"Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has not purchased the property yet," Madelon Allen, TPWD's public information officer for State Parks, told the Tyler Morning Telegraph at the end of October. "It was purchased by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation and will be purchased by TPWD late next year."
That answers the question many people around the lake have had since early October, when news came that a state park was planned for the Henderson County shore south of Chandler. The land is reserved for a park now. Getting from that point to a day at the lake takes several more decisions, made by different groups on different schedules. Until those are made, the lake's public ramps and Chandler River Park are still the public's way onto the water.
What changed hands on October 1
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation bought 650 acres on Lake Palestine on Oct. 1, 2026, and says it is investing more than $10 million in the project. The foundation calls the tract one of the largest single blocks of land with frontage on the lake. The Texas Tribune put the frontage at about 2,000 feet. KETK placed the property about halfway between Chandler and Moore Station, and the Telegraph puts it about six miles south of Chandler.
The Pollard family has owned the land since 1940, and it was part of the family's Texas Pecan Nursery operation. That means the family held it more than 20 years before the lake first filled in 1962, and three decades before the dam was raised in 1972, according to the Telegraph. The foundation describes native pine forest, ponds, pecan orchards, and bluffs with views over the lake. It lists white-tailed deer, bobcats, waterfowl, and woodland birds among the wildlife.
"This land is part of my soul," Sam Pollard, president of Texas Pecan Nursery, said in the foundation's announcement. "It means a lot to me that we can leave a legacy for people to enjoy."
The Texas Tribune describes the foundation as a nonprofit partner of TPWD. The foundation plans to make more investments in the property before handing it over. Its $10 million-plus came partly from a $100,000 grant from the NextEra Energy Foundation and partly from the foundation's Land Conservation Loan Fund. That revolving fund was set up so the foundation can move quickly when a land deal is time-sensitive.
Each step has its own schedule
The foundation is holding the land because the state's money arrives later. In the foundation's words, it "will hold the property until TPWD can acquire it in late 2027, when additional funding from the Centennial Parks Conservation Fund becomes available." The Texas Tribune reported that the state expects the waiting period to let the Centennial fund earn more interest before that money goes into building the park.
Two separate pots of money are involved. Allen told the Telegraph that TPWD expects to buy the land with Sporting Goods Sales Tax and Land and Water Conservation Fund dollars. Interest from the Centennial Fund would pay to develop the park, and the department can spend that interest only with approval from the Legislative Budget Board.
| Step | Who acts | Timing as stated in October 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Staff requests authority to acquire | TPWD staff, to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission | Agenda item dated Aug. 20, 2026 |
| Land purchased and held | Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation | Bought Oct. 1, 2026 |
| State buys land from foundation | TPWD | Late 2027 |
| Public input on park options | TPWD, with the public | After the state purchase |
| Development money released | Legislative Budget Board approval for Centennial Fund interest | Before development spending |
| Guided access, then day use, then overnight | TPWD | In phases, in that order |
The foundation's announcement lays out the order of opening: "TPWD plans to open the future park in phases, beginning with guided access, followed by day use and eventually full day and overnight access." The public input sessions come after the state buys the land, so late 2027 is when residents can start weighing in on what the park includes.
What the plans list and what is still undecided
Commission Item 11, a TPWD agenda item dated Aug. 20, 2026, asked for authority to acquire about 650 acres in Henderson County from a willing seller. Staff called the land suitable for day and overnight use, boating, swimming, paddleboarding, hiking trails, and hunting and fishing, including access for waterfowl hunting. The foundation's list of planned amenities includes hike-and-bike trails, traditional and primitive campsites, day-use areas, and access to the lakefront, along with habitat restoration before opening.
For anglers, the open question is how they would get onto the water from the park. Allen told the Telegraph: "Nothing is set in stone right now because TPWD has not purchased the property. As with any state park, folks can expect trails, camping and fishing. Once more surveys and studies are done, TPWD can determine the feasibility of a boat ramp, fishing pier, etc."
In the same piece, Telegraph outdoors columnist Steve Knight said a lakeside pavilion with ample parking and good ramps would suit a lake that hosts so many club and pro fishing tournaments. He suggested TPWD could share the cost with the Upper Neches River Municipal Water Authority, Henderson County, or both. That is his proposal as a columnist. Any agreement among those agencies would have to come out of the planning process.
The Telegraph also notes that the Lake Palestine site will join the more than 20 Texas state parks that sit on a major reservoir. Parks like these tend to draw day visitors who come for the boating and shoreline facilities as well as the camping.
The public ramps in the meantime
Until the park opens, the public gets onto the lake through ramps and parks that are already there. The Upper Neches River Municipal Water Authority owns and operates Lake Palestine and its dam. TPWD keeps the public directory of launch points on its Lake Palestine access page. It lists these:
- Deep End Public Ramp, at the west end of the dam. Two lanes, boats of all sizes, no fee, open year-round.
- Saline Bay, a public two-lane ramp for boats of all sizes. No fee, open year-round.
- Flat Creek Public Ramp, no fee, parking for 40 vehicles, open all year.
- Flat Creek Marina, privately operated, with a ramp for all boats, parking for 75 vehicles, and a $2 launch fee, open year-round.
- Kickapoo Public Ramp, reached from Chandler by FM 315, no fee.
- Westberry Landing, privately operated off FM 2661, boats of all sizes, parking for 15 vehicles, and a $5 fee, open year-round.
Above the lake, Chandler River Park gives access to the Neches River upstream of Lake Palestine. TPWD lists it as operated by the City of Chandler, with no fee and access all year. It is a day-use spot for paddlers, boaters, bank anglers, and picnickers. It is open during daylight on a first-come, first-served basis, with no overnight camping and no fires. CBS19 has described the park as having a boat ramp and a kayak launch, and it named the Neches River and Kickapoo Creek above the lake as public fishing spots.
Most of the public access on this list is free. Two of the six lake ramps charge a few dollars, and the river park charges nothing. The state park is meant to add hiking, camping, bluff views, and a pecan orchard to that list.
Chandler between now and then
The new park will be connected to a Chandler business that has been around much longer than the lake. According to its catalog, Texas Pecan Nursery was started by Sam A. Pollard Sr. and his wife, Junnie Pollard, and has been growing trees since 1925. The nursery's 2026 retail catalog lists pecan tree varieties, papershell pecans, and other nut, fruit, and shade trees. It gives the sales yard address as 504 State Highway 31 West in Chandler, with the phone number (903) 849-6203. State Parks director Rodney Franklin called the orchard's pecan trees "a signature of the property," so the business's history will remain part of the park.
On the calendar, the Chandler Chamber's Holly Jolly Christmas is set for 6 p.m. Nov. 28 in downtown Chandler, according to the Telegraph's November–December events listing. The state is set to buy the park land about a year after that.
If you own lakefront or acreage near the future park site and want to know how a planned state park nearby affects your property, The Agency Tyler works across Lake Palestine and the land around Chandler. Request a free home valuation and we'll go over what's happening around your property.
