The gate at Paul Grist State Park between Selma and Plantersville will be closed at sunset Thursday, and nobody knows when it will open again.

The outdoor escape, owned and operated by Alabama State Parks, is among four state parks being shuttered due to budget cuts.

A group of about 45 citizens gathered Wednesday at the park’s pavilion to discuss what can be done to save the place they hike, camp, fish and horseback ride.

Wednesday’s meeting was organized in just three days.

Anita Ellison was among several people to camp at Paul Grist this past weekend, knowing it would be the last time to camp there for a while.

“A bunch of us were down here this weekend camping. We all knew that the park was closing. We were talking about how we couldn’t believe it. It’s been here for all or most of our lives,” Ellison said.

For those conversations came the Facebook group, Save Paul Grist State Park. The page was created Sunday evening by Darrell Pugh and as of Wednesday had grown to more than 1,900 likes.

“One person can start something,” Pugh said. “We’ll see what we can get done.”

Those who came out Wednesday included campers and horseback riders from Dallas County but also neighboring Bibb and Chilton counties.

“This is our home away from home,” said Chelse Nash, who lives in Bibb County and comes over to camp.

Dallas County Commissioner Roy Moore was also in attendance Wednesday and spoke about what the commission is doing to save the park, which his district includes.

Moore said he expects the park to close Thursday despite talks between the county and the state about delaying the decision.

Moore said he’s committed to getting to park open as soon as possible but expected it would be closed for a couple of months.

“Our main focus is to keep the park open. We are ready to work on this. We are going to do everything we can to keep this park open,” Moore said.

There is a meeting scheduled Friday between county leaders, including Probate Judge Kim Ballard, and representatives from the parks system, according to Moore.

During Monday’s commission meeting, Ballard said the county would be willing to take on some expenses to see the park remain open to the public.

“Even if it costs the county some money, I think this commission is going to go for it,” Ballard said. “It would be a shame for a park to close that’s been there that long. It is named after Mr. Grist. We all know him. I attended that park when I was in the fifth grade, and you can tell the park has been there a long time.”

Other state parks closing include Bladon Springs in Choctaw County, Chickasaw in Marengo County, Florala in Covington County and Roland Cooper in Wilcox County.

Plans are already in the works to save at least two of those parks. Florala is expected to reopen Friday as a city park, while the city of Camden and Wilcox County are in talks to take over the park there.