City of College Station Blog

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By Kelli Nesbitt, Parks & Recreation Marketing Coordinator

As College Station grows, a new 130-acre destination park on Rock Prairie Road is taking a different approach. Instead of clearing the landscape to fit a blueprint, Texas Independence Park at Midtown is built around the land itself.

While the park will offer plenty of space to ride, play, and fish, its defining feature is the deliberate choice to protect what’s already there, proving that progress and preservation can go hand in hand. The City of College Station’s third-largest park will dedicate more than 60 acres to preserved greenways to safeguard local habitats and wildlife corridors.

Conservation sits at the heart of the design, ensuring recreation, education, and deep-rooted Texas history harmonize with the natural environment.

As a regional outdoor recreation destination, Texas Independence Park at Midtown will feature a massive 30,000-square-foot destination playground, a 3.5-acre stocked fishing pond, an 18-hole disc golf course, walking paths, and a dedicated bike hub complete with flow tracks, pump tracks, and natural cross-country trails. Visitors will have multiple ways to access the park on foot or on wheels, with pedestrian entrances planned from main roadways, the Midtown residential area, and the Lick Creek Greenway Hike and Bike Trail.

Construction is underway and is expected to take about 18 months, with a potential opening in the spring or summer of 2028. Public engagement, including an online survey and open house, shaped the park’s design and helped guide the amenities and recreational experiences planned for the property.

Alongside its deep conservation focus, the park will offer family-friendly spaces designed with Texas symbolism in mind. The recreational features give respectful nods to our state’s natural and historical roots and are designed to foster a deeper appreciation for the environment:

• Trails of Texas: Natural cross-country trails invite exploration while paying tribute to four major Texas waterways—the Rio Grande, Brazos, Guadalupe, and Sabine rivers.
• Native Flora and Fauna: The 18-hole disc golf course features hole names celebrating native Texas plants and animals, embedding ecological education directly into the game.
• Historical Roots: Bike hub trail lines commemorate pivotal moments of the Texas Revolution, from Gonzales and the Alamo to San Jacinto, linking the state’s storied past with its natural landscape.

Click the images below to enlarge:

For more information, contact us at 979-764-3486 or parks@cstx.gov.

About the Blogger

Kelli Nesbitt has served the Parks and Recreation Department for 20 years, including 13 years as marketing coordinator. She also served as the marketing and community engagement specialist for the City of Bryan from 2023-25. A Bryan native, Nesbitt earned a bachelor’s degree in health and kinesiology from Sam Houston State.

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