State parks shutting down until further notice

SAN ANTONIO ( KTSA News) – Gov. Greg Abbott is shutting down Texas State Parks  and historical sites indefinitely.

“Given the myriad of challenges and heightened risks of operating the parks at this time, we believe this is the best course of action right now in order to meet the health and safety expectations the state has set out for the citizens of Texas,” said Carter Smith, Executive Director of TPWD.”

During the temporary closure, staff will continue to care for the parks to ensure that they can immediately be reopened  to visitors when it’s safe to do so.

“Outdoor recreational opportunities such as hunting, fishing, biking, jogging, walking, hiking, wildlife viewing, and the like are essential activities for Texas citizens. TPWD will continue to do its part to actively encourage and promote these opportunities in ways that are safe and close to home,“said Smith.

He says difficulty in ensuring compliance with social distancing, problems in maintaining adequate supplies and keeping park facilities sufficiently sanitized are just a few of the challenges state park employees have been facing.

Group and facility reservations have been canceled until April 30. Those customers will be reimbursed. Day passes purchased through the reservation system, not associated to the Texas State Parks Pass, will also be refunded. If your reservation is affected by a facility or park closure, a Customer Service Center agent will contact you.

Questions regarding state park reservations can be emailed to [email protected] and general park information can be found at TexasStateParks.org.