TPWD Completes Purchase of Lake Colorado City State Park

COLORADO CITY, TX — The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department announced today that it has purchased Lake Colorado City State Park in Mitchell County.

Prior to the purchase, TPWD leased the 500-acre park from Vistra and its predecessors for more than 50 years. To purchase the property, TPWD utilized funding from Sporting Goods Sales Tax which was dedicated to the department through the passage of Proposition 5 in 2019. The proposition dedicates 93 percent of sales taxes on sporting goods to support state parks, historic sites and local park grants.

“I am thrilled that we were able to complete the transaction that will ensure public access to  Lake Colorado City State Park for future generations of Texans,” said Rodney Franklin, director of Texas State Parks. “Thanks to the support of our legislature and the voters of Texas, we will continue to acquire and protect the wild spaces of Texas.” 

“Vistra’s Texas roots go back more than 140 years, and we value our longtime partnership with Texas Parks and Wildlife,” said Kyle Box, vice president of real estate at Vistra. “We’re proud to have been able to provide public access to this privately owned land and lake for the last 50 years through a no-cost lease, and now it’s exciting to see this land in new hands but serving its same purpose – as a respite for our fellow Texans.”

Located south of I-20 between Midland and Abilene, Colorado City State Park sits on the banks of the Vistra-owned Lake Colorado City, which serves as a cooling reservoir for Vistra’s power plant. Vistra will continue to provide an easement for lake access to park visitors. The park and lake have been a place for visitors to swim, fish, boat, paddle, hike, camp, and enjoy nature since 1971. Last year, more than 24,000 visitors enjoyed the park as a respite from the dry West Texas climate.

“Lake Colorado City State Park is a special place and we are thrilled that the park will continue to be a respite where people can recreate outdoors and build lasting memories that they can revisit year after year,” said Leslie McGuigan, interim superintendent of Lake Colorado City State Park.

Lake Colorado City State Park is the most recent example of TPWD using the Sporting Goods Sales Tax fund to acquire parkland. In September, the department acquired 630 acres adjacent to Enchanted Rock State Natural Area near Fredericksburg, allowing for the expansion of one of the state’s most popular sites.

For more information about Lake Colorado City State Park, visit https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/lake-colorado-city.