AUSTIN Over the next 12–15 years, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) will open six new state parks from Big Bend to the Hill Country and Texas coast. Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine highlights these future getaways in a special May commemorative issue, on newsstands now.
“There is a need to provide more recreational opportunities for the growing population of Texas,” said Texas State Parks Director Rodney Franklin. “Until the recent passage of Proposition 5, we haven’t had the funds to develop some of the properties we have in our inventory. So, it’s exciting that we can build new state parks for future generations of Texans to enjoy.”
New parks in the works include Palo Pinto Mountains State Park near Fort Worth, the Dan A. Hughes Unit of the 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.
Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine staff devoted the entire issue — sponsored by Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation — to the Texas State Parks Centennial. With 100 pages honoring 100 years of parks, the issue features a Texas-size helping of information about the state park system — the places and the people, the history and the future, the magic and the memories.
Inside, there are recommendations about the best parks to hike or bike a trail, fish, paddle or catch a glimpse of wildlife. A quiz helps readers find their state park personalities and which parks suit each type. State parks are perfect for picnics; this issue supplies inviting sites, innovative menus and recipes. Vintage photos of Texans enjoying state parks in decades past accompany a timeline of the century’s highlights. Lyle Lovett, Daytripper Chet Garner and other notable Texans share state park memories.
This special issue would not have been possible without the sponsorship of Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation. H-E-B is the official sponsor of the Texas State Parks Centennial Celebration.
