Fort Parker State Park between Mexia and Groesbeck is renowned for its sunsets. When the sun sinks below the horizon, the colors are magnified by the surface of the lake.
A company of African American men with the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) built the roads, trails, dam, and many of the park’s facilities between 1935 and 1942. On May 1 the park celebrates its 80th anniversary.
At just under 1,500 acres, the park is relatively small by Texas park standards, but it packs a lot of activities into the rolling hills.
The Navasota River enters the park from the north and fills the 750-acre Lake Fort Parker. Fishing along the river or on the lake is one of the main attractions. A 5.4-mile paddling trail leads between the two boat ramps, letting canoeists experience the river and the lake.
The 7 miles of hiking trails, most of them open to mountain bikers, wind through the thick forest. Several of the trails follow the lakeshore, but one leads to the former site of Springfield. As the first county seat of Limestone County, it was a major settlement in the 1850s.
History abounds in the region. A few miles south of the state park is Old Fort Parker. Reconstructed by the CCC in 1936, the Parker family fort was where 12-year-old Cynthia Ann was kidnapped and much of her family killed by Comanche warriors. She gave birth to Quanah Parker, the last war chief of the Comanche.
Fort Parker State Park is 7.5 miles south of Mexia and 44 miles east of Waco. To call the park, dial 254/562-5751. For camping or day-use passes go to www.tpwd.texas.gov.
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This article appears in March 19 • 2021.
