Campers and hikers, two of your favorite state parks near San Antonio are about to get bigger.
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) recently announced it had acquired 3,073 acres adjacent to Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, doubling the size of the scenic park.
Another state natural area closer to the city, Government Canyon State Natural Area, could also get significantly larger.
Situated between the Hill Country towns of Fredericksburg and Llano, Enchanted Rock is known for its 425-foot pink granite batholith rock formation and was among the top-10 most visited state parks in 2022.
Now combined with 630 acres of land southwest of the park acquired in summer 2024 turns the park into a sprawling 6,000 acres of rugged hills open for recreation.
In November, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission (TPWC) authorized the department staff to acquire the land in Llano County adjacent “from a willing seller.”
The agency paid $43 million for the property formerly used for hunting, according to a statement from the agency.
“Enchanted Rock is cherished by Texans across the state, and we are thrilled to add a property of this size and scope to this beloved park,” stated TPWC Chairman Jeff Hildebrand.
The popular park often reaches capacity forcing park rangers to turn away visitors without reservations to enter the park.
With the sale finalized, TPWD will develop a plan with input from the public to determine recreational opportunities for the property, said a TPWD spokesman. With that effort requiring months to complete, an opening date will be announced later.
At the same meeting in November, commissioners also directed department staff to move forward on a plan to acquire hundreds of acres in Bexar and Medina counties adjacent to Government Canyon State Natural Area.
Government Canyon is a 12,000-acre state park that opened west of Helotes, Texas, in 2005.
The park is situated along the edge of the Balcones Escarpment and is a karst preserve protecting the quality and supply of fresh water to the Edwards Aquifer. Karst is a type of landscape where the dissolving of the bedrock has created sinkholes, sinking streams, caves and springs.
The 823 acres of land in the deal is owned by local individuals, according to county tax records.
That deal has not been finalized, according to a TPWD spokesman.
