Cabins, marinas, visitor centers reopen in state parks

Visitors were allowed back into Arkansas State Parks’ cabins and lodges on Friday, and a representative for Lake Catherine State Park said it saw a large number of bookings.

“Today is the first day that our lodges in our state parks and our cabins are available for usage again,” Gov.

Asa Hutchinson said during his daily COVID-19 press briefing in Little Rock on Friday. “We’re excited about this day.”

“We’re at 100% occupancy,” Lake Catherine Superintendent Cheryl Vincent said after the press briefing, adding that cabins are booked for the rest of May.

A graphic at the briefing showing the occupancy rate statistics of several state parks, including Lake Catherine, had it ranked fourth in the state at 43.24% occupancy, following Devil’s Den State Park at 67.85%, Crowley’s Ridge State Park at 58.82%, Lake Chicot State Park at 51.68%. In fifth place was Moro Bay State Park at 41.18%.

“So these are just a couple of examples of the volume of business and the interest of people to utilizing our great state parks,” Hutchinson said.

Another graphic showed that 71% of the reservation holders were Arkansas residents, with the remaining 29% from other states.

“And so we’re back in business, our state parks are being utilized, we’re encouraged by the reservations that are being made that are not that far down from 2019, and it illustrates that tourism is the second-leading industry in Arkansas, and there’s so many of our small businesses that are dependent upon this kind of commercial activity,” Hutchinson said.

Vincent said she was confused by the lower percentage for Lake Catherine shown on the graph during the press briefing. Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism Communications

Director Melissa Whitfield, when asked about the difference, said: “I’ve been told that the number is for the last two weeks of May — May 15-31, 2020.”

Vincent said some of the visitors staying at the cabins have had their rooms booked for over a year, and some just booked their rooms. She said they have a mixture of both Arkansas residents and out-of-state visitors. “A good mix,” Vincent said. While Vincent said all of their cabins are booked for the rest of the month, she noted there are people with reservations who aren’t comfortable coming out to the park. As a result, the park is still seeing some cancellations. She said those hoping to book a cabin at the park can check to see if there have been any cancellations.

“I wanted to report that the public has received, very well, the ability to visit their wonderful state parks again and enjoy the outdoors,” Stacy Hurst, director of the Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism, said during the press briefing.

“As of today, our occupancy rates are not totally dissimilar to where they were in 2019. What these numbers represent are available rooms, and so we are optimistic that this will be a very good May for us,” Hurst said.

“We are taking great precautions as we consider the safety of visitors and our staff. For example, if you rent a state park cabin, you stay in it for two or three nights, we will let that room stay vacant for two or three nights after that, have the staff clean the room. Let it stay open, and that is the safest way to approach renting that room out to the next customer,” Hurst said.

Vincent said that in order to keep the rooms as safe as possible, they are only being made available for rent on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. After a customer has left their room, Vincent said, they let the room “sit for a day or two” before it is cleaned. Vincent said this way, if there was any COVID-19 in the cabin, it will have died before the park employees clean the room.

The cabins at Lake Catherine are all self-contained, and Vincent said none of the cabins have access to each other, allowing those in the cabins to keep social distance from the people in the other cabins.

Hurst also announced that marinas in the parks reopened on Friday. “I do want to point out that apparently it’s fishing season. The fish are really biting right now and our very popular marinas at state parks will be open starting today, and they have boat rentals and lots of fresh bait,” Hurst said.

“So I encourage everyone to get out, and do some fishing,” Hurst said.

For the marina at Lake Catherine, Vincent said they are renting out a variety of different boats, and selling live bait and gas. She said they are “not allowing anybody inside” the marina. Those wishing to use the marina will have to meet with employees outside it, “just to reduce the chance of being exposed,” Vincent said.

Those getting fuel at the marina will also have to stay inside their boats while buying the gas. The marina will also only be open from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m., with no extended hours.

Lake Catherine also reopened its visitor center on Friday. Only three visitors are allowed inside the building at once, Vincent said, noting that if a family wants to look in the gift shop together, they will be allowed to as long as there aren’t any other visitors inside the building.

Anybody entering the visitor center is “required to wear a face covering,” she said. Those without a face covering will still be able to be helped. Vincent said park employees can meet these people outside the building to help them, and there is a window on the building that can be used to conduct business.

Vincent said she is happy to see these parts of the park reopen, noting, “It’s starting to feel like normal again.” She said any guest wishing to contact the park for questions can call 501-844-4176.