Presidio County
On New Year’s Day,about two dozen folks were the first members of the public to explore the Chinati Mountains State Natural Area , the region’s newest park.
With around 40,000 acres of unique sky-island ecosystems, the Chinati SNA is tentatively scheduled to open in 2032 to anyone craving wide open spaces and solitude in an infrequently-traveled part of Presidio County.
The hike was a soft launch of sorts—the park still lacks a paved access road and other infrastructure staff and guests will need for day-to-day operations. No marked trails have been established yet, so Texas Parks and Wildlife staff led hikers on an adventurous route combining old pack routes, jeep trails and good old fashioned cross-country bushwhacking. Along the way, the group explored a cienaga, or desert wetland, learned how to identify a few archaeological features and climbed to an overlook with a breathtaking view of a grove of cottonwood trees.
The property is a piece of the larger Mesquite Ranch and was originally donated to the state of Texas in 1996 by Fariha al Jerrahi—known then by the name Philippa de Menil—and her husband, Heiner Friedrich. The pair were the visionary duo behind the Dia Art Foundation, which advanced the careers of major artists like Walter de Maria, Dan Flavin and Donald Judd. In 1979, they purchased the old Fort D.A. Russell in Marfa—the military campus that would later become home to the Chinati Foundation.
The Friedrichs had a falling out with Judd in the mid-1980s, but held on to their property in Presidio County. Rumors whirled that they were developing it into a religious retreat—the pair had recently converted to Sufism, a mystical and esoteric branch of Islam. They constructed a series of cabins in the furthest reaches of the ranch to be able to hike and enjoy the mountain landscapes. (Per the state’s public use plan, those cabins will one day be open for backcountry hikers to enjoy.)
The couple transferred ownership of the land to the Richard King Mellon Foundation in 1996, holding onto the rest of the Mesquite Ranch but carving out a section intended for the public to one day access. The foundation, in turn, donated that land to the Texas Parks and Wildlife (TPWD), alongside an endowment intended to cancel out the loss in the county tax rolls. Conflicts with neighboring landowners over public access to the tract delayed the park’s opening, and for nearly three decades, funding never seemed to line up with staff’s momentum to get things done.
“First Day Hikes” are held in state parks across Texas to encourage folks to start the year off outside. Last week’s hike in the Chinati SNA was the brainchild of the Friends of Big Bend Ranch State Park, a nonprofit that supports public lands in Far West Texas where state budgets fall short. Hoping to capitalize on mounting excitement around the park’s opening, the group raffled off 12 spots and allowed each winner to bring a plus-one. The day was facilitated by help from TPWD staff—including Arian Velázquez-Ornelas, Sara Elms, Gabriel Pastrano, Cody Edwards and Omar Udave—as well as a donation of shuttle services by Angell Expeditions and additional insights from local archeologist David Keller.
All in all, the event raised over $14,000 for the Friends—serious cash for a group whose past projects have involved funding for archeological digs, trail maintenance and more. “We would like to express our most sincere gratitude to everyone who participated in the 2026 First Day Hike in the Chinati Mountains State Natural Area,” said Board President Lauren Cecil. “We look forward to more exciting hikes in this very beautiful area of Texas!”–Sam Karas