(Faith Harper/Tyler Morning Telegraph)

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has made it easier to go online and book specific campsites, cabins and shelters.

The system announced this week that the new options also let visitors buy day passes in advance and buy or renew a Texas State Parks Pass online.

The pass allows a vehicle of guests unlimited visits to more than 90 Texas state parks with no entry fee for 12 months.

Visitors can purchase day passes up to one month in advance, guaranteeing access to parks even during busy times like weekends and holidays. The new “Save the Day” pass helps address the growing issue of visitors not being able to get into a popular state parks due to overcrowding.

Department officials say day passes for some of the more popular parks have specific arrival time slots to allow better planning for travelers.

Visitors seeking overnight trips to a Texas state park can make specific site reservations up to five months in advance. 

Officials said visitors can search for sites by specific parks and site types, see photos of the site before making a decision, and see details for each site including utilities, parking pad length and width, and amount of shade.

All existing park reservations have been moved into the new system and are secure. Customers experiencing issues may contact the Customer Service Center at 512-389-8900. 

Visit www.texasstateparks.org/reservations for more information about the system or to make a reservation to a Texas state park.