Texas announces new park

Texas opened Palo Pinto Mountains State Park on April 10, giving the state its first new state park in nearly 20 years. (tpwd.texas.gov) Governor Greg Abbott joined the ribbon cutting near Strawn, about 75 miles west of the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department said the park covers 4,871 acres of former ranch land between Abilene and the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. (tpwd.texas.gov) The park opened to visitors on March 1 before the formal ceremony. In its first month, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department said Palo Pinto Mountains drew more than 15,000 visitors for day use and overnight camping. (tpwd.texas.gov) Palo Pinto Mountains adds new public land in a state where less than 5% of land is available for public enjoyment, according to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. The agency said Texas State Parks had 89 parks, natural areas and historic sites when voters approved the Centennial Parks Conservation Fund in 2023. (tpwd.texas.gov) That 2023 vote created the Centennial Parks Conservation Fund, a $1 billion fund backed by a portion of the state budget surplus for acquiring and developing state parks. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and The Texas Tribune have both described it as a dedicated funding stream for new parkland and park construction. (tpwd.texas.gov) (texastribune.org) Palo Pinto itself was not built with Centennial Fund money. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department said the land was assembled beginning in 2008, purchased in 2011, and built with legislative appropriations, sporting goods sales tax revenue, federal funding and $10 million in private philanthropy raised by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation. (tpwd.texas.gov 1) (tpwd.texas.gov 2) The park had been expected to open in 2023, but Texas Parks and Wildlife Department said construction delays pushed the date back. The agency began a soft opening on March 1 and held the grand opening on April 10. (tpwd.texas.gov 1) (tpwd.texas.gov 2) For visitors, the draw is straightforward: hills, canyons and a 90-acre lake in the Cross Timbers region. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department said the site is planned for hiking, biking, fishing, camping, stargazing and multiuse trails for hikers, mountain bikers and horseback riders. (tpwd.texas.gov) The bigger buildout is still ahead. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has said Centennial Fund money is already being used to speed development at other future parks, including Post Oak Ridge and Bear Creek, as Texas tries to add more public outdoor space after opening Palo Pinto. (tpwd.texas.gov 1) (tpwd.texas.gov 2)