Every trip around the sun brings a time for reflection and growth. After 100 trips (and 100 years of reflection), Texas State Parks are ready to grow into the next century with a flurry of new offerings.
Today, Texas boasts 89 state parks, natural areas and historic sites that stretch from the bayous of East Texas to the mountains and deserts of West Texas. Demand for outdoor spaces has never been greater in this state, with most (95 percent) of Texas land in private hands. Naturally, the next big hurdle for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is opening new parks.
Over the next 12-15 years, TPWD plans to open six new parks across the state. Those sites are Palo Pinto Mountains State Park near Fort Worth, the Dan A. Hughes Unit of Devils River State Natural Area near Del Rio, Albert and Bessie Kronkosky State Natural Area near Boerne, Powderhorn State Park near Port Lavaca, Chinati Mountains State Natural Area near Presidio and Davis Hill State Natural Area near Houston.
It takes time and money to design, plan and construct a park, says Rodney Franklin, director of Texas State Parks.
“There is a need to provide more recreational opportunities for the growing population of Texas — we really don’t have enough places for the people of Texas to enjoy the outdoors,” Franklin says. “Until the recent passage of Proposition 5, we haven’t had the funds to develop some of the properties we have in our inventory. Now, given the stability of the sporting goods sales tax, it’s time to strategically plan how we’re going to provide that opportunity using these properties.”
