Overview
- The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department completed the acquisition Wednesday of nearly 54,000 acres in Edwards and Kinney counties that will become Silver Lake State Park, making it the state's second‑largest park.
- The Moody Foundation gifted roughly 87.5% of Silver Lake Ranch and TPWD bought the remaining interest for $11.85 million using money from the voter‑approved Centennial Parks Conservation Fund and sporting‑goods sales tax revenue.
- The property centers on a 30‑acre spring‑fed Silver Lake and includes miles of West Nueces River frontage, steep canyons, limestone cliffs, creeks and caves with pictographs, and it supports wildlife including species that may be endangered.
- TPWD will begin natural and cultural resource surveys, solicit public input, and open the park in stages with initial guided and limited day use followed later by trails, basic facilities, camping and paddling access.
- This is the first land purchase funded with the $1 billion Centennial Parks Conservation Fund and it expands public recreation space in a region where nearby parks see heavy visitation, but formal planning and surveys mean broader access could take many months.