Palo Pinto Mountains State Park holding soft opening

Less than one hour from Breckenridge, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is undergoing a soft opening of its first new state park in more than 25 years. 

Beginning Sunday, March 1, Palo Pinto Mountains State Park, located on 4,871 acres of former ranch land in Strawn, held its soft opening and sold out on day passes. 

“This is a tremendous moment for Texas State Parks and the state of Texas,” said Rodney Franklin, director of Texas State Parks. “Opening Palo Pinto Mountains State Park represents the culmination of collaborative efforts that includes our Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation as well as private donors. I am proud of the dedication of our TPWD team but also the unwavering support of the Texas Legislature and the voters of Texas that have brought us to this moment.”

At this time of the year, the park offers a landscape with wildflowers such as Indian blankets, yellow coneflowers, white prickly poppies, lemon beebalm, evening primrose and more. In the fall, the park will show its unique colors through red oak and flameleaf sumac trees, pecans and cedar elms.

More than 16 miles of trails from different lengths and difficulties can be enjoyed by visitors. A total of nine trails are available, with the longest being 5.7 miles, or 11 miles round trip, descending from the Palo Pinto Creek canyon into prairies and tunnels of trees. 

Visitors will be able to fish, boat and swim at the 90-acre Tucker Lake but motorboats are not allowed at the park. The lake features a dock and an ADA-accessible kayak launch.

The park offers 23 campsites with electricity, 12 campsites with water and 13 primitive campsites. The primitive campsites require a two-mile hike to access and no campfires are allowed.

A pavilion, picnic area and playgrounds are also available at the park. 

The park has been posting progress updates about construction and the final touches are still underway. A grand opening event is planned for later in the spring in anticipation of completion.

“Folks around here are anxious to see this place opened,” said James Adams, Superintendent of Palo Pinto Mountains State Park. “We have been dropping some hints about opening soon and the excitement is real.”
Since the park is still under construction, signs are placed around the park for the safety of visitors. 

The park is anticipating high visitation through Spring Break and the coming months and encourages those interested in visiting to reserve a day pass in advance online at texasstateparks.reserveamerica.com, or by calling 512-389-8900.

Entrance fee to the park is $7 daily and free for children 12 years of age and younger. 

The Nature Conservancy was asked by TPWD in 2009 to identify land for the park and worked with landowners to create Palo Pinto Mountains State Park. The park was purchased by TPWD in 2011 and was originally slated to open in 2023, but construction projects were delayed. 

Funding for the park’s construction was supported through the Texas Legislature and Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation (TPWF). The Sporting Goods Sales Tax along with federal funding and $10 million in private philanthropy raised by TPWF made the park possible.

“We’re thrilled to see the gates at Palo Pinto Mountains State Park finally open to the visitors who have been eagerly awaiting this moment,” said TPWF Executive Director Anne Brown. “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.”

To stay up to date on the grand opening event, follow the Palo Pinto Mountains State Park Facebook page. The organization is looking forward to making it an event to remember.

“Opening a new state park enhances quality of life for Texans across the region, and Palo Pinto Mountains stands as a powerful example of how public and private investment can work together to expand outdoor access and conserve the landscapes that define our state for generations to come,” Brown said.