Everglades National Park was one of several units of the National Park System that have announced reopening plans/NPS, Dylann Turffs
Editor's note: This adds Gulf Islands National Seashore, Gateway National Recreation Area, and Cumberland Island National Seashore details.
From Florida to Utah, national parks that have been closed due to the coronavirus pandemic have begun detailing how they will reopen their grounds to the public.
"I am pleased that we can be part of our community’s efforts to take incremental steps towards reopening,” Everglades National Park Superintendent Pedro Ramos said Friday. “Our action to restore access to the park's main road and Flamingo provides additional opportunities for people to spread out a little more while practicing social distancing."
Beginning Monday, Everglades plans to reopen access to:
- Main park road from the Homestead entrance to Flamingo
- External restrooms at the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center
- Flamingo Marina and boat launch ramps
- Flamingo Marina Store, restrooms, and gas pumps
- Flamingo Fish Cleaning Station and restroom
- Chekika Day Use Area (roads and surrounding areas only)
- Marine waters of Everglades National Park
- Beach campsites in wilderness
- Royal Palm area including the Anhinga Trail
- Long Pine Key area and campground
- West Lake area
- Flamingo campground
- All visitor centers and public buildings
- Concession tours and boat rentals
- All other park restrooms
- Other park locations such as Shark Valley and Gulf Coast
In Tennessee, Stones River National Battlefield planned to reopen access Friday (May 1) to:
- Trails connecting to the Stones River Greenway; and the
- Visitor center parking lot
Access to the visitor center parking lot was to be through the Old Nashville Highway entrance from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Parking will be limited to 31 paved spaces and strictly enforced.
With public health in mind, the following facilities at Stones River remain closed at this time:
-
Visitor center and restrooms
-
Vehicle access to tour road (including Thompson Lane Entrance)
-
Stones River National Cemetery parking
-
Hazen Brigade Monument parking
- McFadden Farm Unit parking
“We encourage visitors to bring their own water and snacks and to help us keep the park clean by taking their trash home with them," said Superintendent Brenda Pennington. While these areas are accessible for visitors to enjoy, a return to full operations will continue to be phased and services may be limited, the park staff added.
At Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park and neighboring Curecanti National Recreation Area in Colorado, officials said planning was underway to safely open boating at Blue Mesa and other reservoir areas, as well as some aspects of Black Canyon. "In our preparations, we must take every precaution to provide for the safety of our staff and our visitors. This gradual, phased reopening will begin within the next two weeks," a park release said.
In Utah, Bryce Canyon National Park officials said beginning Wednesday, May 6, access would be available to:
- The main park road and all viewpoints to Rainbow Point
- Restrooms at Sunset Point (only restrooms open within the park)
- Trails within the Bryce Amphitheater area
With public health in mind, the following facilities in the park would remain closed at this time:
- Park visitor center and fee booths
- Park campgrounds
- Mossy Cave parking and trail area
- Backcountry trails including the Under the Rim Trail and campsites
- Park concessions facilities
Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials on Thursday announced that most of their roads and trails would open back up to the public on May 9.
Cumberland Island National Seashore officials said Friday that their beaches, public docking spaces, and trails would reopen Saturday. However, the park's Ice House Museum, Sea Camp Ranger Station, Plum Orchard Mansion, campgrounds (including wilderness camp sites), the mainland visitors center, and the mainland museum would remain closed.
“This has been a very difficult time for our community, our families, and our world. The park is thrilled to be able to take this small step forward with the hope it will help provide some with an opportunity to find peace and joy in visiting the seashore,” said Superintendent Gary Ingram.
Gateway National Recreation Area officials in the New York-New Jersey metropolitan area said they would reopen access to the Sandy Hook Unit with certain restrictions in place beginning May 9. The following sites will be open for passive recreation from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily:
- Parking lots B, C, D, E, and G will be open at 50% capacity
- Most trails including the Multi Use Path
- Both ocean and bay-side beaches will be accessible for passive recreation (beaches will not be lifeguarded)
- 2019 Fishing Permits will be honored for access.
Passive recreation includes activities such as:
- running
- hiking
- fishing
- kayaking
Prohibited activities:
- swimming
- picnicking
- group gatherings and activities
Permanent restroom facilities will remain closed; however, portable units will be available for public use. There will be limited garbage services. Visitors are encouraged to follow Leave No Trace principles (carry in, carry out). With public health in mind, the following facilities remain closed at this time:
- Sandy Hook Campground
- Sandy Hook Lighthouse and Visitor Center
- History House
- Fort Hancock Museum
- Guardian Park Picnic Area
- Parking Lot A
- North Beach / K Lot
- All gun batteries and fortifications
“We encourage our visitors to enjoy the outdoors and engage in passive recreation, such as walking, jogging, and hiking, as well as biking and fishing,” said Jen Nersesian, superintendent of Gateway. “A social distance of six feet should be maintained at all times while visiting Sandy Hook.”
At Gulf Islands National Seashore in Florida and Mississippi:
* The Okaloosa area would reopen on Saturday, May 2
No restrooms
* The Naval Live Oaks Area would reopen on Saturday, May 2
No restrooms
The headquarters exhibit area will remain closed
* Santa Rosa Area, including Highway 399, would reopen on Wednesday, May 6
The Opal Beach Complex will remain closed
With public health in mind, the following facilities remain closed at this time:
- The Fort Pickens
- Fort Barrancas
- Perdido Key
- Davis Bayou areas
- Petit Bois
- West Petit Bois
- Horn and Ship islands
- The NPS-owned portion of Cat Island
“The Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, and Naval Live Oaks areas are almost exclusively used by the surrounding Florida counties, which cleared the phase one gating criteria on May 1,” said Superintendent Dan Brown. "The other areas of the national seashore draw visitors from areas that have not yet met the required gating criteria based on the White House's guidance. In evaluating some park areas, the National Park Service assessed communities within an eight-hour drive, as is consistent with visitation infromation."
Comments
GSMNP is doing it wrong by opening the most populus roads first. A soft opening by opening more remote areas and the back country would have been a better way to ease into "normal". Commercial pressure surely had more influence on the paln.
Calfornia opened only SOME beaches and everyone concentrated there. Disaster.
Places like Utah should open up ALL parks (partially of course) so the pent up demand does not concentrate on ONE park.
Access to the Parks back country sites should all be opened for at least day use with leave no trace
So, in your opinion, dilution actually is the solution to pollution? Hmmmm.
While pollution is definitely an issue, that is not what we are talking about here.
If you want all parks closed to reduce pollution, then that is a different and valuable issue to discuss.
But if parks are opening, then concentrating pent up demand (fixed amount of pollution) to one park in an area is not a good idea.
Good point
I agree - slow down openings - enforce mask and distancing- and with limited or no bathrooms I can only imagen the problems, we all like to get out but if we don't follow the guidelines this might be our last trip _ I see more and more people without masks . Respect your fellow man
Waiting for safe, means NEVER.