Overnight camping reopens at Texas State Parks, reservations can be made starting this week

Reservations can be made for arrivals between June 1 and Sept. 7

Old Baldy at Garner State Park (Photo Courtesy: tpwd.texas.gov)

SAN ANTONIO – Starting Wednesday, Texans will be able to make overnight reservations at state parks for the summer.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department announced Tuesday that visitors can make reservations for arrivals between June 1 and Sept. 7.

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Texas state parks were closed in early April as part of Gov. Greg Abbott’s plan to slow the spread of COVID-19. The parks reopened for day use on April 20 and overnight camping resumed May 18, but only for those with pre-existing reservations.

TPWD said reservations will be “limited to varying degrees” as Abbott reopens Texas.

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Reservations can be made online at www.texasstateparks.org or by calling 512-389-8900. Visitors, including annual pass holders, will need to pre-purchase day passes and overnight reservations in advance.

“No one is more pleased than us to welcome more outdoor enthusiasts back into state parks as part of the continued reopening of Texas,” Carter Smith, executive director of TPWD, said in a news release. “Our careful and deliberate approach to phasing in the reopening has served our visitors, volunteers, and staff well as we have continued our emphasis on the safety of everyone in the parks.

"Even in this limited capacity, we are glad that we can get more Texans and their families safely back on the trails and in the campsites to enjoy all the many unique spaces and places that make Texas State Parks so special.”

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TPWD recommends visitors wear face coverings and bring hand sanitizer.

Parks will operate at a limited capacity. Equipment rental sites, in-person interpretive programs, headquarters, visitor centers and nature centers will also remain closed for now.

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About the Author

Rebecca Salinas is an award-winning digital journalist who joined KSAT in 2019. She reports on a variety of topics for KSAT 12 News.

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