Construction at Burgess Falls State Park Will Affect Parking

The upper parking lot at Burgess Falls State Park will be unavailable while construction continues for a new visitors center and other features at the park.

Park officials are asking visitors for their understanding during the temporary inconvenience. The lower parking lot will remain open during the construction.

However, trailers, RVs, and buses will not be allowed to park in either lot. Large vehicles would be unable to navigate in the lower lot.

Alternative parking can be found at the Whispering Falls RV Park and Chestnut Oak Farm Store and Kitchen. These are privately owned and not part of Burgess Falls. Whispering Falls charges $20 on weekends and $10 on weekdays for parking. Chestnut Oaks charges $10, but with proof of payment will take it off a food order. Chestnut Oaks has a large gravel parking area that can accommodate large vehicles such as trailers and RVs.

“We want to keep our visitors fully informed while the project is underway,” said Park Manager Nathaniel Garrison. “It’s necessary to close the upper lot for construction, but the park will have even more parking than before when the work is done.”

When completed, the layout will go from 87 parking spaces to 159. The four accessible parking spaces will increase to seven. The lot will also include ADA accessible pathways to and from the lots.

Park officials encourage everyone to plan accordingly when they visit the park. Visits on a weekday or earlier in the day will be less busy. Holidays make for an extremely busy time at the park. Visitors are encouraged to check on the Burgess Falls State Park Facebook page for updates before they head out.

Visitors should be patient when seeking an open parking space and look for staff to suggest the best way to find a spot. The park asks that drivers not pull over and park on the grass our double park, which could harm the surroundings and spoil the experience for others at the park.

Once the work is completed, the park will have a new visitor center, gift shop, aviary, and more.