The president of the National Parks Conservation Association is calling for the entire National Park System to be closed during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic/NPS file, Jacob W. Frank

As the National Park System continues to shut down in piecemeal fashion, a few complete units here, some visitor centers there, the National Parks Conservation Association is calling for the entire park system to be closed during the coronavirus pandemic.

For weeks now the closures have trickled in, with more than 20 "national parks" closed, and dozens of other units (national monuments, national historical parks, national historic sites, etc.) closed as well. On Friday the North Cascades National Park Complex, which includes North Cascades National Park, will close. Grand Canyon National Park closed on Wednesday, and there are media reports in Utah that Springdale, Utah, the gateway town to Zion National Park, wants that park to be closed. 

Dozens of other units have closed visitor centers, campgrounds, or both.

Earlier this week the Coalition to Protect America's National Parks called on Interior Secretary David Bernhardt to support superintendents who believe their parks should be shuttered for the safety of the public and their staff.

"It is frightening that you continue to allow and encourage park visitation," Coalition Chair Phil Francis told Bernhardt in a letter Tuesday. "Your inaction and failure to support the recommendations of experienced (National Park Service) managers and their local communities is putting NPS employees and local gateway community members at serious risk to exposure to the virus potentially carried by travelers from outside the local area."

On Thursday, the NPCA president called on Bernhardt to simply close the entire park system to protect the health and safety of park staff, visitors, and surrounding communities.

"To deal with this public health crisis, so many are seeking refuge in our national parks. But the conditions in our parks make this no longer an option," said Theresa Pierno. "Already-taxed park rangers are coming into contact with hundreds of visitors, personal protective equipment is being rationed and only available for emergencies and park staff are calling out sick because they no longer feel safe going to work. When it’s no longer possible for staff to protect their health, the health of the visitors or the resources they manage, it’s time to close the national parks. And that time is now.

"It’s troubling that Interior Secretary David Bernhardt has shown no sense of urgency in responding to the desperate pleas of park staff to close their parks.  While we wait for him to do the right thing and close our national parks, we call on Americans to support park rangers by staying home. The parks will be there for them once we get through this crisis, just as they’ve always been, and we all look forward to the day when we can enjoy them together once again."