State Fair News

DART institutes special train schedule during State Fair of Texas

The train is a great way to get to the State Fair of Texas.

Photo courtesy of State Fair of Texas

With the State Fair of Texas looming, Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) has created a special schedule for routes to and from the event which will run from September 27-October 20.

Fair days are always busy on DART rail and buses, especially on weekends and gamedays. Here's a brusher-upper on the basics.

Service on Green Line
DART’s Green Line is the one that hits Fair Park, and it's accessible via two stops:

Fair Park Station on Parry Avenue, at the fairgrounds entrance
MLK, Jr. Station, south of R.B. Cullum Boulevard, which provides access to Gate 6 and the Cotton Bowl Stadium

Get familiar with the connections
The Green Line can be reached via DART Light Rail and Trinity Railway Express (TRE). Look for trains marked "Fair Park," "Buckner," or "Lawnview" for Green Line service.

Southbound Red, Blue, and Orange Line riders: Transfer at Pearl/Arts District Station.
Northbound Red and Blue Line riders: Transfer at Akard Station.
Eastbound Orange Line riders: Transfer at Bachman Station.

Hours
Extra Green Line trains will operate between Victory Station and Lawnview Station Monday-Friday 9 am-3 pm, and Saturday-Sunday 9 am-6 pm, running approximately every 10 minutes.

The extra hours will spill over to the Red and Blue lines on weekends, with increased frequency similar to regular weekday hours for the Red and Blue lines, with trains running every 20 minutes on Saturday-Sunday between 6 am-10 pm.

Orange Line trains will run all the way to Parker Road Station throughout the Fair, also with an increased 20-minute frequency, until 10 pm daily.

Non-DART connections
Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA) connects to DART's Green Line at Trinity Mills Station, but users will need to visit DCTA.net for connection times.

TRE will run on a modified Saturday schedule on all four Sundays during the Fair, with transfers to the Green Line available at Victory Station. For details, visit TrinityRailwayExpress.org/StateFair.

“The State Fair of Texas is just around the corner and DART is ready to help connect you to the fun,” said Bernard Jackson, Senior Execuitve Vice President and Chief Operations Officer for DART. “This event is a favorite for Texans, and welcomes guests nationally and from around the world. We can’t wait to welcome passengers as they experience some of the best of what Texas has to offer, and we are glad to increase service on the weekends to help connect our riders to this incredible event.”

Contactless payments
DART provides four contactless options for purchasing your pass:

GoPass® app: Download it for free from the Apple App Store or Google Play and activate your pass before boarding.
GoPass® Tap card: Purchase and reload your card at participating retailers. This reloadable option provides you with the best fare and can be tapped on a reader at DART stations or buses. (Note: It’s only valid for local fares and not for TEXRail, DCTA, or Trinity Metro.)
Credit or debit card: Use any contactless credit or debit card by tapping it on a reader at a DART station or bus.
Mobile device: Pay with apps like Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Samsung Pay by tapping your device on a reader at DART stations or buses.

Purchase a Local Day Pass for $6, good for DART Rail, local buses, and riding the TRE between DFW Airport/CentrePort Station and EBJ/Union Station. Tarrant and Denton County customers need a Regional Day Pass for $12.

Weapon policy
A reminder that the State Fair of Texas has changed their weapons policy this year and no firearms permitted on the Fairgrounds. Please note DART stations do not have lockers for passengers to store personal items. For additional details and to see other state fair policies, please visit www.bigtex.com.

Football game
DART will operate a modified rail schedule for the Texas-OU game on Saturday, October 12; the kick-off for the game is at 2:30 pm. Visit DART’s Red River Rivalry page for complete details.

$5 off Fair admission with the DART GoPass
DART gets you to your gate and offers you State Fair savings. They have partnered with the State Fair of Texas to offer riders a special promotion; to access these discounts, enter code 24DARTSAVE when purchasing your tickets on www.bigtex.com. This deal is available for any day of the 2024 State Fair season.

festivals state fair

New Parks

Texas to open massive new state park in the Hill Country

Photo from property listing by Icon Global

Silver Lake Ranch adds 54,000 acres to Texas' public lands.

Texans will soon have a massive new state park to explore, second only to Big Bend Ranch State Park in size. Silver Lake Ranch, the 54,000-acre plot of land spanning Edwards and Kinney counties, was owned by the Moody Foundation, and now, largely thanks to a major philanthropic gift, it's headed into public hands.

The Moody Foundation gifted its 87.5 percent ownership interest in the ranch to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), with TPWD purchasing the remaining interest for $11.85 million. The funds come from the Centennial Parks Conservation Fund and Sporting Goods Sales Tax — both approved by Texas voters.

“The Moody Foundation is proud to help preserve this remarkable stretch of Texas Hill Country and make it accessible for generations to come,” said Ross Moody in a press release. “Silver Lake Ranch represents the natural beauty, history, and spirit of our state, and we are honored to make this gift to Texas Parks and Wildlife to ensure it remains protected and enjoyed by all Texans for years ahead.”

The property will officially become Silver Lake State Park, named for the spring-fed 30-acre lake at its heart. Nestled between Rocksprings and Uvalde, the land is home to some beautiful Hill Country wildlife and nature, about two hours from San Antonio.

Currently the park is in its most rugged and undeveloped form: steep limestone canyons drop into rolling hills lined with live oaks and juniper trees, with miles of river frontage tracing the West Nueces River. Several creeks wind through the property, including Sycamore Creek, Lost Creek, and North Spring Creek, along with Blue Waterhole and Dutch Waterhole.

Caves and other landmarks dot the landscape, and wildlife includes white-tailed deer, turkey, javelina, and dove. Portions of the property have even been identified as a potential habitat for the endangered golden-cheeked warbler.

According to the press release, this land, previously used for sheep and cattle ranching, will be developed in phases over the next several years, also using the Centennial Parks Conservation Fund. Initially, access to the park might look like guided tours and limited day-use opportunities while planning and infrastructure are underway. Later, trails and basic visitor facilities will be added, and ultimately, the park will include expanded recreational amenities like camping and paddling access.

Now that the acquisition is complete, TPWD staff and private contractors plan to gather feedback from the public and surrounding communities to help map out recreational opportunities. This may take "many months to complete," says the press release. TPWD will communicate any upcoming milestones, including a potential opening date, at TexasStateParks.org

"This is an exciting addition to our state park system, and we are grateful to our partners at the Moody Foundation for their philanthropy and for bringing this slice of the hill country to the people of Texas," TPWD Executive Director David Yoskowitz says in the press release.

And as folks are pointing out on TPDW's reel announcing the new park: it's "Better than any subdivision."

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