One of Texas’ most popular state parks is about to double in size.
The Texas Parks & Wildlife Department has announced that it has purchased over 3,000 acres of land next to Enchanted Rock State Park. The park is very popular for camping and stargazing.
Public Parks has visited this gem of a natural area a few times, enjoying backcountry camping there on one of our visits.
Smack in the middle of the Lone Star State a couple of hours northwest of Austin, the park is dominated by a huge bald granite outcropping that juts out from the vegetation to rise above the surrounding landscape.
Enchanted Rock is so named because the rock mound was deemed sacred by the Native Americans who first arrived in the area.
The park offers recreational opportunities for people of all physical capabilities, from easy day hikes to more rugged backcountry terrain. The granite dome can be scaled easily, offering wide panoramic views of the starry sky on clear nights.
Enchanted Rock is so popular that some vehicles can be turned away during busy summer weekends.
This latest land purchase will “double the amount of publicly available land at one of Texas’ most popular state parks,” TPWD said.
The state’s land grab—to the benefit of all Texans and visitors to the state—was made possible by a law that passed in November 2023 with overwhelming public support.
Proposition 14 sailed through that month’s election with 76% voting in favor of the measure. The bill created a $1 billion Centennial Parks Conservation Fund and authorized TPWD to tap the funds for the sole purpose of expanding or adding new state parks to the portfolio of parks under its control.
The Sierra Club’s Lone Star Chapter called the new funding authorization “a critical step to secure future funding for new state parks and preserving more of the state’s most important remaining natural areas.”
TPWD says it spent $43 million of the initial $1 billion fund to buy 3,073 acres of land next to Enchanted Rock.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott also celebrated the milestone in Enchanted Rock’s history. “The expansion of Enchanted Rock State Natural Area will allow tourists from across the state and around the world to enjoy even more of the majesty of Texas,” Abbott said in a prepared statement.
Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission Chair Jeff Hildebrand also celebrated the doubling of the park.
“Enchanted Rock is cherished by Texans across the state, and we are thrilled to add a property of this size and scope to this beloved park,” he said.
Close to 95% of Texas is comprised of private land. Thus, the state park system there is hugely popular.
Texas state parks are far more accessible to the majority of the population than the state’s two major national parks, Big Bend and Guadalupe Mountains National Parks.
TPWD cautions that the land acquisition is just the first step.
It will take months if not years to develop the property for recreation. TPWD is promising a public consultation period on any plans it drafts to develop the newly expanded state park.
“This plan may take many months to complete, but TPWD will communicate upcoming milestones, including a potential opening date,” the agency said.
Park Info
Park:
Enchanted Rock State Natural Area
Location:
Texas, USA
More information:
