Blanco State Park numbers swelled over the summer months this year and were so high on certain weekends that officials closed the gates as early as noon to prevent overcrowding. According to statistics from park personnel, more than 53,400 people visited the park between Memorial Day and Labor Day in 2016, an increase of about 22.5 percent from 2014. Last year, the park was closed from the end of May until August after the Memorial Day flood, so attendance numbers were down significantly and th ...