A massive stretch of Texas Hill Country is officially becoming a new state park, and it’s set to be one of the biggest outdoor destinations in the entire state.

The 54,000-acre Silver Lake Ranch, straddling Kinney and Edwards counties, has a 30-acre spring-fed lake. An opening date hasn’t been determined.

Palo Pinto Mountains State Park in North Texas will open sometime next year. Visitors can reserve spots for a sneak peek on New Year’s Day.

There have been an increased in black bear sightings in East Texas, according to biologists with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD).

Abbott ordered two Texas agencies to begin working together and with residents and business leaders to stop the spread of the invasive fly before it even starts.

The legislation would put new requirements on wind and solar companies that oil and gas companies in Texas do not face.

In a post on Facebook, State Rep. Pat Curry said the bill he filed, HB 4938, was done so as a mechanism to bring TPWD to the table to discuss proposed regulations on the deer breeding industry in Texas.

HB 4938, if passed, would abolish the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission and transfer its functions to the General Land Office, Department of Agriculture, and Department of Public Safety.

The odds of seeing one in the wild could be 1 in 750,000.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is negotiating a land trade involving part of Boca Chica State Park.

Monday’s vote lets Texas Parks and Wildlife staff begin negotiations to swap 43 acres in the park for 477 acres next to a federal wildlife refuge.

Investigations have been underway in Deer Park this week after reports of odors, dirty water, and dead fish in Patrick Bayou.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department will stop pursuing eminent domain to take over the former park property south of Dallas. A private developer plans to turn it into a luxury subdivision.

Despite fishermen’s wishes to delay the season in hopes that oyster reefs recover from years of environmental stress, the state pushed ahead with a Nov. 1 start.

A kayaker’s body was recovered after she drowned at a lake at the Huntsville State Park on Oct. 28, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department said.

Areas of the Texas Gulf Coast are seeing blooms of the algae, which can make people sick and kill fish.

A unique rattlesnake was seen slithering in Texas Hill Country recently.

A local Girl Scout troop is telling only KPRC 2 about the exhilarating moments they swam for their lives over the weekend, just feet away from an alligator in Lake Raven at Huntsville State Park.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department began the legal process of eminent domain to seize the former state park and save it from being turned into an upscale subdivision. The agency had offered a Dallas-based developer $103 million for it.

Todd Interests, which plans to turn the former park into a high-end subdivision, has a week left to respond to the state’s final offer for the property.

Once common, the Texas horned lizard is now a species of concern

The state is now considering seizing the land to save the park after its purchase offer was rejected by a Dallas developer.

Texas parks officials said they are taking “all necessary steps” to purchase the land and save Fairfield Lake State Park from being turned into a luxury gated community and golf course.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department will open six new state parks over the next 12 to 15 years amid a statewide drive to expand parkland.

KPRC 2 spoke to Timothy Deramus on Tuesday about how he caught Gary, the alligator, in Sugar Land this past weekend.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department officials said Tuesday that a highly contagious and easily transmissible virus called Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, or HPAI, had infected the first mammal in the state.

Texas Parks and Wildlife said Tuesday that Fairfield Lake State Park will permanently close to public access on Feb. 28, as the park’s land lease is terminated.

An art exhibit and book will commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Texas state park system.

Officials say more than 10 people had to be rescued Saturday evening after two boats crashed head-on in Lake Conroe.

Several invasive Australian Redclaw Crayfish were recently collected by researchers from the University of Texas Rio Grand Valley in Texas, according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

Over 20 baby egrets and blue herons were released back into the wild after an investigation was launched where dozens of birds were found injured or dead at a northwest Harris County subdivision.

An investigation has been launched after dozens of migratory birds were discovered injured or dead in an area being used as a breeding ground by the protected species. According to a news release, Texas Parks and Wildlife and The Wildlife Center of Texas rescuers found “scores of injured and/or orphaned juvenile great blue herons and great egrets.” Injuries included broken wings, mangled legs, and internal injuries suffered after their nesting area had been disrupted.

If you see smoke near Sylvan Rodriquez Park Monday, don’t be alarmed.

For $30 a year, Texas motorists with a social conscience -- or simply a desire to decorate their vehicles with adorable critters -- can do away with the state’s plain black-and-white plates.

