A new state park is set to open along Lake Palestine thanks to a recent deal reached by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation. The Pollard family, who previously used the area for pecans, sold 650 acres of land for $10 million.
Included on the sprawling acreage are several small ponds and lakes, pastures, and native pine forests. The unnamed park will be used for numerous outdoor activities including camping, hiking, swimming, biking, paddle boarding, and boating.
Visitors will also have access to pecan orchards, bird watching spots, and views of the lake from the nearby bluff. It’ll be located close to Tyler, which is roughly five hours away from San Antonio by car.
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation will make initial changes and improvements to the land before the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department takes over operations at the end of 2027. At that point, additional funding from the Centennial Parks Conversation Fund will be accessible to the department to finance the trade-off.
The area surrounding Lake Palestine is considered one of the last big habitats in that region of East Texas. Waterfowl, bobcats, and white-tailed deer are just a few of the animals that can be found there.
Speaking about the land acquisition, Anne Brown, the executive director of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation, said, “Opportunities to protect a property like this don’t come along very often, and when they do, timing is critical.” She noted that the park will “ultimately become a place where generations of Texans can enjoy the outdoors.”
It’s unclear as of writing when the new park will be named or opened, but improvements are expected to be made in phases. Guided access will be offered to visitors first before daytime, full-day, and overnight access are introduced. The public will have the opportunity to provide input on the development of the space in the coming months.
The Pollard family owned the land near Lake Palestine for over 80 years
The 650 acres surrounding Lake Palestine slated to become a new Texas state park had been owned by the Pollard family since 1940. At the time, it encompassed the Texas Pecan Nursery and was used to grow and sell pecans and pecan trees.
Much of the area where the trees were grown is untouched, providing an added bonus for future visitors to enjoy when the park eventually opens.
The current president of Texas Pecan Nursery, Sam Pollard, said, “It means a lot to me that we can leave a legacy for people to enjoy.” He added that the property was “part of my soul,” and it was important for him to ensure others would appreciate it as much as he and his family had.
The director of Texas’s state park system, Rodney Franklin, said the Pollards allowed “this special slice of the Pineywoods to be accessible for generations of Texans” by approving the sale. Franklin noted that the property is an “East Texas gem,” and hopefully visitors will be able to see that for themselves soon.
This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
Related: Arlington studio ignites North Texas’ interest in horror
