Texas moves to acquire Hill Country ranch, create state park

AUSTIN, Texas — A prominent Hill Country ranch may soon become Texas’ second-largest state park as the state works to bolster its parklands and outdoor recreation spaces.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is moving to approve the acquisition of 54,000-acre Silver Lake Ranch from the Moody Foundation in a vote set for Thursday.

The ranch sprawls across Kinney and Edwards counties, just around 125 miles west of San Antonio. Canopied by “steep canyons and rolling hills,” Silver Lake Ranch “will provide greater outdoor experiences and opportunities for the citizens of Texas,” according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.

This deal is part of Texas’ recent concentrated efforts to acquire more state-owned land under the Centennial Parks Conservation Fund, which voters passed in 2023 and allocates $1 billion toward the purchasing and development of new Texas state parks.

“Although Texas has so much wide open space, the Lone Star State ranks toward the bottom for state parkland per person, making this acquisition an important step toward expanding public access to the outdoors,” Environment Texas said in a statement.

Big Bend State Park, which covers 300,000 acres of West Texas, is the only Texas-owned parcel to surpass Silver Lake’s expansive acreage.

If approved, Silver Lake Ranch would be the first purchase using money from the Centennial Parks Conservation Fund. State law says that the sale price may not be disclosed until the transaction is completed.

The Moody Foundation currently owns the land, but the department described the owner as “a willing seller.”

Silver Lake would additionally join three other parks acquired this year under the Centennial Parks Conservation Fund, including Bear Creek State Park, Post Oak Ride State Park and land purchased in Llano County to expand Enchanted Rock State Natural Area.

Environment Texas Research and Policy Center Executive Director Luke Metzger said this investment ensures “future generations can enjoy the freedom and beauty of our great outdoors for decades to come.”

“This is a dream come true for park lovers across Texas,” Metzger said. “We fought for years to create the Centennial Parks Conservation Fund, and now, we see the fruits of that effort. Silver Lake Ranch could be protected forever, and generations of Texans may soon be able to camp under its stars, paddle its spring-fed lake and hike its rugged hills. This is just the beginning.”