The Texas Horned Lizard, one of the Lone Star State’s threatened species, made its viral internet debut Thursday when the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department released a video showing hundreds of captive-bred hatchlings scuttling out into the wild.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department are now accepting applications for game wardens.

Brazos Bend State Park staff recently welcomed some snappy new bundles of joy into the world -- several tiny lil’ alligators.

One of the Lone Star State’s odd animal inhabitants made its viral internet debut Thursday when a curious Texas beach-goer photographed what appeared to be some sort of half-worm, half-snake creature slithering out from the sandy substrate of a Galveston beach, wriggling for a close-up.

Texas is home to many dangerous critters, both big and small. Here are nine of the most dangerous animals in the state. Oh, and it goes without saying, but we’re going to say it anyway -- Obviously, you want to steer clear of these creatures if you see them out in the wild or, heaven forbid, in your own home.

One man was killed and three others were injured in a boat crash on Lake Conroe overnight.

The federal government defines an invasive species as a “species that is non-native (or alien) to the ecosystem under consideration and whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health.”

Have upcoming plans to visit Lake Lyndon B. Johnson?

HOUSTON – According to the Houston Fire Department, they -- in collaboration with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center -- conducted a prescribed burn at the Arboretum on Thursday. A prescribed burn, according to the Houston Arboretum website, is “a carefully planned and executed intentional fire. Although the Arboretum will reopen Friday, some trails will remain closed until further notice. While the Arboretum will reopen tomorrow, some trails may remain closed. pic.twitter.com/eytiydRsnW — Houston Arboretum (@HoustonArboretu) March 25, 2021For more information on the benefits of a prescribed fire and what you should expect, visit the Houston Arboretum’s website.

Texas Parks and Wildlife announced Wednesday that parks across the state are beginning to return to normal capacity. “We’re excited to welcome more visitors to our parks,” said Rodney Franklin, director of Texas State Parks. Prior to the pandemic, many of the state’s most heavily-trafficked parks enacted capacity limits to ensure they weren’t overrun. “Getting outdoors is essential for people’s physical and mental health, and Texas State Parks play a critical role in meeting this need.”AdDay passes are available for purchase up to one month in advance. Travelers can reserve campsites or buy passes by visiting the State Parks Reservations page or calling 512-389-8900.

HOUSTON – Neighbors arm themselves after coyotes spotted along the Westchase walking trail. Several coyotes have been spotted along a popular walking trail in the Westchase area. AdTexas Parks and Wildlife officials say coyotes live all around us and they are not going anywhere. “You’re going to raise your arms up, you’re going to make yourself look larger, you’re going to yell you’re going to speak assertively,” said Simon to help scare off coyotes. Simon says can also take a picture of the coyote sighting and let Texas Parks and Wildlife officials know where it is.

Following freezing temperatures experienced across Texas last week, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is receiving several reports of bat fatalities. Sharing an update on its Facebook page, the state agency warns Texans never to attempt to handle bats, dead or alive, as many colonies are being found frozen under overpasses throughout the state. According to the Houston Zoo’s bat specialist and naturalist Suzanne Jurek, Winter Storm Uri largely impacted bats as they had already used most of their fat reserves, leaving them vulnerable. Texas Parks and Wildlife is recording wildlife mortalities due to Winter Storm Uri. To help, the department says Texans can report their findings of dead bats to the iNaturalist project.

HOUSTON – The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department are expected to stock over 23,000 rainbow trout in 14 Houston-area waterways, according to the 2020-21 Trout Stocking Schedule. The rainbow trout will be big enough to catch and eat for anyone who wants to keep their catch. Here is the list of Houston-area lakes, rivers, and ponds that will be stocked with the rainbow trout:1. Beaver Pond - Cypress Creek ParkCity: SpringTotal: 2,000Stocking dates: December 16 and January 13, 202111. Dennis Johnston ParkCity: SpringTotal: 1,430Stocking date: January 15, 202112.

With COVID-19 pushing many people to seek respite in the outdoors, state parks across Texas are more popular than ever. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has worked to control crowds by limiting capacity and requiring advance bookings. If you’re looking to steer clear of the most popular parks and find an outdoors escape, consider these seven state parks, which according to TPWD are some of the least-visited in the system. Annual visitors: 5,929Located near Devil’s Sinkhole is Kickapoo Cavern State Park, characterized by scrub-covered limestone hills and plenty of wildlife. At the edge of the Big Thicket just 10 miles north of Beaumont, the state park features fishing, biking, birding, and camping opportunities along the free-flowing creek.

