State Parks Accepting Hurricane Evacuees - Wild Texas Forums: Parks, Travel & Recreation

Shannon · 09-22-2005, 01:20 PM

Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) is waiving the entrance and camping fees at their inland Texas State Parks to accept Hurricane Rita evacuees. For information on which parks are best equipped to accept evacuees, call TPWD at (512) 389-8900. For more information: TPWD News Release

(Yes, the parks also accepted Hurricane Katrina evacuees, in case you're wondering.)

*** If you aren't an evacuee and you have campsite reservations for today, Friday, the weekend or early next week, be sure to let the park/TPWD know if you cancel your trip so they can open up your campsite to hurricane evacuees.

Also, several dozen Texas State Parks are temporarily CLOSED due to Hurricane Rita. Others may close as conditions warrant so be sure to call ahead (bolded telephone number at the start of this message.)
* Brazos Bend — CLOSING 9/21 — 9/25
* Choke Canyon — CLOSING 9/22 — 9/25
* Fairfield — CLOSING 9/22 — 9/25
* Falcon — OPEN for now — Accepting evacuees
* Fulton Mansion — CLOSING 9/21 — 9/28
* Galveston — CLOSING 9/21 — 9/25
* Goliad — CLOSING 9/22 — 9/25
* Goose Island — CLOSING 9/22 — 9/25
* Huntsville — CLOSING 9/22 — 9/25
* Inks Lake — CLOSING 9/22 — 9/25
* Martin Dies — CLOSING 9/22 — 9/25
* Matagorda Island — CLOSING 9/22 — 9/25
* Mustang Island — CLOSING 9/22 — 9/25
* Lake Casa Blanca — OPEN for now — Accepting evacuees
* Lake Corpus Christi CLOSING 9/22 — 9/25
* Lake Houston — CLOSING 9/21 — 9/25
* Lake Texana — CLOSING 9/22 — 9/25
* Lake Livingston — Possible CLOSING — Evacuees are able to stay in the park for now
* Sabine Pass Battlegrounds — CLOSED 9/21 — 9/25
* San Jacinto — CLOSING 9/21 — 9/25
* Sea Rim — CLOSING 9/21 — 9/25
* Sheldon Lake — CLOSING 9/21 — 9/25
* Stephen F. Austin — CLOSING 9/22 — 9/25
* Varner Hogg — CLOSING 9/21 — 9/25

Also, ALL coastal wildlife management areas are closing temporarily due to Rita.

Evacuees are encouraged to head to inland parks as those listed as OPEN FOR NOW may have to close as conditions change.

Shannon · 09-23-2005, 03:58 PM

Updated list of Texas State Park closures due to Hurricane RITA:

" Atlanta - CLOSED 9/23 - 9/30
" Brazos Bend - CLOSED 9/21 - 9/25
" Caddo Lake - CLOSED 9/23 - 9/30
" Caddon Mounds - CLOSED 9/24 - 9/30
" Ft. Boggy - CLOSED 9/22 - 9/30
" Fulton Mansion - CLOSED 9/21 - 9/28
" Galveston - CLOSED 9/21 - 9/25
" Goliad - CLOSED 9/22 - 9/25
" Goose Island - CLOSED 9/22 - 9/25
" Huntsville - CLOSED 9/22 - 9/25
" Inks Lake - CLOSED 9/22 - 9/25
" Lake Corpus Christi - CLOSED 9/22 - 9/25
" Lake Houston - CLOSED 9/22 - 9/25
" Lake Texana - CLOSED 9/22 - 9/25
" Martin Creek Lake - CLOSED 9/23 - 9/30
" Martin Dies - CLOSED 9/22 - 9/25
" Matagorda Island - CLOSED 9/22 - 9/25
" Mission Tejas - CLOSED 9/23 - 9/30
" Monument Hill - CLOSED 9/24
" Mustang Island - CLOSED 9/22 - 9/25
" RUSK - CLOSED 9/23 - 9/30
" Sabine Pass Battlegrounds - CLOSED 9/21 - 9/25
" San Jacinto - CLOSED 9/21 - 9/25
" Sea Rim - CLOSED 9/21 - 9/25
" Sheldon Lake - CLOSED 9/21 - 9/25
" Stephen F. Austin - CLOSED 9/22 - 9/25
" Starr Family Home - CLOSED 9/23 - 9/30
" Texas State Railroad - CLOSED 9/24 & 9/25
" Tyler - CLOSED 9/23 - 9/30
" Varner Hogg - CLOSED 9/21 - 9/25
" Village Creek - CLOSED 9/22 - 9/25
" Washington On The Brazos - CLOSED 9/23 - 9/25

Quote:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Sept. 23, 2005
Media Contact: Tom Harvey, (512) 389-4453

MORE TEXAS STATE PARKS CLOSE, OTHERS HOSTING RITA EVACUEES

AUSTIN, Texas - Since Hurricane Rita has changed course, more state parks in East Texas are now closing temporarily, while others are hosting hundreds of hurricane evacuees free of charge. (See state park closure list below.)

For the latest information on state park temporary closures and state parks able to host hurricane evacuees, people should phone the TPWD state park Customer Service Center reservations line at (512) 389-8900. A complete list of state parks, including a statewide map and regional maps showing park locations, is on the TPWD Web site.

The state park reservation center continues to serve as a clearinghouse to place evacuees in available campsites. Many park customers who had existing reservations for this weekend are voluntarily canceling or postponing trips, giving up their campsites to Rita evacuees. In other cases, the center is relocating people to less crowded state parks. Many evacuees are now traveling to state parks as far away as West Texas and the Texas Panhandle. Although no firm estimate is yet available, anecdotal reports indicate there are now more than 1,000 Rita evacuees in state parks across Texas.

Effective Tuesday, all Texas state parks were notified that Hurricane Rita evacuees are allowed to use state parks as evacuation centers for the duration of the storm. Campsite and entrance fees are being waived during this time. Additional state parks not shown below may also close as conditions change.