Changes Coming for State Park Reservations
In early 2019, Texas state park visitors will be able to use new online mobile-friendly features that will make it easier to plan a day or overnight trip to a state park, including the ability to buy day passes in advance and reserve specific campsites online before arriving at the park.
“We are excited about our upcoming transition to a new business system for Texas state parks,” says Brent Leisure, director of state parks. “We’ve heard park users’ request for site-specific reservations, and this new system will deliver just that. Once implemented, park visitors will know with certainty that their favorite place in the woods or on the lake shore awaits them. Large families or other groups will now be able to reserve sites near each other to enjoy their camping experience together. I’m confident Texans will love this new user-friendly reservation system.”
Once the new system launches, visitors will be able to:
Pick Your Site — No more waiting until you arrive at the park to pick your campsite. Select a specific campsite or overnight facility online in advance. The campsite changes put Texas more in line with parks around the country. National parks and more than 90 percent of state park systems offer site-specific reservations. The new system will make check-in more efficient, allow groups of campers to book neighboring sites and let campers choose sites that work best for them.
Buy a “Save The Day” Pass — No more driving to a popular park only to find out the park is full. Pay your day entrance in advance online, ensuring access to a park, even the most popular ones. There are about 15 state parks that turn away visitors on a frequent basis, including popular parks such as Enchanted Rock, Brazos Bend and Garner.
Buy a State Parks Pass Online — No more holding up the line while buying your annual pass. Buy or renew your pass online. You will still be sent a pass card in the mail.
To be notified when these new features go live, and to learn about future reservation system features, visit www.texasstateparks.org/better.