Three Texas Parks and Wildlife employees were killed and a contract pilot injured Saturday in a helicopter crash while conducting aerial surveys for desert bighorn sheep in West Texas, according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Wildlife Biologist Dewey Stockbridge, Fish and Wildlife Technician Brandon White, and State Wildlife Veterinarian Dr. Bob Dittmar died in the crash, according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. The pilot survived the crash and was transported to a hospital in El Paso for further treatment. Wildlife conservation in Texas lost three of its finest as they so honorably and dutifully carried out their calling to help survey, monitor and protect the bighorns of their beloved west Texas mountains. Cecilia and I are deeply saddened by this loss and we extend our sympathies to the families and loved ones of the victims.

The game warden, along with a DPS Trooper, were able to capture and relocate the alligator to a safe place outside of town. The game wardens found the goat in the nick of time and saved it from potential starvation or drowning. Grin and Bear ItA Titus County game warden and a Texas Parks and Wildlife Department biologist responded to a call about a black bear that had been photographed from a homeowner’s back porch. Whiskey RiverWhile patrolling the Neches River, a Hardin County game warden stopped a small aluminum boat for not displaying navigation lights. Guard GatorIn Cameron County, game wardens received a call regarding an alligator that was roaming around inside a detention center facility.

Galveston Island State Park closed after officials learned an individual at the park tested positive for COVID-19. Out of an abundance of caution, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department called for the immediate closure. According to the department, guests with overnight and day-use reservations through July 8 will be notified about refunds and reservation transfer options. The park will reopen for overnight and day-use reservations beginning July 9. For more updates from Texas Parks and Wildlife, click here.

Balmorhea State Park, where a spring-fed swimming pool sparkles against a prickly desert backdrop, is set to expand to nearly seven times its current size. The popular West Texas park, where swimmers and scuba divers glide through clouds of fish, will add 643 acres to the existing 108 acres, Texas Parks and Wildlife officials announced this week. After leaving the pool, water from the springs empties into two man-made cienegas, or desert marshes, where visitors can observe wildlife. Balmorhea is such a unique park, said Stephanie Salinas-Garcia, a spokesperson for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Its a wonderful gateway into that West Texas landscape and shows the beauty of the area.

MERCEDES, Texas – Authorities seized animals including a white Bengal tiger, bobcat, kinkajou, porcupines, llamas, emus and deer after finding them at a South Texas residence while executing a search warrant last week. He said the narcotics investigation is ongoing but there were no arrests or charges related to the search warrant. Parks said that going in they had information that there were exotic animals at the residence, so they brought along game wardens. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department said in a statement that game wardens had to euthanize the bobcat and two deer because they were being held illegally without permits and their origin was unknown. Parks said the other animals were taken to the Austin Zoo for medical evaluation and rehabilitation if needed.

Fall colors are painting over Texas state parks, and the views are nothing short of extraordinary. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is regularly updating its Flickr page with photos of fall sights around state parks, from the Hill Country to North Texas. Devils River State Natural Area near Del Rio, Inks Lake State Park near Burnet and South Llano River State Park in Junction are among Central and South Texas parks that are flashing fall colors right now. Popular parks like Garner State Park and Lost Maples State Natural Area often reach capacity early and close, according to TPWD. Here are some of the Texas state parks that are worth the drive to see fall colors:

NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas – The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department will stock 20,498 rainbow trout in the Canyon Tailrace over the course of eight weeks starting Dec. 6. The tentative dates for rainbow trout stocking along the tailrace are Dec. 6, 13, 20 and 27, as well as Jan. 3, 10, 17, 24 and 31. “Rainbow trout stockings begin around Thanksgiving in Bexar County and will continue through February,” a TPWD spokesperson told KSAT. Thousands of rainbow trout will also be stocked in four lakes around San Antonio this season, including Southside Lions and Miller’s Pond. A total of 343,650 rainbow trout will be stocked in lakes and ponds across Texas for the 2019-2020 trout stocking season, TPWD reported.