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Texas Buys 1,720-Acre Ranch for Rugged Bear Creek State Park

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Texas paid $33.5 million for a 1,720-acre Uvalde County ranch to build Bear Creek State Park, a backcountry alternative to nearby Garner State Park.

Texas has bought a 1,720-acre ranch in Uvalde County to build Bear Creek State Park, a site the state plans to keep deliberately wild rather than paving it over for easy access. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) paid $33.5 million for the land through a one-time state appropriation.

The new park sits less than a mile from Garner State Park, the busiest site in the entire Texas system. Both parks touch the same spring-fed Frio River, but visitors will reach the water very differently. At Garner, people can drive close to the river and use paved areas. At Bear Creek, getting to the Frio will mean hiking for miles across steep canyons, limestone ridges and rough backcountry trails.

TPWD says the tight limits on vehicles near the river are intentional. The goal is to open more land for public recreation while shielding fragile ground from crowds. Garner regularly fills to capacity by midday on summer weekends, as visitors pack its lawns, roads and river banks. Bear Creek is being designed for lower-impact, quieter pursuits instead.

Early surveys of the property turned up thick woodland, deep ravines and oak grasslands. State officials say those areas hold sensitive habitats, including territory for the endangered golden-cheeked warbler, along with several rare plants found in the deeper canyons.

Governor Greg Abbott pointed to the recreational payoff when the deal was announced. "The acquisition of Bear Creek State Park will provide Texans access to the Frio River along with streams, canyons, and hiking trails for visitors to explore," he said. "I encourage all Texans and out-of-state visitors to witness our beautiful Texas parks up close."

Trails through the Balcones Canyonlands

Under TPWD's preliminary plans, the emphasis falls on walking the land rather than parking beside it. Planners are laying out a web of natural-surface trails across the Balcones Canyonlands. Some routes are expected to reach overlooks facing Old Baldy, the well-known peak inside neighboring Garner State Park.

Hikers heading for the Frio and its feeder streams, including Spring Creek and Bear Creek itself, will follow backcountry paths meant to spare the sensitive banks from wear. Draft public-use plans call for walk-in campsites, primitive backpacking zones and spots for stargazing. Those low-footprint options are being prioritized over large RV areas and paved lots.

"The department is excited to add Bear Creek to the Texas State Park system and provide Texans with another picturesque slice of the Texas Hill Country to enjoy," said David Yoskowitz, TPWD's executive director. "The rolling grasslands and unnamed creeks stretching across the landscape will one day provide visitors with a new place to explore the peaks and valleys that make up Uvalde County."

Paid for by the Centennial fund

Money for developing Bear Creek will come from the $1 billion Centennial Parks Conservation Fund, which Texas voters approved in 2023 to speed up land buys and park building statewide. Agency rules require some form of public access within 18 months of a purchase, with full operations expected inside four years. According to early plans, limited access such as guided hikes and special events should begin in late 2026, while resource surveys continue.

Paul Foster, chairman of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission, tied the deal to the state's push for more outdoor space as its population grows. "This latest land purchase is another feather in the cap of the department for their efforts to provide more public spaces for Texans to recreate in the outdoors," he said. "Combined with the previous additions, Texas has added more than 6,800 acres of new parkland."

Old campsites and dark skies

The ranch also carries a long human record. Early archaeological work found signs of Native American campsites, including former cooking areas and spots where tools were shaped along the creek beds. Later, the land became part of the region's ranching past. Records show that in the late 1800s, rancher Abraham B. "Abe" Kelly built a homestead at the junction of Bear Creek and Spring Creek.

Planners also want to guard the area's night sky. By holding down artificial light and avoiding heavy overnight construction, they hope to keep the Hill Country dark overhead. Officials are still refining the final master plan through public meetings, aiming to make Bear Creek a draw for hikers, birdwatchers and backpackers seeking a calmer stretch of the Frio River valley.

Bear Creek State Park, Texas Parks and Wildlife, Frio River, Garner State Park, Uvalde County, Greg Abbott, Centennial Parks Conservation Fund, golden-cheeked warbler

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