"This land is part of my soul," Sam Pollard, president of Texas Pecan Nursery, said in the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation's announcement. "It means a lot to me that we can leave a legacy for people to enjoy." His family has owned the land since 1940. It was part of their longtime pecan nursery business, and on Oct. 1, 2026, the foundation bought it for a future Texas state park.
The land was protected first. The park will follow on a schedule set by when the state's parks fund is ready to pay. If you live on the lake, that order tells you more about the coming years than any opening date can, because no opening date exists yet.
Where the 650 acres sit, and what is on them
The foundation places the property about 18 miles west of Tyler and 20 miles east of Athens. KETK described it as roughly halfway between Chandler and Moore Station. The Brownsboro and Chandler outlet Kickapoo Kolache is more specific. It reported that a Texas Parks and Wildlife Department vicinity map marks the tract south of Chandler, on the Henderson County side of the lake. It also reported that the sale listing gave a County Road 3411 address, with road frontage on CR 3411 and CR 3412.
According to the Texas Tribune, the property has roughly 2,000 feet of frontage on Lake Palestine, along with pine forest, native grasses, a pecan orchard and about 10 ponds. The foundation calls it one of the largest contiguous landholdings on the lake. It also says the purchase protects "one of the last large blocks of habitat in this part of East Texas," including habitat for white-tailed deer, bobcats and waterfowl. Texas State Parks director Rodney Franklin pointed to the pecan trees as "a signature of the property." The foundation lists blufftop lake views among what future visitors can expect.
The pecan connection is still close to home. Texas Pecan Nursery's 2026 retail catalog lists its sales yard at 504 State Highway 31 West in Chandler. The catalog lists pecan trees by size and price, with ordering, shipping and pickup instructions. If you've wondered what the orchard's stock looks like, that's the place to see it.
Why the state is waiting on its own money
The deal took about 14 months to come together, and every step shows that protecting the land came first:
- 2025: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department identified the property as a potential future state park site.
- Aug. 20, 2026: The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission took up Action Item 11, "Land Acquisition – Henderson County – Approximately 650 Acres." The motion authorizing the acquisition passed with no opposition.
- Oct. 1, 2026: The Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation, a private nonprofit, bought the property for more than $10 million. The state agency did not.
- Late 2027: The foundation expects the department to buy the land from it once more money from the Centennial Parks Conservation Fund becomes available.
Texas voters approved Proposition 14 in 2023, which created a dedicated fund from part of the state budget surplus to buy and develop state parks. The department describes the Centennial Parks Conservation Fund as a $1 billion fund. A department spokesperson told the Texas Tribune that holding off on the purchase lets the state earn more interest on that fund before using it for this property.
That's why the foundation stepped in. The land was on the market, and Anne Brown, the foundation's executive director, put it this way in the release: "Opportunities to protect a property like this don't come along very often, and when they do, timing is critical." The foundation used its Land Conservation Loan Fund, a donor-supported revolving fund built for fast, time-sensitive purchases. The NextEra Energy Foundation contributed $100,000.
What opens first, and when it might happen
The department plans to open the park in phases. Guided access comes first, then day use, then full day and overnight access. Planned amenities include:
- Hike and bike trails
- Traditional and primitive campsites
- Day-use areas
- Lakefront access
Before any of that, the land needs habitat restoration, and the department will ask for public input after it completes the purchase. If you have opinions about where trails or a lake access point should go, that public input period is your chance to weigh in. As of late October, no meeting dates have been announced.
No official name or opening date has been announced either. In an Oct. 7 interview on Texas Standard, a contributor described the handoff as February 2028, with at least part of the land opening to the public within six months after that. The foundation's own statement says only "late 2027" for the transfer. Either way, it's reasonable to expect that guided visits, the first phase, are more than a year away. Day use and camping would come after that.
The Texas Tribune put it plainly: "it will be years before visitors can pitch a tent or launch a kayak there."
Getting on the water while the park is being planned
Since the new park is a 2028-or-later project, the lake's public access stays where it is for now. Texas Parks and Wildlife lists these public access points on Lake Palestine, all with no fee:
| Access point | Location as listed | Season as listed |
|---|---|---|
| Kickapoo Public Ramp | FM 315 south of Chandler, at the end of the first bridge | Not stated |
| Flat Creek Public Ramp | FM 315 south of Chandler, at the end of the third bridge | Open all year |
| Saline Bay | CR 189W east of Texas 155 at Dogwood City | Open all year |
| Deep End Public Ramp | Off FM 1892 at the west end of the dam | Open all year |
| Cherokee Landing | FM 3504 off FM 346, past the Chimney Creek cove bridge | Open all year |
| Chimney Creek Landing | Off FM 346 at the far end of the Chimney Creek cove bridge | Open all year, small boats only |
The two FM 315 ramps are the public launches nearest the Chandler side of the lake, the same general area as the future park. Upstream, Chandler River Park sits on the Neches River off Texas 31 on Chandler's east side and is operated by the City of Chandler. The department notes that it suits small boats only and may be unusable when the water is low. The department's directory is a list of facilities, not a live status report, so check conditions before you hitch up the trailer.
For a meal or fuel on the water, Lake Palestine Resort lists boat ramps, covered slips, fuel and supplies at its marina. Its South location is at 8900 Ruby Lane in Frankston. The resort's Lakeside Grill lists hours of 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday and 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, with karaoke on Fridays and live music on Saturdays.
If you want trails and campsites before the new park opens, Texas Parks and Wildlife lists Tyler State Park and Purtis Creek State Park as nearby parks, and both are open daily.
What this means along the CR 3411 shoreline
For owners near the tract, the clearest effect is already in place. The foundation says the land will remain largely undeveloped and eventually open to the public. Planned uses include trails, campsites and day-use areas, with habitat restoration first. The pace of all of that is tied to the Centennial Fund. The next firm date on the calendar is the department's purchase. Public input meetings follow that purchase, and those meetings are where the park's layout will take shape.
If you own on Lake Palestine near Chandler, or you're considering a lake house within reach of the future park, I'm glad to talk through how the planned trails, day use and lakefront access could fit the way you use the water, and I'll share updates as the department sets its public input dates. Britany Ott works with lakefront buyers and sellers across Lake Palestine and East Texas. Let's Connect.
