Nature doesn’t need people; people need nature. A winter outing can be just as refreshing as a fair-weather escape. We arrived at the Horseshoe Camping Loop as a bright December afternoon slowly faded to dusk. The sun was spreading out long across the water and the birds had just begun to make their way home for the night. There, standing quietly in the shadows of the forest edge was a group of mouse-brown deer. Observant, alert, wide-eyed. For a small eternity we traded gazes carefully—as if contemplating each other’s destiny—then, they slipped away into the growing indigo of the evening. A moment with all the charge and magic of a great painting.
Lake Whitney State Park is less popular in wintertime. . .more space to stretch out and enjoy the scenery. The park is located in the Texas Hill Country on the Brazos and Nolan rivers off Texas Highway 22, about 30 miles northwest of Waco. It’s a reasonable drive from Bastrop.
Lake Whitney was created from damning the Brazos River in 1951. It boasts a surface area of 23,500 acre-feet of water, protecting Waco and other downstream communities from flooding. It also generates electricity from a power plant at the dam. The park is located along the east shore of the lake. If you were born before 1950, you’re older than three-fourths of the lakes in Texas. Of the 187 reservoirs in Texas that held 5,000-acre feet of water or more, 138 were built following the drought of the 1950’s. TPWD leased the 775-acre state park from the Department of the Army (Corps of Engineers) in 1954; it opened to the public in May 1965.
As I strolled the cedar breaks, hardwoods and ribbons of woodlands along the waterline, camouflaged deer blinds dotted the park in preparation for a park-sanctioned deer hunt—a magnet for yet another category of “outdoorsmen.” State parks manage and conserve our natural and cultural resources for a myriad of users, staying true to TPWD’s purpose of providing hunting, fishing and outdoor recreation opportunities for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. Park patrons have many different motives. To come here in the off-season without a boat, fishing tackle or a hunting rifle certainly distinguishes you as a lover of nature for nature’s sake: camper, hiker, biker, photographer, naturalist, conservationist, birder.
And there’s plenty here to appreciate. Whitetail picnic area is the largest day-use facility; it sprawls near the water’s edge, cooled by mature oak and hackberry trees. Numerous other day-use areas ring the lake, right on the water. Even more engaging are a few serendipitous picnic tables sprinkled about the park, all nestled under the shade of huge cedar elms. And if you like camping, at Lake Whitney you’re in luck. No less than seven developed camping areas beckon and two screen shelter loops provide more amenities with a view. There’s even a group recreation hall available for rent for organized group camping or events.
Even though there are only two hike/bike trails within the park, they are well-worn, well-defined and take you through dissimilar ecological backdrops. Two Bridges hiking trail meanders through tough scraggly cedar mottes which thin to open fields near the water—a perfect location for spotting deer or maybe one of over 200 species of birds that live there. Towash Forest Trail enters the forest canopy and eventually skirts the eastern shore of the lake, offering a private glimpse of water birds searching the marshes for breakfast.
The dominant geological distinction of the park, however, is the Washita Prairie. It’s a part of a huge grassland area known as the Grand Prairie, which spreads from the Red River in the north of Texas all the way down to south of the Colorado River. This natural grazing area has been used for thousands of years. Horseshoe Loop, the only full-hookup camping area in the park, circles around a vast sea of this undisturbed savannah. Within the park, the prairie is a rich habitat for all sorts of wildlife, like quail, songbirds and rodents. It’s rare these days to find unbroken patches of gently rolling grasslands anywhere, much less Texas. Here, you can follow the change of seasons by simply observing the grass. December put forth a copper-hued ocean of little bluestem mixed with Indiangrass, shifting in the breeze. Beautiful, soothing. The shallow soils eventually erode to expose jagged white limestone outcrops, providing cover and concealment for foxes, coyotes and bobcats. These bluffs and draws are fun to discover. High overhead, an occasional bald eagle can be seen soaring the stony sky. Wild turkeys still strut the tree line. It’s like taking a step back in time to explore a more primitive, simpler time.
In fact, life along the Brazos River Valley has been good for centuries. The river has continued to be a critical resource, as has the rich wildlife that inhabit the sprawling prairie. Archeologists have excavated artifacts from humans who lived here over 12,000 years ago. Indian populations known to have lived here include the Taovaya, Caddo, and the Comanche. The land provided protection and supported crops while also providing a lush grazing source for horses. The white man moved in later and settled the community of Towash, named for the chief of the Hainai tribe. Many Towash businesses and settlers moved to nearby Whitney after the Houston and Texas Central Railroad arrived in 1876. Whitney prospered as the first railroad town in the Hill Country, and was named for railroad investor Charles A. Whitney. The last train passed through Whitney in 1967. Today, Towash lies about 110 feet below Lake Whitney.
Modern day Whitney’s most generous description is that of a small Texas tourist town. The place is easy going to the point of sloth. The community caters to the large number of visitors drawn by Lake Whitney, and promotes itself as the “Getaway Capital of Texas.” All manner of picnic/camping supplies, boating, hunting and fishing establishments abound. Popular events include the Lake Whitney Beauty Pageant, area rodeos, and bass fishing tournaments. The first bass fishing tournament in Texas was held at the lake in1955 with 73 teams. The lake today continues this tradition in rotation with other waters across Texas.
I sit in our campsite at dusk, my wife hands me a cup of coffee. Held in two hands, the steam warms my face as I enjoy the Christmas lights across the camping loop. The park is very peaceful at this time of year. There are some who believe our state parks are only for the warmer months of the year, but I’m not one of them. Get outside, drink in the changes of season and savor the relative privacy of a park abandoned by typical water worshipers. Enjoy one of the last remnants of prairieland remaining. Walk the trails, enjoy the views, immerse yourself in Great Nature. Spend the night. Listen to the evening sounds as the firmament opens in all its glory overhead. To reach the park from Interstate 35, take the Hillsboro exit. In Hillsboro, take State Highway 22 west to Whitney; then follow the signs to Lake Whitney State Park. The park is located three miles west of Whitney on FM 1244 on the shore of Lake Whitney. You’ll be glad you visited. Happy Holidays!
By Larry Gfeller