grill because there are no microwaves or cooking tools available. The Caddy Trail and Rattlesnake Run Trail are close to the hall in the park’s western region. You may secure your seat online up to five months in advance, so be sure to do so.

Fairway View Campground

Full RV connections are available at Lockhart State Park’s Fairway View Campground for trailers and RVs with a 40-foot maximum length. Ten locations have shelters and offer enough separation from your neighbour. Although you have seclusion, you might be able to hear your neighbours walking through the bushes because the sites are close together. You won’t need a block to level your RV on these sites because they are level. 50 amps of power are available through the electrical hookup. Using the park’s big picnic tables, your family may enjoy a meal outside as you cook on the fire ring or the BBQ smoker. Nearby comfort stations provide hot showers and contemporary bathrooms. You may take a quick stroll around the park on the neighbouring Clear Fork Trail. The camp store offers firewood, mementos, and other necessities. It is necessary to make reservations, which may be done up to five months in advance. You are welcome to bring your pet along as long as it is kept under constant supervision and tethered during your trip.

Clear Fork Creek Campground

There are 10 sites at Clear Fork Creek Campground that can accommodate RVs between 30 and 40 feet in length and include water and power hookups. In order to make up for the absence of sewer hookups, a dumping station is offered. You will want a few bricks to level your RV because the sites are inclined. But since they are so far apart, you might enjoy greater privacy from your neighbour. Each property has trees that partially enclose it, providing some summertime shade. Your pet will like travelling with you, but make sure you confine it throughout your trip to the park by keeping it on a leash or in some other manner.

Comfort stations with hot showers, bathrooms, and water faucets are provided. You will find a grill, a picnic table, a smoker, and a fire ring at each campground. Please be aware that if you want to build a fire, you must buy the wood from the park rather than gathering it yourself. You are only allowed to stay for a total of 14 nights at once, and you can secure a spot up to five months in advance.

Lockhart State Park Activities

Hiking

There are 11 paths to choose from in Lockhart State Park for your hiking pleasure. You can visit various areas of the park thanks to the simple to difficult routes. One of the more difficult hikes, the Rattlesnake Trail, ascends steeply to the leisure centre. Take the Clear Fork Trail, which passes through some of the park’s best locations, for a clear perspective of the whole area. Remember to let others know where you are before you start hiking the paths. Always pack sunscreen, bring a companion, and remain hydrated when outside. Bring your hiking boots, and after you return from your trek, please clean up the paths.

Golfing

The CCC constructed a nine-hole golf course in the late 1930s, giving tourists who enjoy a day on the greens more recreational options. If you are playing a game or two of golf during the summer, you may play a round on the course and then cool down by the pool. You may rent certain equipment at the golf course’s main shop if you forgot it. Additionally, you may hire a golf cart to make getting to each hole more easy and pay for your round of golf there.

Picnicking

The park has areas for picnics, including one for groups with four picnic tables. Bathrooms without showers, a terrace, and a kitchen with a stove and a refrigerator are available at a recreation centre. Capacity for daytime and nighttime use is 75.

Lockhart State Park History 

Long before it was a park, this region was inhabited by Native Americans. Conflict between settlers and Native Americans quickly developed, as it did in most of the Americas. A large group of Comanches under the command of the Penateka Comanche War Chief Buffalo Hump raided, pillaged, and set towns and homesteads on fire at will from the Guadalupe River valley in Central Texas southward to the coast at Matagorda Bay shortly after Texas gained its independence in 1840 in retaliation for the Council House Fight.  When the Comanche finally withdrew, an army of Texas militia volunteers, Tonkawa allies, and Texas Rangers defeated them close to the present-day town of Lockhart. A few miles to the north of the park, the well-known Battle of Plum Creek took place; interesting panels describing its background and events may be seen within the park headquarters.  The conflict was less of a classic staged battle and more of a running gunfight. Comanche warriors engaged in rearguard fights with the pursuing militia while the main raiding party sought to flee with their looted goods and animals. The battle’s outcome is debatable today in terms of pure military strategy because the Comanche were able to flee with the majority of their loot while an unconfirmed number of losses were reported. The fight is noteworthy because it was the last significant Comanche raid to get beyond the Texan boundary.

Henry Masur sold the State of Texas 263.7 acres of land along the Clear Fork of the Plum Creek on December 14, 1934, and now those 263.7 acres make up the park.

Men from the Civilian Conservation Corps set aside the area specifically so that it could be developed during the Great Depression to provide local residents with public recreational activities (CCC).

Company 3803 started construction on the park in 1935. Construction emphasised the use of locally distinctive architectural styles and local materials. This mostly involved masonry and timber beam building at Lockhart State Park, which is reminiscent of early Texas style frontier homesteads. Today, the park’s house building, the recreation centre, a stone arch bridge, an elevated concrete water storage tank, a number of stone dams, stone trail head stairs, culverts, picnic tables, and outdoor fire rings are all examples of this design style. Along the banks of Clear Fork Creek, a swimming pool was also constructed; however, owing to frequent flooding of the stream, the old pool was filled in and a new pool was constructed uphill from the creek in the 1970s. Finally, a 9-hole golf course was included in the park’s initial plans, but because the CCC’s labour requirements required that all work be of a conservational character, the Works Progress Administration was chosen to complete that task instead (WPA).  The land clearing for the golf course project was done by the CCC.

The CCC finished building the park in 1938, and the golf course followed in 1941. After it was built, the park was first leased to a neighbourhood country club until 1948, when it was formally taken over and made a state park accessible to the general public.

Transportation

Driving

Austin, Texas, is 46 minutes away, while San Antonio, Texas, is a little over an hour away. Only a nine-minute drive separates the park’s entrance from the town of Lockhart. You may make a pit break in town on the route to the park and enjoy one of the numerous BBQ restaurants nearby. To keep you busy, there are also modest restaurants and retail centres. Most of your camping needs may be found in the big department shop in town if you failed to stock up on essential supplies.

The road leading up to the park’s entrance is well-maintained and paved. As you approach the park, a parking lot will be on your left and the headquarters will be on your right if you’re looking for it. Take a map with you and ask the staff about the park’s attractions once you’ve finished the check-in procedure. To really explore the park, they could advise walking rather than driving around the campground. The park’s roads and trails are also bike-friendly.

You won’t need to worry too much about floods because Lockhart State Park is at a modest elevation. The park could close in case of bad weather so that your safety comes first. If you stay in the campground after being advised of bad weather, the Clear Creek can flood or your RV might get wet. The park experiences warm summers and chilly winters with lots of sunshine in between.

Parking

Parking is available.

Public Transport

Public Transport is available.