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Hurricane Ike Targets Texas, Texas State Park Closures Update

joanie7 — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 19:36:29 +0000

As of Friday the 19th of September, 2008 four Texas State Parks in northeast Texas have restored power and three have fully reopened. They are Atlanta, Caddo Lake and Martin Creek State Parks. Daingerfield State Park is open for day use only until further notice. 13 Texas State Parks remain closed until further notice. They are Battleship Texas, Brazos Bend, Fanthorp Inn, Galveston Island, Huntsville, Lake Livingston, Martin Dies Jr, Mission Tejas, San Jacinto Battleground & Monument, Sea Rim, Sheldon Lake, Village Creek and Washington on the Brazos/Barrington Farm.

Hurricane Ike Targets Texas, Texas State Parks Damage Summary

joanie7 — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 15:41:21 +0000

As of Wednesday morning the 17th of September, 2008 22 Texas State Parks remain closed due to damage from Hurricane Ike, down from a high of 37 closures. 5,828 evacuees have been sheltered at 63 Texas State Parks during the Hurricane Ike storm period. Two coastal parks, Galveston Island State Park and Sea Rim State Park suffered catastrophic damage. San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site and 6 other Texas State Parks sustained significant damage. Note: Closures are now updated to 18 Texas State Parks remaining closed due to damage from Hurricane Ike. UPDATE: As of Thursday September 18, 2008 17 Texas State Parks remain closed.

Hurricane Ike Targets Texas, Texas State Parks Damage Assessment

joanie7 — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 20:06:48 +0000

As of Monday, September 15, 2008 23 Texas State Parks remained closed, down from 37. 5,315 evacuees had been sheltered at 59 Texas State Parks. Galveston Island State Park sustained heavy beach erosion, the headquarters building was swept away during the storm along with the restrooms and shelters. Sea Rim State Park near Port Arthur which has been closed since Hurricane Rita in 2005 was heavily damaged. Structures and facilities are reported to probably be a total loss. Seven other parks and the La Porte regional office suffered significant damage. They are Lake Livingston, Huntsville, Martin Dies Jr, Daingerfield, Martin Creek Lake, San Jacinto Battleground sustaining significant damage from storm surge flooding and wind, Battleship Texas reporting the well house destroyed and the park store and restrooms flooded as well as Mission Tejas losing it’s 1,000 sq ft headquarters building to fire on Sunday morning possibly to to an electric generator catching on fire. This was not a historical building. Four parks reporting moderate damage include Brazos Bend, Village Creek, Sheldon Lake and Caddo Lake. Others with light damage are Goose Island, Mustang Island, Washington on the Brazos, Tyler, Stephen F Austin, Fairfield lake and Atlanta State Parks as well as the Fanthorp Inn.

Hurricane Ike Targets Texas, Texas State Parks Shelter Evacuees

joanie7 — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 02:13:15 +0000

Texas Parks & Wildlife Department reports that more than 5,000 evacuees from Hurricane Ike have been sheltered at more than 53 different parks throughout the state of Texas. One Texas State Park in particular has hosted many more evacuees thatn the others and that is Garner State Park in North Uvalde County. Garner State Park has long been a popular summer vacation spot for South Texans so when disaster struck many naturally headed in this direction. Of the 2,000 evacuees at Garner State Park countless numbers are from the Houston and Galveston areas. According to the park officials they started showing up on Wednesday and by late Thursday were arriving in droves. Texas State Parks is extending free tent and RV or trailer camping to the evacuees many of whom were in tears as they gratefully accepted help from fellow Texans. Park personnel worked diligently to help the evacuees settle in and divert themselves if just for a short time of the storm devastated region they will soon return to. They swam and floated in 10 miles of the clear spring-fed Frio River, camped in the shady sites and on Saturday night 200-300 gathered at the park concession building to dance as the juke box cranked up for the first and only time since Labor Day Weekend. Park officials report that people began to leave late Saturday for the return home as the storm had passed through the coast. By Sunday maybe 500 or so were left. Garner State Park is named for John Nance Garner of Unvalde, known as Cactus Jack.

Hurricane Gustav, Texas State Park Closures and Free Camping, Update

joanie7 — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 14:53:31 +0000

By late Monday 10 Texas State Parks had closed in Southeast, East and Northeast Texas due to threats from Hurricane Gustav. Lake Livingston in Southeast Texas reopened Tuesday morning. Martin Dies Jr and Village Creek State Parks are expected to reop;en Wednesday morning. In Northeast Texas Daingerfield, Atlanta, Caddo Lake, Martin Creek Lake, Tyler, Lake Bob Sandlin and Mission Tejas State Parks are expected to reopen Thursday morning. By Tuesday Texas State Parks had provided shelter to 500 hurricane evacuees. Cooper Lake State Park hosted the most with 99 people occupying 22 sites at the South Sulphur Unit and 6 occupying 2 shelters at Doctor’s Creek. Lake Tawakoni reported 31 people in 13 campsites and Purtis Creek 23 people in 5 campsites. Additionally in central Texas Garner State Park reported 43 evacuees and Inks Lake State Park 45 evacuees. Sea Rim State Park near Port Arthur Texas remains closed from damage due to Hurricane Rita.

Hurricane Gustav, Texas State Park Closures and Free Camping

joanie7 — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 19:58:28 +0000

Due to Hurricane Gustav on September 01, 2008 Texas Parks & Wildlife Department has announced the closure of some southeastern Texas State Parks while other parks outside the area affected by the storm will accept evacuees. The following Texas State Parks will be closed until further notice. Village Creek State Park, Martin Dies State Park, Lake Livingston State Park and Sea Rim State Park which remains closed from Hurricane Rita. Galveston Island State Park remains open but is not accepting evacuees and is on standby for possible evacuation. Free tent camping will be offered to evacuees from storm damaged areas at other Texas State Parks. Cabins and screen shelters will be available at discounted rates. The reservation center for Texas State Parks will open Tuesday morning at 9A.M. 512-389-8900. In the meantime call each park directly for more information.

Tucumcari The Gateway to New Mexico

joanie7 — Sat, 03 May 2008 23:48:30 +0000

Although we have arrived at Petrified Forest National Park and will begin working our volunteer positions tomorrow I want to digress on this posting back to our driving trip from our home outside of Dallas Texas, through New Mexico and on to Arizona to let any readers know who may be driving out west this summer of the opportunity to camp for free at the San Jon Municipal Park just east of the town of Tucumcari. It will be dry camping in a large flat parking lot overlooking the park which does offer covered picnic tables and a little shade. Tucumcari itself does have 6 RV Parks including a KOA. Nearby the next town driving west is Santa Rosa offering just one RV Park,a Good Sam at exit 277. This is important to know because there is no more camping until you arrive in Albuquerque more than 100 miles away.