Jonesboro, AR Curfew Laws: Park Curfew (2026)
Key Facts
- Closing time
- One-half hour after sunset
- Reopening time
- One-half hour before sunrise
- Gated parks
- Posted hours control instead
- Enforcement
- Park rangers, code enforcement, police
- General penalty
- Up to $500.00 fine (§ 1-7)
Summary
Every Jonesboro city park closes half an hour after sunset and reopens half an hour before sunrise. Entering or remaining in a park during closed hours is unlawful, and the parks director can extend or shorten hours for permitted activities.
Sec. 50-19. - Closing of parks. All parks shall be closed from one-half hour after sunset until one-half hour before sunrise the following day.
Sec. 50-24. - Remaining in park after hours. No person shall enter or remain in any park during the hours it is closed.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 16).
Full Breakdown
City Code § 50-19 sets a single, citywide closing rule tied to sunset and sunrise rather than fixed clock hours, so the closing time shifts with the season. 00. Section 50-20 carves out gated parks, where posted hours control instead, except during prearranged special group activities or established concessions. Section 50-21 lets the director of parks, recreation and cemeteries extend or shorten a park's closing time when necessary to accommodate a permitted activity, and § 50-22 authorizes the director, police chief or mayor to temporarily exclude the public from a park, trail or road for security or public-safety reasons, with entry into an ordered closure itself unlawful.
As of a 2025 ordinance, park rangers under the code enforcement division patrol city parks and may issue citations or warnings for these closing-hour violations under § 50-40.
Violations & Fines
Remaining in a closed park under § 50-24 is not itself given a chapter-specific fine, so it falls to the general penalty in § 1-7: a fine of up to $500.00, doubled for repeated offenses, or up to $250.00 per day for a continuing violation. Vehicle use in Craighead Forest Park after hours draws a separate fine of not less than $150.00 under § 50-25(c). Park rangers and code enforcement officers may issue citations directly under § 50-40.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time do Jonesboro parks close?
Is it illegal to be in a Jonesboro park after closing?
Do gated parks like Craighead Forest Park follow different hours?
Can the city close a park early for safety reasons?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Jonesboro
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