Bastrop State Park, Texas

About an hour drive east of Austin, this 6,000 acre natural wonder WAS blanketed by a dense forest of loblolly pines, post oaks and junipers. Why the big “was” in capital letters? Well, because in 2011, 96% of the park was burned by the Gastro County Complex fire. Thankfully, most of the park’s structures were preserved and the 18-hole golf course was left largely unharmed. At the time of the park’s reopening in 2012, an organization called Friends of the Lost Pines was created with hopes to restore the forest by replanting four million trees over the course of the next 30 years. Despite the loss of vegetation, Bastrop State Park’s biodiversity has remained relatively stable as it continues to provide a home for white-tailed deer, virginia opossums, rabbits, squirrels, nine-banded, long-nosed armadillos (try saying that 3X fast!) and the largest mating group of endangered Houston toads. Other popular activities in the park include hiking, biking, canoeing, swimming and fishing.