The National Park Service (NPS) announced Wednesday that it will temporarily suspend the collection of entrance fees at all parks that remain open. 鈥淭his small step makes it a little easier for the American public to enjoy the outdoors in our incredible national parks,鈥澨齭aid Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt in a news release. As of Saturday, some听parks have closed entirely, including Yosemite and Rocky Mountain. Those that remain open are significantly scaling听down operations, including closing visitor centers and group campgrounds. (You can check the status of individual parks on the .)
The decision听comes as some rural communities near major national parks are urging visitors to stay away.听Earlier this week,听the medical director of the local hospital in Moab, Utah, that 鈥渢he best thing we could all do is stay at home.鈥 The Southeast Utah Health Department, which includes Moab, on Monday听closing theaters, bars, and restaurants (except for drive-up and take-out services), and prohibited hotels and other lodging facilities from renting rooms to tourists. A spokesperson for Arches National Park, located听just outside Moab, could not be reached for comment on the recent announcement.
Tom VandenBerg, chief of interpretation听at Big Bend National Park, in Texas, told 国产吃瓜黑料 that he doesn鈥檛 think the announcement will result in bigger crowds at his park. 鈥淪ince Big Bend is so remote, I don鈥檛 think that the entrance fee [waiver] would result in more people coming. People have either planned to come or not,鈥 he says. Before the NPS announcement, Big Bend, which is in the midst of its peak season, closed its entrance stations as part of its local COVID-19 response, effectively waiving entrance fees.听
VandenBerg said that Big Bend is fully staffed, though some volunteers have left due to concerns about coronavirus. Employees who would otherwise be working indoors at the visitor center are roving trails and making themselves available to听visitors throughout the park. Staff at听Saguaro National Park in Arizona are听.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the most visited national park in the country, never collects听an entrance fee. A spokesperson for the park told 国产吃瓜黑料 that they would expect the announcement to affect their numbers 鈥渘ominally, if at all.鈥 They also confirmed that the park continues to experience visitation numbers roughly on par with its听average for this time of year.
Some agree with the decision but take issue with the priorities expressed in the announcement. 鈥淭he Park Service should be waiving fees, but not to make parks more accessible,鈥 said Theresa Pierno, president and CEO of the National Parks Conservation Association. 鈥淲aiving fees prevents park staff and visitors from having close interactions during this ongoing pandemic. We remain concerned about the health and safety of park staff and visitors, and strongly urge everyone to follow the guidance of public health experts before planning a trip to any park in order to protect themselves and their communities.鈥
The NPS is urging all visitors to follow CDC guidelines for social distancing, hand washing, and other measures designed to stem the spread of the virus. And anyone planning to go should 听from the agency and announcements from specific parks.