COVID-19 Parks & Recreation Info
Updated: 10/19/2020
The City will continue to evaluate service levels and facility reopenings as the COVID-19 response continues and evolves. The status of all City events/openings is subject to change at any time.
Parks are open from 8am to 8pm. Park patrons are encouraged to participate in active recreational activities such as swimming, kayaking, canoeing, walking, running and general exercise. Visitors to these areas must practice social distancing of at least six feet between individuals not in your household and are prohibited from gathering in groups of more than ten people. It is important to note that all playscapes/playgrounds and basketball courts within the parks are now open, however, there are additional guidelines that must be followed. Visit the "Park, Playground, & Court Guidelines" tab above for additional usage guidelines and this page for tips on physical distancing in parks. If you bring in your own play equipment do not share it and remember to pack it out when you leave. Park restrooms in City Park, Children’s Park and William & Eleanor Crook Park will be open until 8 p.m. and will be cleaned twice daily.
Chain link fencing currently in use around the river parks will be adjusted to provide access to trails and the river between City Park and Rio Vista Park. In an effort to assist with social distancing and prevent gathering, the fencing will remain in City Park and Rio Vista Park limiting access to park amenities such as picnic tables and pavilions. BBQ grills and pop-up shelters are not permitted since picnic table sites will be unavailable.
Patrons are asked to avoid active construction zones in portions of Rio Vista Park and City Park for the San Marcos Shared Use Path Trail project. All posted Park rules will be enforced and can be viewed on our website.
Please follow all city, county, state, and national health and safety mandates. For more information on those mandates visit the City’s COVID-19 Information and Resource page.
City parks and natural areas that are open:
- Anita Reyes Park
- Bicentennial Park
- Children’s Park - Playscape will be closed on Thursdays for cleaning. The park will remain open to bicycle and pedestrian activity during the playscape’s closure.
- City Park
- Conway Park
- Dog Park
- Dunbar Park
- Eddie Durham Park
- El Camino Real Park
- Franklin Square Park
- Hays County Veterans Memorial
- JJ Stokes Park
- Jaycees Park
- Juan Veramendi Plaza Park
- Mill Street Park
- Paul Pena Park
- Ramon Lucio Park
- Rio Vista Park & Tennis Courts
- River Ridge Park
- San Marcos Plaza Park
- San Marcos Wildlife Habitat/Wilderness Park
- Skate Park
- Swift Memorial Park
- Veterans Park
- Victory Gardens Park
- William and Eleanor Crook Park
- Willow Springs Park
- Blanco Shoals Natural Area
- Prospect Park Natural Area
- Purgatory Creek Natural Area
- Ringtail Ridge Natural Area
- Schulle Canyon Natural Area
- Sessom Creek Natural Area
- Spring Lake Natural Area
Check out the Virtual Recreation Center for ways to stay active and connected. Also follow us on the SMTX Community Services Facebook page for updates.
The following parks are closed until further notice:
- Rio Vista Pool
- Thompson’s Island & Cape’s Camp (closed due to safety hazards)
For more information on city, county, state, and federal orders visit the City’s COVID-19 Information and Resource page.
Check out the Virtual Recreation Center for ways to stay active and connected. Also follow us on the SMTX Community Services Facebook page for updates.
Park Guidelines (including Dog Park & Skate Park)
Hours: 8am-8pm
If safety measures are not followed, the parks will be closed.
- Please stay home if you are experiencing any symptoms as listed by the CDC Guidelines.
- Groups may not exceed 10 individuals.
- Stay 6 feet away from others not in your group.
- Avoid gathering with others outside of your household.
- Passive recreation is discouraged.
- Cover sneezes and coughs with a tissue and throw the tissue in the trash.
- Consider wearing a face covering.
- Avoiding touching eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Clean and sanitize your recreational equipment before and after use.
- All other park rules apply.
