A special ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on April 10 to actually open State Park at Palo Pinto Mountains. Governor Greg Abbott, Texas State Parks Director Rodney Franklin, Texas State Parks Secretary Jane Nelson, Texas State Parks Director Rodney Franklin, Texas State parks chairman Rodney Franklin, Texas State parks director Rodney Franklin, and Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission Chairman Emeritus Lee Bass spoke.
The State Park at Palo Pinto Mountains, according to Governor Abbott, is “one of the most beautiful of them all.” It is crucial to preserve our land. It enables areas to re-connect with the territory that gave rise to Texas. We will live up to our promise to protect our state parks so that Sam Houston and Davy Crockett’s era could see the charm of Texas again.
Located between Abilene and the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, the State Park at Palo Pinto Mountains offers Texans 4,871 acres of former ranch land to hike, bike, fish and explore on the juniper-topped hillsides and hardwood bottomlands of the Cross Timbers.
“It’s a shining day for the department and the state of Texas as we officially commemorate the opening of State Park at Palo Pinto Mountains,” said Yoskowitz. “We could not be more grateful for the support from numerous partners and the Texas Legislature in their commitment to bringing these special places to the people of Texas. This park is truly a jewel, and we are excited to see visitors traversing the trails, fishing from the pier, and experience this special slice of North Texas.”
The park’s entrance was opened to the public on March 1, making it the first state park to start in North Texas in more than 25 times. More than 15 000 people came to the area for day trips and overnight trekking in its first quarter of operation.
“Everyone has been really excited and impressed,” said James Adams, Superintendent of State Park at Palo Pinto Mountains. “We’ve had a ton of comments about how well done and thoughtful the design was. They love everything from the Headquarters to the campsites and day use areas.”
The garden, which TPWD purchased in 2011, was actually scheduled to open in 2023, but construction work was put off until later in the year. The Texas Legislature and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation ( TPWF ) both supported funding park construction. The Sporting Goods Sales Tax, the Sporting Goods Tax, and federal funding, along with a$ 10 million private philanthropic donation from TPWF, provided funding for the park.
“We are deeply grateful to the Texas Legislature for its leadership, and to the generous donors whose private support helped bring this park to life,” said TPWF Executive Director Anne Brown. “That support came from people who care deeply about conservation and about Texas—including former commissioner Kelcy Warren, Lee and Ramona Bass, the Amon G. Carter Foundation, the Eugene McDermott Foundation and many others. State Park at Palo Pinto Mountains is a powerful example of how public and private investment can expand outdoor access and conserve the landscapes that define our state.”
Palo Pinto Mountains is home to a rainbow of shade with year-round green leaf, blue-colored, berry-like cones, and tinted dark wood, keeping its name. Visitors to the park could observe the landscape change color as American blankets, bright coneflowers, light prickly poppies, lemon beebalm, evening primrose, and more.
There are pathways for everyone to discover and enjoy with more than 16 km of trails that range from simple, family-friendly paths that can be explored in about 30 minutes to more modest trails that are much greater.
Visitors may be able to place fall colors in the fall thanks to the dark oak and flame-leaf sumac trees, which turn crimson, and the pecan and cedar elms, which shift golden-yellow.
The area is also the breeding ground for a number of migrant birds, including the critically endangered golden-cheeked sparrow, which visits Palo Pinto in the summer.
Tucker Lake, a 90-acre lake, offers a fishing hole to dirty a line for anglers. Visitors can go fishing, boating, and swimming at the river, but they must never use speedboats to preserve the tranquility of the park. To give all park visitors a chance to enjoy the ocean, the river even has a kindness wharf and ADA-accessible paddle launch.
With new RV sites, walk-in camp places, and primitive camping places, over guests can choose the types of camping encounters they want to experience. Additionally, the park offers a picnic area, playgrounds, and a pavilion for groups to obtain.
The garden frequently overflows with day passes, so TPWD urges anyone planning a trip to supply one in advance. Day passes can be reserved online at the TPWD reservation website or by calling the Customer Service Center at ( 512 ) 389-8900 during business hours.
For more information about State Park at Palo Pinto Mountains, including a schedule of events, park and trail maps, visit the park’s page on the TPWD website.
Explore the TPWD Flickr section for photos from the grand opening ceremony.
