Better weather boosts attendance at Texas parks

By Steve Campbell

sfcampbell@star-telegram.com

Better weather, full swimming holes and lower gas prices are driving a rebound at Texas state parks, which saw visitation tumble last year as the record drought dried up streams and lakes and as blistering heat kept campers, boaters and hikers hiding in the great indoors.

"All those things and no campfire bans are really working in our favor this year," said Brent Leisure of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. "People are getting back out. We started out 2011 really good until the drought and heat hit. Before that we were on track for a record year. This year, we are getting back into that groove."

At Garner State Park, the state system's most popular summer camping destination, record crowds are expected this weekend and through the July Fourth holiday week, park Superintendent Rick Meyers said.

"We've been closing the park by noon every Saturday and Sunday when we reach maximum capacity [of about 5,000]. Today, it's just amazing, it's like a city out there," Meyers said Thursday as vacationers clogged the scenic park on the Frio River, about 75 miles west of San Antonio.

May attendance at Garner was up 10 percent from last year, when the Frio had slowed to a trickle and tinder-dry conditions prompted a campfire ban, Meyers said.

"A campfire ban is huge for us. Nobody wants to go camping when they can't light a fire," he said. "Last year, the river was so slow we weren't even running a tube shuttle. This year we're running it every hour on the hour."

Full-service campsites and cabins are basically booked up through Labor Day, he said.

"You might get lucky if somebody cancels," he said.

'We're making a comeback'

Overall, visitation in Texas parks was up 54 percent in April and revenue was up 10 percent in May, said Leisure, the director of state parks.

In North Texas, the visitor count at Ray Roberts State Park, north of Denton, is up 34 percent from a year ago. At Cedar Hill State Park, just east of Arlington, it's up 26 percent, Leisure said.

But the onset of 100-degree days is already curtailing campers, Cedar Hill Superintendent Mike Spradling said.

"The heat has got to us. When it gets over 95 degrees, the camping slows. Up until the last couple of weeks, we have had a tremendous year," he said, noting that visitation last year was down by about 75,000.

July 4 is typically one of the park's biggest days but with the holiday falling on a Wednesday this year, Spradling doesn't know what to expect.

"We're sweating July Fourth; we don't know if we'll be overrun or deserted," he said.

At Possum Kingdom State Park, about an hour west of Fort Worth, people are slowly returning, said Jeff Nichols, who manages the park store and marina. The park was engulfed by a wildfire in April 2011.

"The fact that we got rain in late winter and spring was just a godsend," he said. "Now most of the burned hillsides are covered with grasses and leftover wildflowers.

"We are cautiously optimistic that we've turned the corner. Last year, we barely survived the winter. But people are back in the park and more boats are on the water. We haven't fully recovered, but we're making a comeback."

Leisure hopes that the spike in attendance can help stave off the parks system's serious budget woes.

The parks are facing a $4.6 million budget shortfall that forced officials to launch a public plea for assistance late last year.

About $1.7 million has been raised, Leisure said.

"We know that's not a sustainable method for funding parks," he said. "That's not something we can do over and over.

"We've left no stone unturned to keep from cutting services or closing parks. So far, we've avoided that by delaying hiring and deferring maintenance.

"Long-term, we need people to use parks; that's what will make the difference. And so far, that's happening this summer."

Steve Campbell, 817-390-7981

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