Starting Memorial Day weekend, non-residents will pay $5 to enter the park on weekends, a charge that will stick around through Labor Day. The fee applies on Saturdays and Sundays, as well as major holiday weekends, including Memorial Day (May 22–25), Independence Day (July 3–5) and Labor Day (Sept. 4–7). Anyone under 18 can still get in free.
Visitors can pay online or in person at designated parks and recreation facilities.
The city is carving out an exception for locals. Anyone who lives within city limits, the 78666 ZIP code or attends San Marcos Consolidated CISD can avoid the fee with a Rio Vista Pass, as long as they show proof of residency. Passes come in the form of wristbands, with up to five issued per household at no cost. Replacements will cost $5.
The change comes as the city grapples with the strain of heavy summer crowds. Officials estimate roughly 70 percent of weekend visitors to riverfront parks come from outside San Marcos, many traveling in from Austin, Houston, San Antonio and Dallas. Keeping those parks running through peak season costs more than $500,000 each year.
“Rio Vista Park is one of our community’s most used and cherished outdoor spaces, and that level of use comes with real costs,” said Jamie Lee Case, director of parks and recreation. “Managed access is about making sure the park is maintained and the river itself is preserved without placing the entire burden onto taxpayers.”
City leaders have been moving toward this for months. The San Marcos City Council formally approved the fee structure in an ordinance passed April 7, following a year of discussion.
Last summer offered a preview. The city installed gated entry points at Rio Vista Park and staffed them on busy days, a move officials say helped reduce overcrowding while improving safety and cleanliness along the river. Around the same time, San Marcos also began charging non-residents for parking at nearby City Park, with rates ranging from $5 an hour to $25 on holidays and during special events.
City staff are still finalizing the online system for passes and payments. Once it’s live, details will be posted on the city’s website.