A controversial effort to limit access to one of Texas’ most popular rivers appears to be having the desired effect-and more changes could be on the way.
This summer, the City of San Marcos installed gated, managed access points around Rio Vista Park, a high-traffic section of the San Marcos River. A temporary chain-link fence went up in May and was staffed on weekends and holidays through Labor Day. City officials said the pilot program made the river cleaner, safer, and less crowded during peak months.
“The city council provided consensus in September of 2024 to explore measures to generate new revenue, to support costs, to provide a safe environment, and clean up the riverfront parks,” said Jamie Lee Case, director of the Parks and Recreation Department, during a recent city council work session. “There was support of staff researching the installation of an aesthetically pleasing perimeter fencing along the riverfront parks and creating specific managed access points.”
According to city staff, the presence of designated entry points helped reduce crowding and encouraged more visitors to follow park rules, especially the single-use container ban, which went into effect last year.
“It allowed us to do education, multiple points of education,” said City Marshall Tiffany Williams.
Temporary fencing surrounds Rio Vista park in San Marcos during the 2025 summer season. (City of San Marcos)
Four city teams, including park ambassadors and maintenance crews, were stationed at riverfront parks throughout the summer. From Memorial Day to Labor Day, park ambassadors operated managed access points on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, and on select holidays. Weekdays remained ungated, except during extended holiday weekends.
“Our park ambassadors…they were additional sets of eyes,” William said. “They were at managed access test points, letting people know the rules, pointing out the signage on the fence, letting them know if there was anything they were bringing in-like a huge bag of Styrofoam plates-they were letting them know that’s a prohibited item.”
Staff reported lighter crowds compared to the record-setting 2024 season. They also saw fewer violations involving glass, Styrofoam, charcoal, tables, and alcohol. Injuries linked to intoxication and other life-safety concerns also declined. While litter was still present-including glass and micro-trash-staff said it was more manageable overall. Parking, however, remained a challenge, with demand continuing to exceed capacity.
The local environmental group The Eyes of the San Marcos River also noted a visible difference in its weekly cleanups.
“I think managed access by way of the temporary fencing that was in place worked,” said David Zambrano, the group’s education and outreach coordinator, who has led Monday morning cleanups at Rio Vista Park for the past two summers. “We did pick up significantly less [trash], and I do think the fencing had a large part in that.”
Zambrano said he’s not opposed to additional access measures or even a fee structure, but urged the city to also consider enforcing existing rules.
“I do understand why that was necessary, maybe for the first season,” he said. “But I feel it was lax, and maybe part of the issue of continuing litter issues this year.”
The San Marcos River saw fewer crowds and less trash this summer following new access restrictions. (Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News)
While some residents supported the fencing, others criticized its appearance. City staff recommended continuing the program next summer with improvements to visual aesthetics and more formalized access points.
Officials are also weighing whether to introduce a river access fee for non-residents. The proposed fee-$5 per person or $25 per group-would help offset parks department costs and curb overcrowding.
The city has already implemented parking fees for non-residents, which went into effect in July. Prices range from $5 per hour to $25 on holidays and during special events. San Marcos residents can still park for free after registering their vehicles online.
City officials estimate that about 70 percent of weekend riverfront visitors are from out of town, with most coming from Austin, Houston, San Antonio, and Dallas.
More Parks & Wildlife
Habitat | Houston Zoo pulls penguins from exhibit after safety scare
Watch out | Taking these items from Texas beaches could get you arrested
Conservation | How Bad Bunny accidentally became a ‘game-changer’ for Texas zoo
Hiking | New 100-mile trail could be Texas’ next big tourist magnet
For the latest and best from Chron, sign up for our daily newsletter here.
This article originally published at Texas town fences in its famous river. Here’s what happened next..