All camping will be banned in Big Bend National Park beginning Monday, March 23, and the Chisos Mountain Lodge will close as well due to the coronavirus pandemic/Rebecca Latson file

Editor's note: This updates that Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park will close Sunday.

Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park is the latest park to announce its closure to the public, with staff saying the park would be closed beginning Sunday.

Elsewhere in the park system, Big Bend National Park in Texas is closing its campgrounds and the Chisos Mountain Lodge on Monday in an effort to stem the spread of coronavirus in the park, while in Utah the campgrounds at Canyonlands National Park are closing, too. Joshua Tree National Park closed its campgrounds and all roads to vehicle traffic.

Hawai'i Volcanoes officials said their decision in part followed actions taken by Gov. David Ige, who has asked tourists who planned to visit his state in the next 30 days to postpone their travels. He also has closed bars, and theaters, and asked that people avoid unnecessary travel. Additionally, all passengers disembarking cruise ships will be screened, he said, and airports were working on implementing ways to screen arriving visitors.

"The actions I’m announcing today may seem extreme to some of you, and we know that it will have negative effects to our economy. But we are confident that taking aggressive actions now will allow us to have a quicker recovery when this crisis is over,” the governor said earlier this week.

Big Bend officials made their announcement Saturday morning (local time), saying the decision was made with "guidance from the White House and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Texas Governor Gregg Abbott, and Brewster County (Texas) commissioners."

The decision affects all front country and backcountry camping, and the concession-operated RV Campground at Rio Grande Village will be closed as well. The Chisos Mountain restaurant is to remain open for takeout service, and park camper stores and service stations will remain open. 

"Park employees remain at work, and will be patrolling the park, assisting visitors, and enforcing all regulations," a park release said. "As services are limited, the NPS urges visitors to continue to practice Leave No Trace principles, including pack-in and pack-out, to keep outdoor spaces clean, safe and healthy."

At Canyonlands, the Island in the Sky and Needles campgrounds closed to the public Saturday, and staff said no backcountry overnight stays would be allowed beginning Thursday, March 26. While the park is open, visitor centers, bookstores, and administrative offices are closed. 

Joshua Tree officials said they will offer "very limited services outside those that support visitor or resource protection."

"The park remains open to bicycle and hiker access. Wilderness access using the Covington Flats Road as well as the entrances to Berdoo Canyon, Pinkham Canyon, Thermal Canyon, and Long Canyon will remain open," the park release said. "Backcountry permits will not be required for the use of these areas, and overnight backcountry camping is permitted. Additionally, urban trail access at the Oasis of Mara, the California Riding and Hiking Trail, Rattlesnake Canyon, Eureka Peak and the High View Nature Trail as accessed via Black Rock campground will remain open to provide for healthy recreation opportunities."