SAN MARCOS, Texas – If you are planning to spend a summer day on the San Marcos River, you may have to pay for access to Rio Vista Park.
San Marcos City Council approved a plan to collect fees for nonresidents to access Rio Vista Park on holidays and weekends this summer.
Beginning June 20, adults who do not live in San Marcos will be charged $5 to enter the park. Children ages 17 and younger may enter for free.
Someone will be considered a nonresident if they do not live within city limits, does not have a 78666 zip code and does not live within the San Marcos Consolidated Independent School District boundary.
Those who live within one of the three areas defined above will be able to sign up for a Rio Vista Park Pass, which allows participants to enter for free.
The city is working on a process to register online for a park pass, and to pay the entrance fee, but has not made those systems public yet.
Once the registration system becomes available, residents may obtain a park pass by submitting one of the following:
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Valid driver’s license or government-issued identification card
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Current San Marcos Utilities statement with photo identification
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Current utility statement from another provider with photo identification
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Current rental or housing contract with photo identification
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Enhanced Library Card provided by the San Marcos Public Library
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Current City Park Paid Parking Permit
Some park parking lots or roads may be closed or restricted for accessible parking on days when the city is charging a fee. The city said parking remains available nearby.
San Marcos will enforce park entrance fees on the following days:
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June 20, 21, 27 and 28
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July 3, 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, 19, 25 and 26
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Aug. 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, 16, 22, 23, 29 and 30
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Sept. 4, 5, 6 and 7
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