You need a reservation for these 3 Travis County parks to watch the April solar eclipse

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Travis County Parks announced Monday that visitors wanting to watch the solar eclipse on April 8 from certain county parks will need to make a day-use reservation.

The department opened the day-use reservations on Monday at 8 a.m. for Arkansas Bend Park, Pace Bend Park, and Reimers Ranch Park.

Other Travis County Parks that won’t have day-use reservations will be first come first serve. When they reach capacity, they will close.

There is no fee to make a reservation, but visitors will need to pay park day-use fees in cash when they arrive. The parks do not accept credit cards or checks.

Rules and recommendations

• Reservations are for one (1) vehicle and up to eight (8) guests.
• Vehicle must fit in a standard parking spot.
• Each vehicle entering the park must have a reservation.
• Print and bring the confirmation email with you on Monday, April 8.
• Once the park’s capacity is met, the park will be closed.
• Selling a day-use reservation to another person (scalping) may result in the cancellation of the reservation.
• Bring plenty of drinking water and snacks.
• Pets are not recommended for this event.
• Pets must be on a leash and cannot be left unattended.

Even with a reservation, visitors are encouraged to have a full tank of gas, arrive early, and bring plenty of water and snacks. Travis County Parks said traffic around all parks and surrounding areas in and near the path of totality is expected to be extremely heavy before and after the eclipse.

All overnight camping spots at Arkansas Bend Park and Pace Bend Park and day-visit spots for Hamilton Pool Preserve filled up for April 8 when those reservations opened as normal earlier this year.

Information about Travis County’s preparation and safety tips for the eclipse day can be found online.