{"id":159916,"date":"2020-05-29T12:36:05","date_gmt":"2020-05-29T19:36:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/?p=159916"},"modified":"2023-03-03T11:39:24","modified_gmt":"2023-03-03T19:39:24","slug":"the-national-parks-new-normal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/news\/the-national-parks-new-normal","title":{"rendered":"The National Parks\u2019 New Normal"},"content":{"rendered":"

Editor\u2019s note:\u00a0<\/i>Check\u00a0our store locator<\/a>\u00a0to see the current status of your local REI. (More on\u00a0our reopening approach<\/a>.) Visit\u00a0this FAQ\u00a0for\u00a0current details about orders, returns and more.<\/em><\/p>\n

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After<\/span>\u00a0nearly<\/span>\u00a0two months of closures and restrictions<\/span>\u00a0due to COVID-19<\/span>, the c<\/span>ountry\u2019s\u00a0<\/span>national parks are slowly reopening to visitors<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>But<\/span> park official<\/span>s<\/span>\u00a0caution this isn\u2019t a return to\u00a0<\/span>pre-pandemic\u00a0<\/span>recreation<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Because mandates vary from state to state<\/span>, parks<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>are reopening<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>on an individual basis, bringing services back in phases, said Stephanie Roulette, National Park Service (NPS) spokesperson, in an email to the Co-op Journal. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This\u00a0<\/span>phased approach\u00a0<\/span>means that\u00a0<\/span>visitor centers<\/span>, roads,\u00a0<\/span>campgrounds\u00a0<\/span>and other park amenities\u00a0<\/span>could\u00a0<\/span>remain closed<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>even\u00a0<\/span>as some<\/span>\u00a0trails open\u00a0<\/span>for day use<\/span>. <\/span>T<\/span>he\u00a0<\/span>parks<\/span> could close again temporarily<\/span>\u00a0if<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>park officials\u00a0<\/span>see crowding<\/span>\u00a0and a\u00a0<\/span>lack of social distancing<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0or\u00a0<\/span>if state leaders\u00a0<\/span>reinstate\u00a0<\/span>restrictions\u00a0<\/span>on gatherings<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The NPS<\/span>\u00a0took a similar\u00a0<\/span>park-by-park approach <\/span>when\u00a0<\/span>it\u00a0<\/span>began<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>closing its more than 400 units <\/span>in late March<\/span> to help stymie the spread of COVID-19.<\/span>\u00a0Some parks limited access to trails, visitor centers and campgrounds. Others closed entirely.<\/span> Officials representing many of the parks supported the move, <\/span>particularly those near vulnerable gateway towns<\/span><\/a>, and some even felt the closures should have happened sooner and been more restrictive. Still, others bemoaned the inherent economic <\/span>impact associated with the closures.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

According to Roulette, <\/span>158 of the 419 units in the NPS<\/span> fully closed, while 261 continued to provide some level of access<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Phased\u00a0<\/span><\/b>R<\/span><\/b>eopening<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

As\u00a0<\/span>people <\/span>consider visiting parks in the coming months,\u00a0<\/span>public health experts and park officials have a major caveat: Recreation won\u2019t look like it did last summer. And it might not for some time.<\/span><\/p>\n

For example, <\/span>Zion\u00a0<\/span>National Park\u00a0<\/span>in Utah opened select\u00a0trails\u00a0and areas<\/a> two weeks ago, but kept its visitor center and many campgrounds closed to visitors. Just 4,500 people visited on May 13, when it\u00a0reopened for the first time since early April, according to Jeff Axel, the park\u2019s acting chief of interpretation and public affairs. <\/span>If that sounds\u00a0<\/span>like a lot of people<\/span>, it\u2019s not\u2014<\/span>Zion was the fourth most-visited\u00a0<\/span>national\u00a0<\/span>park in<\/span>\u00a02019,\u00a0<\/span>with more than\u00a0<\/span>529,000 <\/span>visits\u00a0<\/span>during the month of May<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>last\u00a0<\/span>year.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe traditional experience people remember the last time they visited Zion isn\u2019t the experience if they visit in the next couple weeks or the next couple of months,\u201d Axel said. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

