Exploring BLM Land in Texas: Stewardship and Adventure

Public land is a national treasure. Whether you like to go backpacking, camping, day-tripping, exploring, hunting or just experiencing the great outdoors in your own way, public spaces are vitally important to the enjoyment of nature. However, public land in Texas is a disjointed patchwork that is challenging to find and access. There are many federal, state, regional, county and city agencies that manage public land for recreational us for you and I.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is prolific when it comes to the access of American public land – in fact, the BLM manages 1 in every 10 acres in the United States of America. But what about in the Lone Star State…

BLM Land and Texas

A question that may never arise in our minds would be, “Hmmm, I wonder what’s happening at the U.S. Department of Interior’s (DOI) Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in Texas?” The BLM is responsible for managing public lands in the U.S. This article cites government agencies. Texas Outside apologizes in advance for this excessive acronym usage.

Texas is a mix of private and public lands, but most public lands in Texas are owned or managed by Texas agencies. That is unusual in other states, but Texas annexed to the U.S. instead of going through the territorial process. Most of U.S. territories achieved statehood with a population of 60,000 and by submitting a state constitution to the U.S. Congress. 

The Tyler-Texas treaty / the Treaty of Annexation, signed in 1844, allowed Texas to keep its public lands except for military and civil posts when it joined the United States as a state. This treaty gave the United States 175 million acres of public land in other states and territories. In return, the federal government agreed to assume up to $10 million of Texas’ debt. 

It would be 1996 before the BLM established its only federally managed land in Texas. Approximately fifteen miles northwest of Amarillo, Texas, the BLM administers 11,883 acres of surface estate on the Cross Bar Management Area (CBMA). The Oklahoma Field Office (OFO) oversees the CBMA from Norman, Oklahoma. 

The BLM issues Special Recreation Permits (SRP) to businesses, organizations, and individuals to allow the use of specific public land and related waters for commercial, competitive, and organized group use. SRPs allow land stewards to coordinate and track commercial and competitive use of public lands. SRPs provide resource protection measures to ensure the future enjoyment of those resources by the public.

Is There BLM land in Texas?

Yes, there is BLM land in Texas. The Cross Bar Special Recreation Management Area is a huge public land area in the Texas Panhandle north of the city of Amarillo.

The Cross Bar is 11,883 acres of public land near Lake Meredith, and borders the Canadian River. As a Special Recreation Management Area (SRMA), it is a recreation-focused property that is great for the following activities:

• Camping
• Environmental Education
• Hiking
• Horseback Riding
• Hunting
• Photography
• Wildlife Viewing

How much BLM land is in Texas?

Texas comprises 261,232 square miles or 171,902,080 acres. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) manages 11,883 acres of land in Texas. That equates to .0069% of BLM land out of all of land in the entire state of Texas. In 2020, the BLM OFO designated 9,900 acres of the CBMA as a BLM Special Recreation Management Area (SRMA).

BLM Land Texas Map

Here are the exact directions to the Cross Bar as given by the BLM website:

From downtown Amarillo, head north on Fillmore Street/Dumas Hwy/87. Drive for approximately 18 miles to the intersection of the Canadian River and HWY 87. Walk or drive west through the River for 1.5 miles to the railroad trestle. The Cross Bar property boundary is begins at the fence line south of the river bottom and immediately west of the railroad trestle.

BLM.gov

Cross Bar Management Area (CBMA) History

The Humble Oil & Refining Company released the CBMA on March 6, 1931, under the Acts of 1925 and 1929. These acts gave The DOI authority to acquire helium-rich lands and to produce and transport helium gas in support of strategic national interests. In 1996, the BLM Amarillo Field Office (AFO) began administering the Federal Helium Program. 

The AFO is now closed. In 2018, the BLM OFO took over management of the CBMA, in accordance with the 2000 Texas RMP *, as amended. In March 2020, the CBMA’s land use allocations and resource management goals and objectives were solidified. This updated the CBMA to an SRMA status in 2020.

Cross Bar Management Area Adventures

The Cross Bar is near Lake Meredith and meets the southern border of the Canadian River in the Texas Panhandle. Rugged canyons, sweeping vistas, bountiful wildlife, and remnants of the only remaining virgin shortgrass prairie on the Southern Great Plains define the CBMA. As an SRMA, the CBMA is a recreation-focused property that features the following activities:

• Camping
• Environmental Education
• Hiking
• Horseback Riding
• Hunting
• Photography
• Wildlife Viewing

 

Can I shoot on BLM land in Texas?

Yes, you can shoot on BLM land in Texas. Each property has it’s own firearm rules and regulations, but the only BLM property in Texas is the Cross Bar SRMA and shooting is allowed. You can target shoot, and you can also hunt with firearms on the Cross Bar.

Hunting on BLM land in Texas

You can hunt on BLM land in Texas at the Cross Bar SRMA north of Amarillo. Texas state seasons and regulations apply to this land, which sits in Potter County, Texas. You can find all legal species, seasons and means of take on the Texas Parks and Wildlife Potter County page. You can also hunt the nearby Lake Meredith National Recreation Area, which is rife with migratory birds, deer, turkey and more.

Camping on BLM land in Texas

You can camp on Texas BLM land at the Cross Bar SRMA in the Texas Panhandle. Expect primitive camping, meaning that there are zero amenities or improvements. You need to pack in every necessity, including a shovel to bury human and pet refuse, and pack out all trash.

Each year, the Cross Bar sees a rise in visitors and a growing need for public access. Both private and public stakeholders have expressed strong support for developing the Cross Bar as a premier outdoor destination.

Key Functions of the Bureau of Land Management:

• Land Management: Oversees 247.3 million acres of public land, focusing on sustainable use and conservation.
• Resource Development: Manages resources like minerals, oil, gas, and timber, balancing development with environmental protection.
• Recreation: Provides opportunities for outdoor activities such as hiking, camping, fishing, and hunting.
• Wildlife Protection: Works to conserve habitats and manage wildlife populations on public lands.
• Cultural Resources: Protects archaeological and historical sites.
• Fire Management: Implements strategies for wildfire prevention and suppression.
• Land Use Planning: Develops land use plans to guide the management of resources and activities.

* The Texas Association of Counties Risk Management Pool (TAC RMP) is a program that has been providing protection against risks and liabilities for Texas counties for over 45 years. The TAC RMP is governed by a board of county officials and offers risk control programs and services to over 400 members.