River Run Park closing for 2012? Or, maybe not....

May be hard to see, but each bench is missing its canopy!

Click to enlarge

Well, maybe at least partially. On my drive through today I couldn’t help bur notice that most, if not all, the canopies over the picnic tables at each of the riverside campsites have been removed! An interesting development seeing as how this is the beginning of the camping and tourist season. I went to the ‘attendant station', only to see that they were closed on that particular day (funny how that works out). There were a couple of people working by the station, but they really had no idea of what was going on and told me so explicitly. That too wasn’t all that surprising. In any case it would appear that many of the sites are closed to camping at this time. If any reader out there knows why, please leave a comment. Otherwise, if you are planning to camp in that park you might want to check with the Corps of Engineers to find out what is going on with this park. I tried calling them and got an answering machine. Oh, and apparently rates to camp there have gone up. What a surprise!

But wait, there's more! Like magic the canopy's all returned. And, they appear none the worst for wear! Don't ask me what's going on, I haven't a clue!

River Run Park business is booming!

Starting around April 1, River Run Park opened for business and this Easter Sunday most of the available RV slots were filled! Space was a premium issue early on this season as some sites seem to be experiencing power problems and have remained closed.

After twenty-eight days of warmer than normal temperatures, this weekend began with light showers following on the heels of a cool front that brought things back down to seasonal levels. By Sunday overnight temperatures had fallen into the fifties with daytime highs reaching a comfortable 70F.

I wasn't able to locate the park attendant on any of my stops at the park although there is a trailer parked next to the attendant office. I'm also guessing that the rates to camp in this park will be about the same as last season - $18 per night if I remember correctly. That prices afford electricity, water, trash and bathrooms that are complete with showers. Campsites are available on a first come first serve basis. Additionally, if this park happens to be filled up, there is another right across the river that sports similar amenities.

Within just a couple of miles of both parks is a convenience store by the name of Park Place that can supply all needed supplies including food and liquor. While I'm not sure of their hours, they can be reached at (417) 546-5845 to request information.

I was amazed at how good the park looks in spite of it being inundated with flood waters for most of last year. Some of the most notable damage that can still be seen are trees that have died and still litter the area with dead limbs. Yet, on the whole, workers have done a fantastic job in bringing the parks infrastructure back into pristine shape!