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Places / Colorado River — Lost Pines Country

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June 15, 2026

Smithville

Location: Smithville, TX (~40 miles east of Austin on TX-71; 12 miles southeast of Bastrop on the Colorado River) Anchor Site: Buescher State Park / Historic Railroad District

The Hook

Smithville is what a Colorado River railroad town looks like when it doesn’t get too big to stay itself. The historic downtown is intact, the railroad tracks still run through the middle of it, the river is a short walk away, and Buescher State Park sits on the edge of the Lost Pines just outside town. It’s a place to stop and breathe — and the entry point to one of the most scenic drives in Central Texas.

Key Facts

  • Founded 1827 as a river crossing settlement; developed as a railroad town when the Southern Pacific came through in 1887
  • Named for Frank Smith, an early settler who operated a ferry on the Colorado River
  • Population ~3,800; Bastrop County
  • Buescher State Park (pronounced “Bisher”): 1,016 acres of Lost Pines woodland; connected to Bastrop State Park by the 13-mile “Scenic Drive” (Park Road 1C) through the heart of the pine forest
  • The railroad depot district is intact and walkable; Smithville’s historic commercial streetscape along Main Street dates largely from the 1890s–1920s
  • Used as a filming location for the 1998 film Hope Floats (Sandra Bullock, Harry Connick Jr.) — local identity point
  • The Colorado River at Smithville is accessible for fishing, canoeing, and swimming from the city park on the riverbank

Story / History

Smithville’s establishment predates the railroad by decades — the Colorado River crossing here was a significant route between Austin and the Gulf Coast long before tracks were laid. Frank Smith’s ferry was the reason a settlement formed at this particular bend in the river.

The Southern Pacific Railroad’s arrival in 1887 transformed Smithville from a crossing into a division point — a place where engines were serviced, crews changed, and freight sorted. The railroad brought the characteristic small-town architecture of the late 19th century: brick commercial buildings, a depot, a hotel, establishments that served railroad workers and the farmers whose cotton and livestock the railroad moved.

The connection to Bastrop State Park via the Scenic Drive is one of the region’s most underused assets. The 13-mile road through the Lost Pines — winding through mature pine forest, past lake overlooks, through recovery forest — is the best way to experience the scale and character of the Lost Pines from a car. Buescher State Park at Smithville’s end is smaller and quieter than Bastrop but serves as an excellent entry point.

Local Legend

The town’s most enduring claim to outside attention is the 1998 Sandra Bullock film Hope Floats, which filmed extensively in Smithville’s historic downtown and used local residents as extras. The film’s reception was mixed. Smithville’s enthusiasm for being in it was not. The town still celebrates the connection, and locals will point out which buildings appeared on screen with the quiet pride of a place that knows it’s photogenic and finally got the documentation to prove it.

Insider Tips

  • The Scenic Drive (Park Road 1C) connecting Buescher and Bastrop State Parks is best driven east-to-west (Buescher to Bastrop) — the last stretch into Bastrop has the most dramatic pine canopy
  • Buescher State Park is significantly less crowded than Bastrop; if the Bastrop lots are full, start here
  • Smithville’s city park on the Colorado offers a free river access point — good for a short walk or picnic
  • The historic downtown is compact and walkable; the 1914 railroad depot is the architectural anchor

Annual & Seasonal Events

Spring (Mar–May) Avg temp: 60–80°F | Avg rainfall: ~3 in/month

  • Wildflower drives along TX-71 (March–April) — the corridor between Bastrop and Smithville has reliable bluebonnet roadsides

Summer (Jun–Aug) Avg temp: 80–98°F | Avg rainfall: ~2 in/month

  • Colorado River recreation season — kayaking, fishing, and swimming from the city park at peak use

Fall (Sep–Nov) Avg temp: 55–82°F | Avg rainfall: ~3 in/month

  • Pine recovery forest color (October–November) — the Lost Pines don’t produce fall foliage, but the contrast between new pine growth and burned ghost trees is most visible when the deciduous understory turns

Winter (Dec–Feb) Avg temp: 38–62°F | Avg rainfall: ~2.5 in/month

  • Off-season state park access — Buescher cabins and campsites available with minimal competition; the quietest and most atmospheric time in the pine forest

Logistics

  • Tour stop duration: 1–2 hours (downtown walk + river) or 3–4 hours with Buescher State Park
  • Parking: Free throughout downtown; state park has dedicated lots ($5/person entry)
  • Nearby stops: Bastrop (12 miles northwest on TX-71), La Grange (30 miles southeast on TX-71)

Sources

  • Texas Parks & Wildlife — Buescher State Park: tpwd.texas.gov/spdest/findadest/parks/buescher
  • Texas State Historical Association — Smithville: tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/smithville-tx
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