In September, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department announced the purchase of the state's newest piece of parkland: 630 acres in the Hill Country adjacent to Enchanted Rock State Natural Area. The property, which might otherwise have been developed into a subdivision with hundreds of new homes, will now become a part of the iconic park, offering new recreational opportunities at one of the most popular sites in the state.
“We are so excited that we were able to acquire this property and that we will be able to give the hundreds of thousands of Enchanted Rock patrons new opportunities to recreate in this part of the state,” says Rodney Franklin, director of Texas State Parks. “This addition is the latest win for Texas State Parks as we work toward enhancing some of our existing sites and continuing our gold medal-winning stewardship for the people of Texas.”
TPWD was first made aware of the available land when local park staff noticed a for-sale sign and relayed the information. TPWD reviews potential opportunities all over the state to determine feasibility of purchase. In this case, TPWD engaged our official nonprofit partner, Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation, to help secure this important piece of property.
TPWD bought the property from Comanche Rock Acquisitions LLC.
“This land purchase would not have been possible without the help of our partners and the people of Texas,” Franklin says. “By passing Proposition 5 in 2019, TPWD was able to use sporting goods sales tax funding made available for strategic land acquisitions in conjunction with federal Land and Water Conservation Fund dollars to conserve this property for public use.”
In the future, TPWD will also be able to tap the $1 billion Centennial Parks Conservation Fund, approved by voters in 2023, to make park purchases. This property will provide an expansion to recreational opportunities at the park while also protecting the delicate natural and cultural resources near Enchanted Rock, including the night sky and Sandy Creek. It could also help ensure that views of the Hill Country from on top of the rock remain beautiful and expansive.
“Enchanted Rock State Natural Area is one of the state's most visited sites and is in an area of Texas that is seeing rapid development,” says Doug Cochran, superintendent of Enchanted Rock State Natural Area. “Acquiring this property will allow for a more expansive experience when visiting while adding to the protection of resources and recreational opportunities in the area. Currently, people who visit Enchanted Rock experience the dome up close and personal. There is excitement with this acquisition that visitors will now be able to experience the dome from a distance without the threat of development.”
Now that the sale has been finalized, TPWD will develop a plan with input from the public to determine what the recreational opportunities for the property will be. This plan may take many months to complete, and the public will be kept informed of any upcoming milestones including a potential opening date.
