Accessibility gets high marks at Bastrop State Park's Tree Army trails
If your once-ambulatory hiking companion ends up having to use a wheelchair then you know how difficult it is to enjoy your shared hobby of hiking in a world that's still designed mostly for walking people. National and state parks tend to cater to the those who can walk. After all, when we think about wilderness settings we seldom see images of people in wheelchairs or mobility scooters rolling through them.
So, when we discovered Bastrop State Park in Texas (30.110567 -97.2930493), and its Tree Army Trails that are all solid surfaces with mostly flat elevations, we were ready to explore. Tree Army was a nickname for the Civilian Conservation Corps that did much of the work building the park, and many other public works projects in the 1930s.
A sufficiently-charged power wheelchair or mobility scooter should handle these trails well. If you are powering your own chair, or someone is pushing, you'll get the easiest workout when you stay on the south side of Park Road 1where the going is mostly flat.
The CO 1805 Trail (named after CCC Company 1805 which worked at the park from 1933 to 1937) and the Northeastern portion of the 0I' 9 Loop have some steep ups and downs, but the trails are all paved so you don't have to be concerned with keeping your footing.
I did a lot of research on what the heck OI' 9 meant, but couldn't come up with an explanation, so if you know something about that designation please share it in the comments.
Whether rolling or walking, these trails offer meadows, sections with tall pines, and lots of open spaces. Don't forget the hat and water.
On many portions of all these trails the wildflowers come out to play, while lizards enjoy running merrily on the concrete (30.107876, -97.287192).
A mid-May visit yielded some fantastic cloud-studded skies that changed by the hour.
Lake Mina sports stone features and an encircling trail (30.1097157 -97.2887623).
Wheelchair, mobility scooter and stroller accessible trails in the northern section of the Tree Army trails, (CO 1805) start out gradual (30.110241, -97.283986), but just around the corner you'll find some serious ups, downs, and a bridge.
The shady bridge rises above a draw that's home to a wide variety of flora (30.111759, -97.284242).
The view from the kitchen in Cabin 2 (30°06'57.4"N 97°16'40.2"W). Firewood for the fire pit is usually available at the park office.
If the rains came at the right time, you will find many clutches of wildflowers along the Tree Army trails in May. These were on the Carpenter Crossover (30.111206, -97.286958).
Once you finish the Tree Army Trails, you might consider spending some time in nearby Bastrop. You'll find wonderful dining overlooking the Bastrop River Walk trail (nearby restaurants, bars and shops are at 30.109904, -97.320606). Then walk it off, on the trail. You can get easy access to the trail at the end of Farm Street at Fisherman's Park (30.112484, -97.324185).
This nicely-shaded Bastrop River Walk trail follows the Colorado River for 1.5 miles and offers shaded seating and lots of chubby squirrels (30.107598, -97.320220).
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