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TPWD pursuing 650-acre acquisition for new East Texas state park

By
FOX 7 Austin
Texas
Published July 31, 2026 4:00 PM CDT
Published July 31, 2026 4:00 PM CDT
article

(FOX Local)

The Brief

    • Texas Parks and Wildlife is working to acquire 650 acres along Lake Palestine in Henderson County for a potential new state park.
    • The proposal is open for public comment through Aug. 19 before the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission considers final approval.
    • Officials have not released a timeline for completing the purchase or developing the park while the land deal is finalized.

HENDERSON COUNTY, Texas - The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) has confirmed it is pursuing acquisition of land in East Texas' Henderson County for a proposed new state park.

As officials say the purchase remains in the contracting and due diligence phase.

Proposed Lake Palestine State Park details

What we know:

According to proposal documents that are currently open for public comment on the TPWD website, the proposed park would encompass about 650 acres along the shores of Lake Palestine, about 25 miles east of Athens, in East Texas.

How to submit public comments

What you can do:

The proposal is open for public comment through 5 p.m. Aug. 19. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission will consider the proposed acquisition following the public comment period.

Next steps for the proposed park

What they're saying:

"We are currently in various stages of the contracting and due diligence process for these acquisitions and don't have a lot of details we can reveal right now, but we are excited about the opportunity to potentially bring some additional land to the people of Texas to explore and enjoy," said the TPWD Public Information Officer in an emailed statement.

In a follow-up email, Allen confirmed the agency's statement referring to the proposed Henderson County acquisition that is currently posted for public comment. The Executive Summary on the TPWD feedback page states:

"Staff requests authorization to acquire a 650-acre parcel of land for a new state park from a willing seller."

What's next:

The proposed acquisition is part of the department's broader effort to expand public access to outdoor recreation across Texas. However, TPWD has not announced a timeline for completing the purchase or developing the proposed park.

The department says they will announce the purchase and provide additional information once the contract is complete.

The Source: Information in this article was provided by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

TexasWild Nature