A two-phased approach for the public to regain access to certain trails at LCRA’s McKinney Roughs Nature Park is being implemented following a brushfire that burned close to 200 acres in and near the park earlier this week.

McKinney Roughs Nature Park is located on Highway 71 between Austin and Bastrop. The fire, which started Sunday, June 1, was contained as of Wednesday. The park was evacuated and closed to visitors during the fire.

Effective Friday, June 6, the park’s Pope Bend Road equestrian entrance on the west side of the park will open to hikers and equestrians. The hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week. Nine miles of trails will be accessible through the Pope Bend trailhead.

Hikers and riders can access only the west side of the nature park due to fire damage on the park’s east side.

The parking lot near the Pope Bend Road’s entrance is limited in size and will be monitored by LCRA staff. Access to the lot is on a first come first served basis.

To provide for a safe hiking experience and adequate parking for the increased number of users at the park’s western entrance, a continuing assessment is under way. The next phase will reopen hiking access on the east side of the park. There is no estimate when that will occur.

Information updates about park access are made daily on the McKinney Roughs hotline at 1-800-776-5272, Ext. 7427. For general park and program information, call (512) 303-5073, or go to www.lcra.org/parks.