Playground Guidelines
Hours: 8am-8pm
Children's Park Playscape will be closed on Thursdays for cleaning. The park will remain open to bicycle and pedestrian activity during the playscape’s closure.
Parents and guardians should ensure children accessing the playground follow the safety measures listed below. If safety measures are not followed, the playground will be closed.
- Please stay home if you are experiencing any symptoms as listed by the CDC Guidelines.
- Play at your own risk. Play structures are not regularly cleaned or sanitized.
- Wash and/or sanitize their hands before and after touching the play structures.
- Avoid touching eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands. Consider wearing a face covering.
- Bring your own water bottle.
- Avoid large gatherings. Maintain social distancing of at least 6 feet apart from those not in your household.
- All other park rules apply.
- Have fun!
Court Guidelines
Hours: 8am-8pm
If players do not respect occupancy, courts will be closed and/or locked.
- Outdoor pickleball and tennis courts - double play is allowed.
- Outdoor basketball courts - dribble, shoot, and participate in other ball handling drills or activities alone or with household members.
- Please be vigilant in preventing the spread of the virus by practicing good hygiene as recommended by CDC Guidelines.
- Please stay home if you are experiencing any symptoms as listed by the CDC Guidelines.
- Please do not enter the courts if you have any symptoms or exposure risks as listed by the CDC guidelines.
- Consider wearing a face covering.
- All spectators and players waiting for a court must remain outside of the fence/off the court and are encouraged to stay in their vehicles, until a court becomes available.
- Social distancing procedures must be practiced at all times.
- Before, during and after play, players must maintain a minimum distance of 6 feet from other people.
- Players should not share equipment with others outside their household. Players should label their name on a personal ball(s) that only they will touch during play (i.e. each player enters the court with his/her owns ball(s).
- If a ball from another court comes to you, send it back with a kick or with your racquet.
- Players are encouraged to bring and use hand sanitizer.
- Players are encouraged to place their personal items (backpacks, water bottles, etc.) at a safe distance (6 feet) from other player items to avoid any surface contact.
- The emergency exit gates shall be left open to prevent surface contact. One way in, one way out.
- No handshakes, paddle bumps or physical contact between players.
- All other posted racquet court rules apply.
Program Updates
All Parks and Recreation programs and events, unless mentioned otherwise below, are suspended until further notice. As we reopen our facilities, certain programs and events will be offered again based on current state, county, and local orders. Check this page frequently for updates.
Athletics
- The following programs are currently active.
- JR. NFL Flag Football
- Saturdays, October 10-November 21
- Adult Softball
- Men's Divisions: C, D and E
- Coed Divisions: 1-Competitive, 2-Advanced, 3-Beginner and Church
- Monday, October 5-Thursday, November 19
- JR. NFL Flag Football
Camps
Details on the 2020-2021 Holiday Camp are to be announced.
Discovery Center Native Plant Sale – Curbside Pickup
Fall is a great time to plant more natives and to spend time outside. The Discovery Center wants to help people connect with nature while at home, so we’ll be offering our plant sale online! At this time, customers can purchase plants to be picked up from the Discovery Center curbside. Pickup days are Wednesday-Friday from 9am-4pm and Sat 9am-12pm. Staff will be following CDC safety guidelines. Please pick up plants at scheduled time. Click here to visit the online store.
Senior Programs
All in-door senior programs, except for Pickleball, are SUSPENDED until further notice. We do have some 50+ outdoor events planned to take place in the future. Please visit the 50+ Program page for information on these 50+ outdoor events. For information on our modified Pickleball program, please visit the Adult Pickleball Open Play page to view the changes that have been made to that program. While we are waiting for the rest of the 50+ programs to resume, please see the section titled "Virtual Recreation" below for numerous activities, classes, tours and adventures for you to enjoy from the comfort of your own home.
Travel Group Trips
Travel Group Trips have been cancelled through Winter 2020.
