STEPHENVILLE, Texas — Tarleton State University’s W.K. Gordon Museum and Research Center will host a representative of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department for an information session about the creation of Palo Pinto Mountains State Park at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 1.
A TPWD ranger will discuss the process of building the park and the steps taken to balance outdoor recreation areas with the conservation of wild spaces.
Currently under construction, the state’s newest park, about 75 miles west of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, is being built on land originally purchased in 2011. Covering more than 4,800 acres, the park will feature hiking, camping, fishing, stargazing, kayaking, freight-train-watching from a scenic viewpoint, and other outdoor activities. Future plans for the park include multiuse trails designed for hikers, mountain bikers, and horseback riders that will extend into more secluded areas of the park, offering sweeping, panoramic views.
The W.K. Gordon Museum and Research Center, a facility of Tarleton State University, is located at 65258 Interstate 20, Exit 367, in Mingus and is open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays and 1-4 p.m. Sundays. The combined museum and special collections library are located at the site of the Thurber ghost town.
A founding member of The Texas A&M System, Tarleton State University is breaking records — in enrollment, research, scholarship, athletics, philanthropy and engagement — while transforming the lives of more than 21,000 students in Stephenville, Fort Worth, Waco, Bryan and online. For over 125 years, Tarleton State has been committed to accessible higher education opportunities for all while helping students grow academically, socially and professionally through programs that emphasize real world learning and address regional, state and national needs.