JBSA Outdoor Recreation can help plan for holiday activities

  • Published
  • By David DeKunder
  • 502nd Air Base Wing Public Affairs
JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas --  Joint Base San Antonio Outdoor Recreation offers several options for active-duty members, retirees and Department of Defense civilians and their families who are planning activities during the holiday season.

Whether it’s for an outdoor or indoor activity, JBSA Outdoor Recreation rents out equipment at all three JBSA locations, items include equipment for camping, fishing, boating, family gatherings, birthdays, sports activities and home and garden chores.

JBSA Outdoor Recreation has a wide selection of rental equipment, including tables, chairs, bounce houses, cotton candy and popcorn machines, margarita machines, dunk tanks and canopies for gatherings and birthday parties, and camping and cargo trailers, as well as camping accessories, kayaks, canoes, boats, water accessories, trash cans, coolers, grills, grill accessories and generators for outdoor activities.

“We have everything you can possibly need for family and social gatherings,” said Trever Gilman, 502nd Force Support Squadron Assistant Community Services Flight Chief for Recreation.

Gilman said JBSA Outdoor Recreation staff members instruct customers how to set up and operate specific equipment for indoor and outdoor activities.

Military members, retirees and government civilians can reserve any of the parks at all JBSA locations for gatherings and birthday parties through JBSA Outdoor Recreation. Parks include Salado Park, located on 13 acres next to Salado Creek at JBSA-Fort-Sam Houston; Stillman Park, Upson Park Pavilion, Lion Park and Stapleton Park at JBSA-Lackland; and Eberle Park at JBSA-Randolph.

Most of the JBSA parks have amenities including picnic tables, grills, pavilions, trash cans, restrooms and playground equipment.

For military members and their families who want to take a trip out of town during the holidays, there is the JBSA Recreation Park at Canyon Lake, located 52 miles north of San Antonio. The park is on 254 acres on Canyon Lake. The lake is managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The JBSA Recreation Park at Canyon Lake offers a safe getaway for military members, retirees and their families which is close by, said Gilman.

“It has a controlled entry,” he said. “It’s a nice getaway from San Antonio and it’s a nice park. It has a lot of amenities that are offered for families.”

JBSA members can reserve any of the park’s 81 lodging units, day-use picnic areas and pavilions, camping facilities and sites at its RV park, which has both full-service and electricity-only sites with restrooms, laundry facilities and dump stations available.

The park has three lakefront beaches with grills, picnic tables, pavilions and restrooms and two marinas operated by the park. Park patrons can rent ski, fishing, pontoon and paddles boats, canoes and kayaks at the Hancock Cove Marina, or bring their boat and rent a slip at the Sunnyside Marina.

In addition, the park has a country store that provides food items, beverages, fishing gear and other items for purchase.

During December, rates for both the bunkhouses and bungalows at the JBSA Recreation Park at Canyon Lake are half price. Bunkhouses can be reserved for $12.50 per night, bungalows for $17.50 per night. The bunkhouse includes air conditioning, heating, a refrigerator and room to sleep four people. The bungalow comes with a refrigerator, sink, microwave, a full-size bed, bunk beds, room for four people to sleep, air conditioning, heating and a bathroom with a hot shower. Park patrons must bring their own linen for both accommodations.

Boat rentals at the park are also half price in December. Cost includes required safety equipment such as life vests, but does not include fuel. Before taking the boat on the lake, park patrons must take the Boater’s Safety Course through the state of Texas. The boating safety course is offered at the JBSA Recreation Park at Canyon Lake or any of the Outdoor Recreation locations at JBSA installations. Boat rentals are on a first-come, first-serve basis.

The JBSA Recreation Park at Canyon Lake is open year-round from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., seven days a week, from Oct. 1 to April 30 and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday from May 1 to Sept. 30.

Information about the JBSA Recreation Park at Canyon Lake is at http://www.myjbsa-fss-mwr.com. To make reservations and to get information on boat rentals at the park, call 1-800-280-3466.

Brochures on rates for indoor and outdoor equipment and park rentals at all three JBSA locations are at http://www.myjbsa-fss-mwr.com. Contact numbers are for JBSA-Fort Sam Houston Outdoor Recreation, 221-5224; JBSA-Lackland Outdoor Recreation, 925-5532; and JBSA-Randolph Outdoor Recreation, 652-5142.

Hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, for JBSA-Fort Sam Houston Outdoor Recreation, building 3490; 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday and 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, for JBSA-Lackland Outdoor Recreation, building 871; and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday, for JBSA-Randolph Outdoor Recreation, building 895, Community Services Mall.