Parks

RAILROAD PARK

100 NW 1st St., Smithville TX 78957

Located along NW 1st Street, the James H. Long Railroad Park includes the gazebo at the end of Main, and further west it enjoys playscapes, swings, tree-shaded picnic tables, and a couple of train cars from the past.  Public restrooms are available on the west side of the park.

The park now also has the renovated Railroad Depot near the Railroad Museum. Contact the Chamber at 512-237-2313 to see inside the depot or the Railroad Museum.

KEILBURG PARK 

“On the Hill,” Keilburg Park is located at the end of Fourth Ave on the west side of Smithville. The park, situated at the top of the hill, has a standard size baseball field.  It is also used for softball and soccer.

For more information, call the Smithville Parks & Recreation Dept. at 512-237-3282, ext. 7.

VERNON RICHARDS RIVERBEND PARK

107 Hwy 71 W, Smithville TX 78957

Just west of the Colorado River bridge

(512) 237-3282 City Hall

Located on Hwy 71, Riverbend Park, officially named after former mayor Vernon Richards, is the city’s finest outdoor recreational spot and borders the Colorado River.  Most of the annual Jamboree celebration is held here, as are the Thunder On the Colorado Biker Rally and Smithville Music Festival.  This park is busy year round.

The park has a walking trail, fishing pier, barbecue pits and picnic tables near the river.

In the fenced in “Chuckwagon Square”, there is a covered stage and dance floor, and acres of old oaks for shade with picnic tables underneath; an ideal place for parties, reunions and special events.  There are also washer and horseshoe pits for tossing a few with friends. And recently, a 9-hole disc golf course was added. MAP OF DISC GOLF COURSE

Outside the fence are a lighted softball field and sand volleyball pits for team play.

A large playscape area, open to the public free of charge, is a favorite with the younger crowd and has tables and small barbecue pits, great for birthday parties.

The covered Park Pavilion, with kitchen facilities, hosts the FFA/4-H livestock show and may be rented for other events, such as carnivals and banquets, during the year.

A rodeo arena is also on site, where the Smithville Youth Rodeo Association rides once a month. Two buildings in the park have bathroom facilities.

At the entrance, a train sculpture created by artist Jeff Snyder and the folks at LPAA, welcomes you into the park.

Nineteen RV hookups are available; call the Parks & Recreation Dept. at 512-237-3282, ext 7 to reserve space or to rent areas of the park for events. The park is open year round.

INDEPENDENCE PARK

506 Texas 230 Loop, Smithville, TX 78957
(intersection of Loop 230 at Hwy 95 west of the traffic light)

Thomas Jefferson Gazley was but the first of many outstanding individuals who pioneered and guided the evolution of a frontier wilderness area in the Mexican state of Coahuila e Tejas, into the fine city with the enviable quality of life, that we are privileged to enjoy today, here in Smithville, Bastrop County, Texas. This evolution would not have been possible without the independent spirit, the freedom of mind and body, and the integrity of action that our forefathers exhibited here

MLK PARK

Located at the corner of Marburger and MLK Jr. Drive, the park has a playscape, basketball court, picnic tables and barbecue grills, and is host to a number of community events.  Public restrooms are open during the day.

The Smithville Little League plays at the baseball fields nearby with concession stands.

BUESCHER STATE PARK

Park Road 1-C, Smithville, TX 78957
Off FM 153, half mile north of Hwy 71
512-237-2241

myfoxhouston.com  |  John Dawson, meteorologist

Nearby Park not casualty of Bastrop fires

The wildfire that has engulfed much of Bastrop County has also consumed most of Bastrop State Park, but Buescher State Park, is open and ready for some visitors...  CLICK HERE for full story.

Buescher State Park, in an area known as the Lost Pines Region because of the abundance of pine trees, is over 1,100 acres just northwest of Smithville with the entrance on FM 153, a half mile north of Hwy 71. Activities include non-motorized boating (no ramp/small lake); fishing in a stocked lake for catfish, bass, crappie, perch and also rainbow trout; nature study; hiking on 7.5 miles of trails; andinterpretive programs.

The scenic, 12-mile-long paved road between Buescher and Bastrop State Parks is winding and hilly.  Ideal for biking, the road should be used only by experienced cyclists.

Plan to go for a leisurely drive with the windows down along the scenic 12-mile drive through the beautiful pines of East Central Texas. Or, rent a kayak orcanoe for $5 per hour and paddle through calm lake waters.

Interpretive programs are offered ten months out of the year and include evening campfire programs, guided hikes, geocaching clinics, bug-picking and much more. Check the online calendar for a schedule of programs and events.

Camping and other facilities include restrooms with hot showers; campsites with water; campsites with water and electricity; screened shelters; picnic sites; a playground and group picnic pavilion (for day use only, capacity 35) with a fireplace and picnic tables; a 100-person capacity recreational hall is available for day and night use and has a full kitchen, heat, air-conditioning, fans, a patio, a fireplace, and a restroom.

Limited Use Cabins sleep four people and have two sets of bunk-beds, a table, chairs, AC/Heat, microwave, ceiling fan, refrigerator, kitchen counter top, and curtains. There is no plumbing in these cabins, but full restrooms are only a short walk away.

The park is open 7 days a week year-round. Approximately 6 miles between the parks is private land; no camping between parks or trespassing on private land.