Fort Parker State Park

194 Park Road 28
Mexia TX 76667
254/562-5751
fortparker@glade.net
Park locator map

History: Fort Parker State Park includes 1458.8 acres (758.8 land acres and a 700-acre lake); between Mexia and Groesbeck, in Limestone County. It was opened to the public in 1941.

Fort Parker State Park was created in 1935 on land donated by the City of Mexia and three local landowners. The Civilian Conservation Corps constructed all the recreational facilities in the late 1930s, and built a dam across the Navasota River in 1939, creating Fort Parker Lake.

The park was named for Fort Parker, a nearby historic settlement established in 1833, and the site of the well-known Comanche Indian raid in May 1836, during which Cynthia Ann Parker was captured. During captivity, Cynthia Ann became the mother of the last great Comanche chief, Quanah Parker. The old fort was reconstructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps as a 1936 centennial project. See Old Fort Parker.

The parklands encompass the historic town of Springfield. Springfield was established in 1838, and when Limestone County was created in 1847, the community became the first county seat. Springfield began to die in the early 1870s, after the railroad by-passed the town and the courthouse burned. The county seat was moved to Groesbeck in 1873, the post office closed in 1878, and Springfield soon became a ghost town. Only the cemetery remains, the last resting place of many East Texas pioneers, including an American Revolutionary War veteran and two veterans of the Battle of San Jacinto during the Texas Revolution.

Activities: Fort Parker offers camping, picnicking, swimming in an unsupervised swimming area, fishing, birdwatching, hiking, biking, canoeing, nature study, and baseball/softball.

The canoe trip from the Confederate Reunion Grounds to Fort Parker is a 3 mile trip on the Navasota River. Fort Parker State Park offers shuttle service for the canoes when prearranged. Canoes will be shuttled on Saturdays and Sundays only at 10:00 a.m., March through November. Canoe rental for the trip is a 4 hour minimum rental. Occupants will need to supply their own transportation to and from the Confederate Reunion Grounds and Fort Parker State Park. Park staff can only transport the canoes. It is approximately 5 miles to the Confederate Reunion Grounds from Fort Parker. Canoes can be reserved for this trip by calling 254-562-5751.

Area Attractions: Nearby points of interest include Old Fort Parker, a replica of a fort erected in 1833 by Elder John Parker and other settlers from Illinois for protection from Indians; Confederate Reunion Grounds State Historic Site; and Fairfield Lake State Park.

Facilities: Facilities include restrooms with and without showers; picnic sites; a group picnic pavilion; tables grouped in several areas; campsites with water and electricity; screened shelters that are winterized from November through March; a group camp with 4 barracks and a dining hall - The group camp contains a total of 9 buildings which sleep 96. All the group camp buildings are heated and 6 are air conditioned (all sleeping areas are air conditioned) ; a group recreation hall ("activity center") (built by the CCC) that is heated and air-conditioned, has tables and chairs for 50, a stove top, and a refrigerator; a sponsored youth group camping area; a boat ramp; a boat dock; a 1-mile, multi-use trail for hiking and mountain bike riding; lake fishing pier; fish-cleaning facilities; playground(near the picnic area), baseball/softball field; and a trailer dump station. Canoes are rented daily during season and upon request in off-season.

Park & Facility Fees
Facility & Trail Map (PDF 97.5 KB)

Flora/Fauna: Frequently seen in the park are bluebird, duck, heron, migratory waterfowl, coyote, raccoon, squirrel, and bobcat. Popular fish include crappie, bass, catfish, and trout in season.

More information on the wildlife mentioned here:

Texas Wildlife Factsheets.

Elevation: 534 ft.
Weather: July average high is 95; SE breeze; January average low is 34; low humidity year-round with May and September wettest months; first/last freeze: November 26 / March 15.

National Weather Service forecast for this area.

Schedule: Open:The park is open 7 days a week year-round from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Busy Season: Weekends of spring, early summer, and fall. Check the Calendar for scheduled access restrictions.

Directions: The park is located, 7 miles south of Mexia or 6 miles north of Groesbeck on State Highway 14; entrance is on Park Road 28. Park location map. media download (PDF 34.8 KB)

Current conditions including, fire bans & water levels, can vary from day to day. For more details, contact the park.