In Texas, a state known for its lack of public lands, the tide may be turning. Though only four percent of land in the state is publicly owned (and of that, only 1 million acres are open to hunting), those numbers are set to grow substantially in coming years.
That’s thanks to a 2023 voter-approved $1 billion package, known as the Centennial Parks Conservation Fund, allowing the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) to acquire new state parks and expand existing ones, with a focus on the “golden triangle” area between Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio. Importantly, the money can’t be used for maintenance or operation, meaning the entire fund can only be spent on acquiring and developing state land. Many of the new parks are already open to hunters and anglers, or will be once the acquisitions are finalized.
Voters approved the conservation fund following a highly publicized fiasco that resulted in the total loss of Fairfield Lake State Park in 2023. The park had been operating on leased, private land for years, but in February 2023, the property was sold to a high-end residential developer for $103 million. The state considered using eminent domain to take it back, but gave up the fight after the fair-market value was assessed at $418 million by a panel of local landowners. By that point, the Centennial Fund was already on the ballot, but the whole ordeal may have helped turn the tide in favor of the initiative. It passed with 76% of the vote.
“After the Fairfield Lake debacle, I was stoked to hear that Texas is making a point to invest in our public land,” said MeatEater Managing Editor and Texas resident, Jordan Sillars. “Our state park system does a great job making access easy and affordable, and my kids and I have had a great time camping, fishing, and hiking at the state park near our house. We might not have the millions of acres western hunters enjoy, but we’re proud of what we do have, and I’m glad to see my fellow Texans coming together around public land.”
By any standard of government work, Texas has made lightning-quick speed of putting the money to use. New additions to the State Parks network are just beginning to open to the public, and many more are slated for the next two years.
Of particular interest to hunters is the new Post Oak Ridge State Park, which opened this year, providing 3,118 acres of land with direct access to the Colorado River. The state purchased the property from the descendants of a pair of 1889 homesteaders who have ranched the land ever since. The first youth whitetail hunts were held in the park this fall, and more adult archery and rifle hunts for deer, feral hogs, and aoudad are slated for January.
Similarly, TPWD expanded the Enchanted Rock State Natural Area by 3,702 acres with several purchases over the last two years, more than doubling its size. The state opened the new parcels to whitetail hunts this fall and winter. Like many hunts in the state, hunters are restricted to designated blinds or compartments, with BYOC (bring your own chair) recommended.
The state is offering the opportunity for public input on recreation opportunities as new parks are added. The next chance to provide feedback will likely be the new 1,720-acre Bear Creek State Park, which TPWD purchased this summer for $33.5 million. The Park is located east of San Antonio, about a mile away from Garner State Park—one of the most heavily trafficked in the state. Stay tuned to this page for public comment periods.
In addition to these expansions, the state doesn’t appear to be slowing down. At a Parks and Wildlife Commission meeting this November, commissioners authorized the purchase of a huge 54,000-acre property to create a new park on the West Nueces River; a 1,120-acre property to expand Caprock Canyon State Park (home to a wild bison herd); and several parcels adjacent to Lockhart State Park totaling 200 acres. The purchases have not yet been made, but TPWD says the tracts are available from “willing sellers.”
According to a spokesman for the department’s land conservation program, over 94 percent of public comments received on all three expansion proposals were in support. Of the small opposition minority, most were opposed to state ownership of land or the state purchasing private land.
The overwhelming support indicates that Texans are itching for more public areas to recreate. And thanks to their $1 billion investment, they might be reaping the rewards of the Centennial Fund for many years to come. New parks are slated to open all the way through 2032.
Several acquisitions, in addition to those mentioned above, are already complete or are in the planning process. Some notable ones are below, but you can find details on all new parks on the TPWD website.
- Dan A. Hughes Unit of Devils River State Natural Area (17,000 acres, including ten miles along the banks of the Devils River—one of the most renowned bass fisheries in the state. Open now.)
- Palo Pinto Mountains State Park (4,421 acres, opening 2026)
- Albert & Bessie Kronkosky State Natural Area (3,757 acres opening 2026)
- Powderhorn State Park and Wildlife Management Area (17,300 acres opening 2030)
- Chinati Mountains State Natural Area (39,000 acres opening 2032)
Feature image via Sonja Sommerfeld, TPWD.
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