Lockhart State Park proves that great things come in small packages. As Texas state parks go, at 263 acres, the playground two miles southwest of the city limits of Lockhart isn’t very big. But they pack a lot into such a small space.
Whether for the day or the weekend, there are lots of activities at the park. A nine-hole golf course, one of four in the state park system, attracts the most visitors to the park. From Memorial Day to Labor Day, the large swimming pool is a welcome respite from the heat. The fishing in the creek for bass, catfish, and sunfish isn’t bad either. Up on the hill near the road is a rodeo arena that comes alive on many summer weekends. Or the park is a great place to simply listen to the quiet sounds and daydream.
Although the park may be small, it has a long history. In 1933, Lockhart and Caldwell County donated the land off TX 20 to the state for one of the first parks in the state’s inventory. During the Depression, the federal government hired young men to work on public improvement projects, and Lockhart made the list.
Between 1935 and 1939, the Civilian Conservation Corps carved the roads, built buildings, and, with no small amount of controversy, constructed the golf course. When it was all finished, the state decided that it could make more money from the property by leasing it to the local country club. It wasn’t until the late 1940s that the state took over management of the park.
After paying the entrance fee, visitors are greeted by a waterfall on Clear Fork Creek before the waterway disappears under the bridge. The spring-fed creek lives up to its name and nurtures a lush forest that lines the banks. The CCC built five rock dams on the creek that form swirling pools where fish congregate.
There is a little something for everybody at the park. The small campground shaded by giant pecan trees is the perfect place to listen to the soothing sound of the stream while a multitude of songbirds darts from branch to branch and tree to tree singing cheerful notes. With only 20 camping slots in the park, visitors often feel like they have the place to themselves.
Most visitors leave the park by sundown after playing the nine-hole golf course. In a symbiotic way, the beauty of the Blackland Prairie seems to naturally accept the nine-hole golf course that follows the contours of the rolling hills. The links are challenging without being overwhelming to the casual duffer. The scenic course used to boast having “the highest tee box in Texas,” but the hillside driving box had to be abandoned when electric carts were introduced and couldn’t climb the grade.
Now the hill is left to the recreation hall built with CCC labor. “There are not a lot of hills this size around here,” says Marion McNees at the entrance gate. The view from the patio behind the hall offers a panoramic view of the landscape including the lights of Lockhart after sundown. The large, rectangular building contains a kitchen furnished with stove and refrigerator, a rustic rock fireplace, and restrooms (but no showers). It is for rent by the day ($100) or overnight ($150).
Famous for its barbecue restaurants, Lockhart holds its biggest party of the year and lights up the rodeo arena during Chisholm Trail Days, June 12-15. Once a staging area for cattle drives headed north, Lockhart has a long cowboy tradition. The Kiwanis rodeos are the real deal with local cowboys and unpredictable stock.
Lockhart State Park offers a strange mixture of recreation from the golf links to bucking broncos. Tee times are on a first-come-first-served basis and cost $8 on weekdays and $10 weekends plus the $2 park-entrance fee. Cart rental is available for $10 for nine holes and $15 for 18 holes. For information, call the park at 512/398-3479. For camping reservations, call 512/389-8900 or go to www.tpwd.state.tx.us. The Chamber of Commerce has a complete schedule of rodeo events in the park and can be reached at 887/519-7057 or at www.lockhart-tx.org.
622nd in a series. Day Trips, Vol. 2, a book of Day Trips 101-200, is available for $8.95, plus $3.05 for shipping, handling, and tax. Mail to: Day Trips, PO Box 33284, South Austin, TX 78704.Clear Fork Creek
This article appears in May 9 • 2003.
