Texas State Parks open for April 8 total solar eclipse. Here’s how to make a reservation
Fort Worth, get your solar eclipse safety glasses ready. We are on the path of totality for the first time in 146 years, and we have many places for a great view.
Texas State Parks — and there are six in Fort Worth — will begin taking reservations March 8 at 8 a.m, a full month before the April 8 total solar eclipse. There are 31 Texas State parks in the path of totality.
For many in Texas, this is an opportunity for front row seats to a once-in-a-lifetime show.
““I cannot name any better place for a solar eclipse to happen,” UT Arlington planetarium director Levent Gurdemir said.
Fort Worth should expect our sky to look like dusk or dawn in the middle of the afternoon.
The path of totality begins in Mexico and will move northeast into the U.S., up into Canada. Texas has a heck of a view between 1:20 p.m. and 1:50 p.m., depending on where you are located. In Fort Worth, the view of the total eclipse will be around two minutes.
Be careful to not look into the solar eclipse with a naked eye. According to NASA, “Viewing any part of the bright Sun through a camera lens, binoculars, or a telescope without a special-purpose solar filter secured over the front of the optics will instantly cause severe eye injury.”
Where is Texas’ path of totality?
The total eclipse will make its way starting south from Mexico. The first Texas state park that will witness the anomaly will be Kickapoo State park located in Brackettville, Texas.
Texas State Parks in Fort Worth include:
Cedar Hill State Park
Cleburne State Park
Dinosaur Valley State Park
Cooper Lake State Park, Doctor’s Creek and South Sulphur units
Lake Tawakoni State Park
Purtis Creek State Park
Parks that are not on the path of totality will get a partial experience. The sky will not appear as dark.
The upcoming total solar eclipse differs from the October annular eclipse in that the moon last fall was at its farthest point from earth — making it impossible for the moon to fully shade the sun.
How to secure tickets to a state park for the total solar eclipse
To secure tickets, you may call or go online to reserve yours. Texas State Parks will start accepting calls March 8 at 8 a.m., on a first come, first serve basis. The limited number of park passes will be sold quickly. Each park has its own pricing. For reservations at Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, you can only call.
To make it an easier process, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department suggest the following:
Have vehicle information ready. This includes make, model, license plate number, and number of occupants in the vehicle. Be sure to specify if any passengers are under 12 years old.
Have credit card information readily available. Must reserve with a credit card.
Understand the TPWD website beforehand, familiarize yourself with the process.
Choose three parks you would like to attend in case one or more is not available.
Children under 12 enter parks for free. Anyone 13 and older, park fees may vary.
TPWD waives fees for those in the pass holder’s vehicle, however pass holders should still make reservations to secure park entry.
If you do not reserve a park entrance, you are not allowed to go to the park due to high volume of visitors for the total solar eclipse.
You can call TPWD at 512-389-8900 or visit their website for further information.