Texas Opens First New State Park
Texas is opening its first new state park in nearly two decades — Palo Pinto Mountains State Park opens March 1, just west of Fort Worth and Dallas. The 4,800-acre park features dramatic hills, lakes, and trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding. Tickets are already in high demand from outdoor enthusiasts eager to explore the region's newest nature destination.
The journey to opening Palo Pinto Mountains State Park has been more than a decade in the making. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), with help from The Nature Conservancy, first purchased the former ranch land in 2011. Construction delays and supply chain issues pushed the original 2023 opening date to 2026. Funding for the park came from a variety of sources, including proceeds from the sale of land at Eagle Mountain Lake near Fort Worth. The project was also supported by legislative appropriations, the state's Sporting Goods Sales Tax, and $10 million in private donations raised by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation. The land itself is rich with history, showing evidence of use by Indigenous peoples for thousands of years. In the late 19th century, the Texas and Pacific Railroad was built through the area, and a rock oven used to bake bread for railroad workers in 1880 still stands within the park. The first successful oil well in the Ranger Field was also drilled on park land in 1915. The park's centerpiece, the 90-acre Tucker Lake, was created in 1937 by the Works Progress Administration impounding Russell Creek. It serves as a water source for the nearby city of Strawn and will be reserved for non-motorized boats to preserve its tranquility. Visitors will have access to 16 miles of multi-use trails, including 1.25 miles that are ADA compliant. The park offers 60 campsites, ranging from RV and equestrian sites to primitive ones that require a two-mile hike to reach. The new park is expected to have a significant economic impact on the surrounding area, which has seen its population decline since its 1920s boom. TPWD estimates the park will attract 75,000 to 100,000 visitors annually, boosting local businesses in the small town of Strawn. Palo Pinto Mountains State Park also serves as a crucial conservation area within the Western Cross Timbers ecoregion. Its varied habitats of oak and Ashe juniper provide a home for diverse wildlife, including the endangered golden-cheeked warbler.
