A total solar eclipse will cross a swath of the United States from Maine to Texas next week, and millions of Americans are traveling to state parks to view the spectacle.
State parks managers say they’re ready, but are warning travelers to prepare for crowded roads and facilities. Advanced bookings are highly recommended, but for most parks in the eclipse’s path, it may already be too late to secure a viewing spot.
“Please be aware, our campgrounds are fully booked for the eclipse,” New York State Parks warned would-be visitors on X (formerly Twitter). “After the eclipse, campgrounds will close until the beginning of the season.”
Parks located in the path of totality are planning days of special events leading up to the eclipse beginning this weekend. The celestial event comes half a year after an annular eclipse crossed the continental US along a similar path as projected for the April 8 total solar eclipse.
The eclipse’s path across North America will also send it over parts of Canada, including Ontario. However, Ontario’s parks authority says most of the provincial parks it operates will not be open and officials there are not planning any special events around the eclipse.
Meanwhile, state parks in the United States are making the most of the moment.
Nearly every state park in the path of totality is organizing special events. In Indiana, activities will be held at Turkey Run State Park, Shades State Park, Harmonie State Park, and many more. Over a dozen state parks in Arkansas are planning to greet more visitors than usual on Monday as people flock to open spaces to witness the eclipse.
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department hosted an array of activities at its state park units when an annular eclipse crossed that state last year. TPWD is expecting a repeat of the rush of visitors it saw then, but the department says it’s ready.
Because state authorities are expecting unusually high traffic volumes, the Texas Department of Transportation is taking the unusual step of banning specially permitted overweight and oversized, wide-load vehicles from traveling any roads within dozens of counties close to the eclipse’s centerline path. The restrictions will be in force the entire day the eclipse is occurring “from midnight to midnight” the department says.
Meanwhile, NASA, the federal government space agency, is setting up a way for all Americans to enjoy the eclipse, whether they’ll find themselves along the path of totality or not.
Beginning at 1 p.m. Eastern time, NASA says it will begin broadcasting live coverage of the eclipse. “The agency’s eclipse coverage will include live views of the eclipse from across North America, special appearances by NASA experts, astronauts aboard the space station, and an inside look at NASA’s eclipse science experiments and watch parties across the country,” NASA representatives said in a release.
NASA’s eclipse coverage will run for three hours, with broadcasts planned from seven different locations, including Niagara Falls, New York, home to America’s oldest state park, and Kerrville, Texas, which is not far from Enchanted Rock State Natural Area and Old Tunnel State Park.
Niagara Falls State Park has temporarily revamped much of its website to feature the eclipse. Visitors to the site are greeted with a message stating “See you on the dark side of the moon, April 8, 2024.” Special events and exhibits will be featured all weekend leading up to Monday’s total solar eclipse.
The park appears poised to experience record attendance on that day.
“We expect thousands of people in the park that day, so please plan to arrive early,” the park is urging on its website. “We suggest planning to stay in one place on the day of the eclipse, and packing your car with essentials like water, fuel, medications, food, chargers, etc.”
The city of Niagara Falls says it will be in the shadow of the total eclipse for nearly four full minutes. The city predicts Niagara Falls State Park will be its most popular destination for eclipse tourists due to the unobstructed views available to travelers.
New York State Parks says it will be providing live up-to-the-minute information via its NY State Parks Explorer smartphone application.
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