Texas Parks & Wildlife, Volume 67, Number 10, October 2009 Page: 14
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Parker Paddle
New, trail obens at Fort Parker State Park.High limestone ridges and thick
hardwood forests shade a still stretch of
the Navasota River, just before it emp-
ties into the lake at Fort Parker State
Park. Last May, the 5.3-mile corridor
opened to the public as one of 18 des-
ignated state paddling trails.
"The water's fairly deep, and the
scenery's beautiful," says park manager
Tom Fisher, who sometimes floats the
Limestone Bluffs Paddling Trail with his
family. "Birdwatching's great, too. You
can often see belted kingfishers, great
blue herons, wood ducks and egrets."
Paddlers who make a morning voyage
will have plenty of time to explore the
758-acre park, named for the nearby
stockade fort where Comanches
abducted Cynthia Ann Parker in 1836.
More history lies within the park, where
the town of Springfield - Limestone
County's first county seat - once stood.Trips start at the nearby Confederate
Reunion Grounds State Historic Site
(operated by the Texas Historical Com-
mission) and end at the state park. "It
usually takes us less than two hours to
paddle the trail," Fisher says. "Average
float times run three to four hours."
But it's the fun of meeting friends
and family in the outdoors that seems
to draw most visitors to Fort Parker
State Park, a convenient place to meet
coming from Dallas-Fort Worth,
Houston and Aus:in.
"Because the park's small and quiet,
families love to come here," Fisher says.
"Our facilities and the dam across the
river were built by the Civilian Conser-
vation Corps in the late 1930s, which
adds to the park's charm. The recreation
hall, which seats up to 50, is rented most
weekends because we have so many
reunions. Our group barracks, whichThe fishing's great at Fort Parker
State Park. For non-anglers, there are
plenty of other ways to enjoy the
water and wildlife there.
accommodate 96 people, host descen-
dants of the Parker family every July."
The lake's also great for canoeing,
swimming and fishing. "Anglers catch
white bass, largemouth bass and crap-
pie," Fisher says.
Hiking and mountain biking are pop-
ular on the park's two trails, a 1.5-mile
loop and a 2.5-mile one-way trek.
Sharp eyes may spot some of the park's
native wildlife, such as beaver, white-
tailed deer and raccoons. Near the
campgrounds, a pair of bald eagles tends
a nest high in some towering oak trees.
The park offers canoe rentals for $25
per day, and a shuttle service from park
to reunion grounds (canoes only) is $5
per canoe. Fort Parker State Park is
located 7 miles south of Mexia on Texas
14. Call (254) 562-5751 or visit
www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fortparker. *
-Sheryl Smith-Rodgers14 * OCTOBER 2009
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Texas. Parks and Wildlife Department. Texas Parks & Wildlife, Volume 67, Number 10, October 2009, periodical, October 2009; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth641673/m1/18/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.