Texas State Parks - RV-Dreams Community Forum

Workinrvers · RV-Dreams Family Member

Texas State Parks

Jim01 · RV-Dreams Family Member

I was just researching Texas parks myself yesterday and noticed the same thing.

To answer your question, No, not all states add on the extra vehicle fee. We quit going to Minnesota state parks because of add on fees like enterance and extra vehicle fees, and I think we'll by-pass the Texas parks also.

Jim

53 Merc · RV-Dreams Family Member

Yeah, the extra fees are a bummer. Thing is, the legislature has raided the park funds, reduced assistance, etc. to all state parks. So, instead of closing the parks, they added fees (which stay at the individual park, not general funds) so they could remain open. The vehicle fee as explained to me, was to limit traffic. You know, the ones that come out and take a campsite, then 20 "friends" come out to join them for the day. I hate the extras, but if you plan on using the state parks, buy the entrance card. Costs like $60.00 a year, but all entrance fees are waived, you only pay for the campsite. If you are an old codger like me, get the SR. Pass, and the entrance fees are half.

TXRVr · RV-Dreams Family Member

Adding insult to injury is that if you have a 5th wheel, as opposed to a MH with a toad, you don't get charged for that vehicle.

Switch to COE campgrounds. We have lots in TX.

Technomadia · RV-Dreams Family Member

There are several states that charge the entrance fee separately to the campsite fee.. and it is indeed annoying to show up not expecting this. All the charges add up quite a bit, and state parks typically aren't the most economical place to stay in your RV. We choose them because we love the surroundings and the extra space/privacy that many offer - and the fees in most states are worth it to us as a diversion from the more typical commercial park setup.

For states that charge a separate entrance fee, many offer annual passes. I know TX does, and it's worthwhile if you're planning to stay more than a week or so at any state park in the state. As Austin is one of our frequent destinations (family in the area), and McKinnely Falls SP is both convenient and gorgeous - we usually do at least a 2 week stay there with an annual pass, then just plan to visit other state parks as we traverse the state to feel we got value out of the pass. I don't recall how extra vehicles are handled with the pass tho, as that's not an issue we come up against.

As we kept running into this, to better keep on top of which states charge entrance fees separately from campsite fees (and 40+ other RV travel specific state laws/rules - like helmet laws, cell phone/txting bans, smoking laws, sales tax, fuel tax, alcohol laws, etc.) we created a handy little mobile app called State Lines .The app is available currently for iPhone, WebOS and WinMo (and soon Android).

- Cherie

Jim Dean · RV-Dreams Family Member

As residents of Texas we purchase the state park passes each year for $70. For $15 more we purchase a second one so that each of us has a pass. With us pulling a 5th wheel and the DW driving the car we are faced with the fees for the car. We stayed in a popular park and had to pay an additional $6 per night for 12 nights we were at that park. OUCH! At the next state park we stayed at we learned we could use the DW's card to get her in the park without the extra vehicle fee. We had to leave it in the parking area for day use since there was not enough room at our site. This was not a problem for us since the park's gates were locked at night. The extra $15 pays for itself in a few nights of not having to pay the extra vehicle fees.

janieD · RV-Dreams Family Member

I don't like paying those extra fees but at state parks I don't complain too much because I know their budgets are pinched by this economy. Some of those fees we feel are just are way of helping keep these wonderful places open for us and our children. We do try to find the most economic way to do it though and often it is buying their yearly pass. This year we bought both Minnesota and Wisconsin passes and when we head into NM we will get theirs (which is a real deal and even their regular camping prices are amazingly low).