DRIPPING SPRINGS – The Dripping Springs community will have a new way to appreciate nature and protect vital resources with the establishment of Rathgeber Natural Resource Park.
The park has been in the planning stages for some time, following the Dripping Springs City Council accepting a donation deed of 300 acres of land from Dick Rathgeber and Rathgeber Investment Company in 2020. The land is located adjacent to the Headwaters Subdivision.
Protecting acres of the Texas Hill Country, and the convergence zones of Barton Creek and Little Barton Creek, was the inspiration behind the city wanting to bring this project forward. The park will also provide the public access to immerse themselves in nature and explore the Texas night sky, especially since Dripping Springs was the first city in Texas to be designated as an International Dark Sky Community in 2014.
“We all want to preserve as much of the hill country as possible for the public to enjoy,” said Parks & Community Services Director Andrew Binz. “I think it's going to give them a place to go to appreciate nature and enjoy nature. Walking trails will be a big part of this park and just getting back to nature.”
With the addition of the land, the city’s public parkland increases from 271 to 571 acres.
The land is not open to the public at this time, as the city is formulating a master park plan with the help of stakeholders, community members and outside firms.
The city held its first public meeting on Dec. 14, 2023, where approximately 30 community members were present to offer their feedback.
Binz said that the city received “a lot of great input” at the first public meeting. Attendees spoke of nature trails, walking trails, hiking trails, habitat protection, birding, nature educational opportunities, stargazing, the Dark Sky designation and access to water being important items for the city to consider in the creation of the park.
Those who were unable to attend the meeting in December will have other opportunities to provide feedback.
“The next steps of this vision plan process would be to hold some stakeholder meetings. We will also be at Founders Day in April soliciting resident input and then, there’s a second community meeting around April. There will be some conceptual designs available to the public. The final master plan will go to the city council in June for approval,” Binz said.
The development of the master parks plan, and the creation of Rathgeber Natural Resource Park, is anticipated to take 2-4 years to complete.
To learn more or to take a virtual tour of Rathgeber Natural Resource Park, visit www.cityofdrippingsprings.com/our-parks/rathgeber.
