Day Trips: North Shore and South Shore Parks, Bastrop
Glamping on Lake Bastrop
By Gerald E. McLeod, Fri., May 21, 2021
North Shore Park has become a glamping retreat. Whether you have your own RV, desire a cozy night in an Airstream trailer, or want to tame the wilderness from a safari tent, there is no reason to rough it at Lake Bastrop.
The 900-acre lake sits three miles north of Bastrop. In 1964, Spicer Creek was impounded by the Lower Colorado River Authority as a cooling pond for two power plants.
As a cooling reservoir, the water stays unnaturally warm year-round, reaching bathwater-warm temperatures during the summer. The lake is considered one of the area's best fishing holes.
The South Shore Park is the more popular of the two parks on the lake because of the large day-use area, boat ramp, 18 lakeside cabins, and shaded campground. Hikers and bicyclists like the park's 9.2-mile network of trails that reach to the north end of the lake.
The North Shore Park is unique among the more than 40 LCRA parks along the Colorado River basin for the glamping opportunities. Tucked under trees and next to several RV slips are five silver Airstream trailers. Each 25-foot trailer comes well equipped for a night under the stars. There's a two-night minimum, but you get coffee and a coffeemaker, the use of a kayak, firewood, and a propane grill, plus a comfortable bed and hot shower.
Last month a private contractor added eight safari tents to the park that put the glamour in camping. Lavishly furnished, one has a hot tub, and each tent includes its own bathroom. Rentals are handled through GlampingHub.com instead of LCRA, but the tents are so new they can best be found by Googling "glamping on Lake Bastrop."
1,551st in a series. Follow “Day Trips & Beyond,” a travel blog, at austinchronicle.com/daily/travel.
