The Centennial Celebration of Texas State Parks is right around the corner, and park lovers are invited to get outside and join celebrations across the state. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, in partnership with Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation, will celebrate 100 years of Texas State Parks beginning in Jan. 2023.
“We invite all Texans to experience these precious public lands that truly belong to them,” said Rodney Franklin, TPWD’s Texas State Parks director. “We hope this is the year every Texan visits at least one state park.”
H-E-B is the presenting sponsor of the Centennial Celebration, donating $1 million to help Texas State Parks engage all Texans in discovering and exploring their parks.
“In a state rich with majestic landscapes, our support of this effort aims to provide access to our parks and the beauty of our great state for all Texans to enjoy,” said Winell Herron, H-E-B Group vice president of Public Affairs, Diversity and Environmental Affairs. “Only a very small fraction of land in Texas is public land, and it’s our commitment to work alongside organizations such as our longtime partner Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation to protect these precious resources, so Texans can use them for generations to come.”
When Governor Pat Neff called for a State Parks Board in 1923, he envisioned a Texas dotted by camping and recreational spaces held in sacred trust for the public good. Texas State Parks have lived up to that vision and more. Texas State Parks play a significant role in conserving habitat that benefits people and wildlife. They encompass some 630,000 acres, including 481,000 acres of Texas aquifers, rivers and reservoirs that protect drinking water. Parks also provide critical habitat for wildlife, including more than 50 threatened and endangered species. They also attract close to 10 million visitors every year, generating $891 million in economic value and $18 million in sales tax revenue.
Celebration Begins Jan. 1
The Centennial Celebration will officially kick off statewide on Jan. 1 with “First Day Hikes.” New Year’s Day hikers are welcome across the state with many parks offering ranger-guided walks and hikes for this special event. Throughout the year, TPWD will encourage hikers, campers, picnickers and nature lovers to share their first-time park experiences on the Texas State Parks Facebook and Instagram pages.
The celebration will continue with special events at 89 state parks throughout the year.
Park visitors can stay in the know about celebrations near them, plan visits with how-to videos, and purchase limited edition state park merchandise on the new Texas State Parks 100 Years website. Information is also available on the Texas State Parks app, and Texas State Parks Facebook and Instagram pages. The TPWD PBS series will feature Centennial programming throughout the 2023 series, and Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine will publish a special issue in May 2023. The State Park Guide, available for free beginning in Jan. 2023, will also feature Centennial-related content. Centennial-branded retail merchandise will be available in Texas State Park stores and online beginning this November.
Throughout the Centennial Celebration, H-E-B will engage with customers to inspire a love of the outdoors with campfire cooking recipes from H-E-B chefs, It will also host Texas park rangers in stores and sell Texas parks-themed merchandise. Earlier this year, the retailer announced Field & Future by H-E-B, its line of sustainable, environmentally friendly products, will benefit state parks and wildlife conservation.
Looking & Planning Ahead
In addition to celebrating the past, the Centennial is about looking ahead to the next 100 years. In Jan. 2023, TPWF will kick off a Centennial Fundraising Campaign to raise funds for priority projects at state parks across Texas. TPWF’s fundraising effort will drive statewide, grassroots giving to raise $2 million that will deliver equipment and enhancements to the visitor experience for 89 state parks. These donations will allow Texas State Parks to continue delighting visitors of all ages for generations to come.
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. Philanthropic support raised by TPWF, including donations through Field & Future by H-E-B, will be leveraged with $21 million in public funds to construct the roads, utilities, buildings, campsites, trails and other facilities necessary to open the park to the public. Fundraising is still underway, and officials are hoping for a soft opening with some facilities available to the public by late 2023.
The Centennial will also be commemorated with “The Art of Texas Parks” exhibit at several museums, starting in January at the Bullock Texas State History Museum in Austin. The exhibit is a visual arts survey of state parks and features 34 parks by some of Texas’ best contemporary artists.