Virtual Recreation
Check out the Virtual Recreation Center for ways to stay active and connected. There is also a 50+ Virtual Recreation Center with activities, exercises, and virtual tours. Also follow us on the SMTX Community Services Facebook page for updates.
Youth Special Events
- Mother Daughter Tea - Mini & Me Tea Kits will be available to purchase beginning October 7 for an at-home tea party! Click here for more information.
- Party in Your Park (October) - Cancelled for 2020. We encourage you to safely visit your favorite neighborhood park during the weekend of October 9-11!
- Farmer Fred's Harvest Fall Carnival - Farmer Fred has gone virtual! Click here for information on our virtual fall contests and harvest trail walk.
Memberships & Online Accounts
Activity Center Membership Update
As of March 16, all Activity Center memberships were suspended when we closed the doors of the Activity Center. Activity Center Memberships will be extended for the amount of time (days) the Activity Center has been closed.
For members on payment plans, your April payment was processed but you will still receive that month of membership perks when we reopen since the Activity Center was closed in April. All payments have been suspended moving forward until the Activity Center reopens.
Total Wellness Membership Update
Total Wellness is now offering Virtual Group Fitness memberships that include access to pre-recorded workouts, live-stream, blog, and interactive Zoom classes. Visit the Fitness page for more information on the program and how to register.
Online Accounts
A big part of moving forward means doing things digitally/online such as registering for classes, purchasing Activity Center memberships, and viewing the Activity Guide and Out & About (Senior Newsletter). We need accurate contact information to be able to communicate with you.
- If you have registered for a class/program or rented a facility AND you provided us with an email, you already have an account. You need to log in and reset your password here.
- If you have an account setup for online registration and know your password, please log in and make sure your contact information (cell phone and email) is correct.
- If you do not have an account, please log in and create one here.
If you have any questions regarding your membership, please contact us at 512-393-8280 or by email at parks_info@sanmarcostx.gov.
For more information on city, county, state, and federal orders visit the City’s COVID-19 Information and Resource page.
The San Marcos Activity Center is open by reservation only and on modified hours (as of September 16, 2020). To learn more about reserving your time to exercise with us and our updated policies during the COVID-19 Pandemic, visit the Activity Center's page.
The Grant Harris, Jr. Building, San Marcos Discovery Center, and Rio Vista Tennis Courts are open (as of September 16, 2020). Visitors are asked to follow CDC guidelines, including wearing a mask and maintaining at least six feet of distance from those who do not reside in the same home. Anyone experiencing COVID-related symptoms should not enter a facility, park or recreational area.
Reservations:
All facility reservations taking place at the San Marcos Activity Center, Dunbar Recreation Center, City Park Rec Hall, Old Fish Hatchery, picnic and pavilion sites, and the gazebo have been cancelled through the beginning of October.
Check out the Virtual Recreation Center for ways to stay active and connected. There is also a 50+ Virtual Recreation Center with activities, exercises, and virtual tours. Also follow us on the SMTX Community Services Facebook page for updates.
For more information on city, county, state, and federal orders visit the City’s COVID-19 Information and Resource page.
- Can I visit the city parks?
- Are San Marcos parks still open?
- Is the river open?
- What are approved park activities?
- What exactly is social (physical) distancing?
- Can I take my children to a playground?
- Should I visit a park if I am not feeling well?
- I have heard the virus can live on surfaces. Should I avoid surfaces while visiting a park?
- Are bathrooms still open at parks?
- Can we still play sports in parks?
- What about activities such as spending a day in the park, having a picnic, or reading a book?
- Can I ride my bicycle?
- Can I walk alone on a trail to see the birds and nature?
- Will the river parks open soon?
- Will the dog park and skate park open soon?
- Will there be camp this summer?
- Are the pools open?
- Is the Activity Center open?
- Is the Parks and Recreation office or Discovery Center open?
- When will programs, sports, and events begin?
- When can I rent a facility?
- Are the tennis courts open?
- Where can I park when visiting a riverfront park?