Texas floats plan to give mountain tract adjacent to Big Bend NP to university
AUSTIN, Texas — Control of the state-owned Christmas Mountains, property that at one time drew the attention of the National Park Service, could end up with a university.
Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson has discussed the idea to shift control of the nearly 9,300-acre tract, adjacent to Big Bend National Park, to Sul Ross State University, the Austin American-Statesman reported Friday.
Patterson told the newspaper that the subject of control of Christmas Mountains came up this summer as he spoke with state Rep. Pete Gallego of Alpine, where the school is based. The university has a natural resource management department.