With the new year, Texas will unveil its newest state park.
The Palo Pinto Mountains State Park has been described as having a landscape that resembles the Texas Hill Country. And it’s only about a two-hour drive from Dallas. This will be the first new state park in North Texas in about 25 years.
With our region’s rapid population growth, fueled by business relocations and relatively low costs, vast green spaces like this one are not easy to come by. This state park is a badly needed urban escape.
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is having a sneak peek for guests on New Year’s Day, with an official opening date for later in 2026. It is expected to draw tens of thousands of Texans once it is fully operational.
Palo Pinto Mountains, with its 4,871 acres of land, will have ample space for canoeing and fishing, mountain biking, horseback riding and hiking trails. It will also be a haven for stargazers and RV campers. Visitors should expect breathtaking views as well. The park has some rock layers, known as “cuestas” or slopes that can peak at 1,400 feet.
Opinion
Getting this state park together was not easy. Originally, 95% of the land was privately owned. Back in 2010, the Nature Conservancy was tasked by TPWD to find the properties needed to form the state park.
The state bought the first 3,300 acres of land in 2012. The city of Strawn donated the rest of the land, including the 90-acre Tucker Lake, which is considered the park’s centerpiece, an ideal place for fishing, but also for bird-watchers.
“It was a real struggle,” Anne Brown, executive director for Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation, told us, from identifying and acquiring the land, to unexpected delays, like the COVID pandemic.
In 2019, Texas lawmakers earmarked $12.5 million for the park’s development. Donors from Dallas and Fort Worth helped raise about $9 million, Brown told us. The state ultimately spent about $50 million on construction.
First Day Hikes are a tradition in Texas state parks and elsewhere. A few lucky visitors will be the first ones to walk through the newest state park.
Over two years ago, this editorial board lamented the closing of Fairfield Lake State Park after a series of bureaucratic missteps. We also acknowledged the need for more parkland in our state. Only 2.4% of Texas land is protected by the state or federal government.
Having the Palo Pinto Mountains State Park as Texas’ newest green area is welcome and worth the wait. A lot of work was involved in its fruition, including state and private funding, and soon, North Texas and beyond will have a chance to enjoy it.
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