EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — Franklin Mountains State Park is getting bigger after Texas Parks and Wildlife Department officials finalized a new land acquisition that adds 1,054 acres on the park’s eastern side.

The acquisition extends the park’s buffer zone to Martin Luther King Boulevard, adding lower-elevation, flatter land and helping secure access points for trailheads, according to park officials.

“I am excited about this acquisition,” said superintendent Cesar Mendez, “which extends the buffer zone all the way to Martin Luther King Boulevard, adding some lower elevation and flatter land to Franklin Mountains State Park and securing access points (trailheads).”

The added acreage provides access to the northeastern portion of the park, including existing trailhead access to mountain bike trails, while also helping curb urban encroachment by creating a buffer. Officials said the acquisition will help ensure views of the mountains from the northeast are not obstructed by urban development.

The property also helps safeguard the main mountain area of desert bighorn sheep habitat.

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Franklin Mountains State Park is about 15 minutes from El Paso and sits in the northern Chihuahuan Desert.

Texas Parks and Wildlife describes it as one of the largest urban wilderness parks in the world, with about 28,000 acres, or 43 square miles, including more than 120 miles of trails, along with hiking, biking and rock-climbing opportunities.

Texas Parks and Wildlife said that when it is notified of available properties, the agency conducts a due diligence review to determine whether land is feasible for public use. Now that the sale is complete, agency teams will conduct natural and cultural resource surveys to help guide management plans and future visitor interpretive exhibits.

Park planners and resource specialists will develop a public use plan to determine the most appropriate use of the new property. The agency said the plan may take months to complete and that it will share upcoming milestones, including a potential opening date.

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