Can you believe Texas state parks have now been established for 100 years? Does that sound too short or very long?

In our state, you can do a lot of things like camping, hiking, boating, sightseeing, fishing and so much more.

How it got started:

In 1923, Texas Governor started a State Parks Board. Since then Texas state parks have grown to a combined 630,000 acres. Some of those parks are home to more than 50 species of wildlife that are endangered or close to being endangered. Mother Neff State Park, the first state park in Texas, is on State Highway 236 and the Leon River sixteen miles southeast of Gatesville in eastern Coryell County.

Here is How We Celebrate in 2023:

All 88 Texas State Parks will host ranger-guided and self-guided walks, bike rides, paddling trips and polar plunges for the entire year of 2023, according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD).

For example, on April 15th they will be having a McKinney Falls Fest because that was the day it opened in 1976.

Palo Duro Canyon State Park will be hosting a Wolf Moon Hike on January 6th and Prairie Palooza on September 15th.

Caprock Canyon with host Experience Caprock on May 6th and Lake Colorado City State Park will host A Day in the Park on June 10th.

You can keep up to date on those events here. They even break it down to what city you are near and what it is by it here.

BIG NEWS:

This year, TPWD will have two new Texas State Parks open to the public for the first time in 25 years.

According to TPWD, "The Centennial Fundraising Campaign is complementary to the ongoing TPWF fundraising effort for Palo Pinto Mountains State Park, the first new state park in North Texas in 25 years. The new park will be another cause for celebration. Palo Pinto Mountains State Park is located on 4,871 acres of scenic, undeveloped land approximately 75 miles west of Fort Worth and 75 miles east of Abilene."

Anyone planning a trip to one of the many Texas State Parks is strongly encouraged to reserve a day pass in advance, due to some parks reaching their capacity limit each day.

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