FORT WORTH — The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department will open the state’s newest state park, Palo Pinto Mountains State Park , to guests with reservations on New Year’s Day.

The park, located 83 miles southwest of Fort Worth, is nestled on 4,871 acres of former ranch land in Stephens and Palo Pinto counties. The park’s official opening date to the general public has not yet been set, but officials expect to open in 2026.

Parks and Wildlife Department staff will give guided hikes to visitors on Jan. 1 that showcase some of the land’s most striking features — from broad plateaus with sweeping vistas to the sheltered canyons carved over millennia by wind and water.

“We are so excited to show folks what makes Palo Pinto Mountains so special,” said Rodney Franklin, the director of Texas S

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