Protect the Legacy
Master Park Plan
The Parrie Haynes Ranch Master Park Plan presents a comprehensive, long-term vision for protecting, activating, and sustaining one of Central Texas’s most significant legacy landscapes. Initiated by the Friends of Parrie Haynes Ranch in collaboration with Texas A&M University’s College of Architecture and the Department of Landscape Architecture and Urban
Planning, the plan was developed in response to a fundamental question:
“If the Ranch is saved, what comes next?”
The answer is a practical, phased roadmap that balances stewardship, public access, and financial sustainability. Parrie Haynes Ranch is capable of reopening on Day One, once a responsible public trustee is established by the State of Texas, consistent with the Ranch’s original trust purpose. From that starting point, the Master Plan outlines how the property can evolve into a fully functioning, multi-use park that serves youth, families, outdoor enthusiasts, and conservation goals for generations to come.
The Plan is not complete without Public Comment. Send your feedback!
Mission
The plan focuses on maximizing the long-term viability of five core park areas—the Historic Center, West Camp, Equestrian Camp, Nature Center, and Target and Challenge Courses—while also guiding appropriate use of surrounding lands for conservation, trails, and hunting. In addition, the Master Plan identifies capital improvement priorities and funding strategies to ensure the Ranch is not only preserved, but responsibly maintained and continuously improved over time.
Together, these elements establish a clear path forward: protecting Parrie Haynes Ranch as a living legacy while ensuring it remains accessible, sustainable, and true to its philanthropic intent.
Vision
A permanent legacy, secured by conservation easement and legislative action, that honors Parrie Haynes’ philanthropic intent to benefit Texas youth for generations to come.
Saving Parrie Haynes is not simply about preserving land, it is about securing a living legacy that fulfills Parrie Haynes’ philanthropic intent: to benefit Texas youth for generations to come. By halting the sale, securing permanent protection, and establishing a sustainable governance model, the ranch can become a statewide model for conservation, outdoor education, and youth access. The decisions made now will determine whether this irreplaceable treasure is lost forever; or preserved as a beacon of opportunity and inspiration for the next hundred years.