N<\/span>ational park officials <\/span>are working with federal, state and local public health authorities to gradually reopen the parks<\/span>\u00a0in accordance with state guidelines<\/span>, according to Roulette<\/span>. She said the <\/span>NPS is examining each\u00a0<\/span>park<\/span>\u00a0unit\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0service<\/span>s<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>to ensure\u00a0<\/span>they\u00a0<\/span>compl<\/span>y<\/span>\u00a0with public health guidance from the CDC and White House.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This comes a<\/span>mid growing\u00a0<\/span>alignment<\/span>\u00a0among public health experts\u00a0<\/span>about\u00a0<\/span>the lessening risk for contracting COVID-19 in outdoor settings. <\/span>Kevin Winthrop, professor of infectious diseases and public health at Oregon Health and Science University, noted<\/span> environmental factors that <\/span>diminish the virus\u2019 ability to infect.\u00a0<\/span>But he says the risk isn\u2019t zero, and it\u2019s still smart to avoid crowds o<\/span>utside<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think people should strive to do those things [outdoors], but I think they also have to realize it\u2019s going to be a little different this year, and it might be for a couple years<\/span>,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When deciding when to<\/span>\u00a0reopen<\/span>, parks must<\/span>\u00a0also\u00a0<\/span>consider<\/span>\u00a0staff<\/span>ing needs<\/span>. Some national parks, including Zion<\/span>, delayed the start dates of seasonal staff due to COVID-19. Mount Rainier National Park doesn\u2019t yet have a <\/span>date\u00a0<\/span>for its gradual reopening<\/span>, though it has begun onboarding its seasonal staff<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>Washington, where the park is located, has a<\/span>\u00a0stay-at-home order through May 31<\/span>. And <\/span>t<\/span>he\u00a0<\/span>county\u00a0<\/span>where\u00a0<\/span>Mount Rainier<\/span> is located <\/span>remains in<\/span>\u00a0th<\/span>e\u00a0<\/span>first stage<\/span><\/a> of the state\u2019<\/span>s gradual reopening,\u00a0<\/span>which <\/span>prohibit<\/span>s people <\/span>from gathering in groups.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Park leaders are also talking with public officials in national park gateway communities<\/span>\u00a0that could be affected by returning visitors<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>(<\/span>Gateway regions are towns located close to the parks that benefit from the tourism the sites attract.)\u00a0<\/span>Kevin Bacher, teleworking volunteer program manager at Mount Rainier, said\u00a0<\/span>nearby t<\/span>own leaders and business owners have expressed both excitement for the potential economic boost and concern about tourists bringing new cases of COVID-19.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a lot of dialogue that is happening between the park and businesses and other representatives in surrounding communities, both to keep them informed about what we are doing and to find out what their concerns are,\u201d he said.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Bacher also said th<\/span>at when Mount Rainier National Park reopens, the<\/span>\u00a0superintendent and his team will\u00a0<\/span>remain in communication with town leaders<\/span>. Pierce County<\/span>\u00a0has more than\u00a0<\/span>1,<\/span>8<\/span>00\u00a0<\/span>total\u00a0<\/span>cases<\/span>\u00a0of COVID-19, according to a\u00a0<\/span>New York Times<\/em> tracker<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span>S<\/span>eventy-<\/span>five people<\/span>\u00a0in the county have died from the virus.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Bacher added that the\u00a0<\/span>Mount Rainier\u00a0<\/span>superintendent\u2019s office\u00a0<\/span>has coordinated<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>with\u00a0<\/span>Washington state\u00a0<\/span>Governor Jay Inslee\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0office<\/span> and the <\/span>state\u00a0<\/span>department of health<\/span>, so that the\u00a0<\/span>superintendent can make decisions in sync with the rest of the state.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c[The superintendent is] completely aware of the way things are waxing and waning across the state, and that\u2019s playing into what opens and what closes and what guidelines are being given if we open up,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

On the East Coast<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>Jeff Dobbs, town council chair in Bar Harbor, Maine, said he worries about an influx of people to the town<\/span>, a gateway to Acadia National Park,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>once\u00a0<\/span>the park begins reopening. He acknowledged the delicate balance between safeguarding lives and livelihoods<\/span>, but admitted that people are weary of a full reopening<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe just hope the respect is mutual between the visitors that are coming and following our protocols,\u201d he said of Maine\u2019s\u00a0mandated, two-week quarantine<\/a>\u00a0for anyone\u00a0traveling to the\u00a0state. \u201cWe won\u2019t stop worrying until [the pandemic is] over.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Park Protocols<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Park<\/span>\u00a0officials<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>across the\u00a0<\/span>country\u00a0<\/span>are considering<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>a number of<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>approaches to opening t<\/span>he parks<\/span>: closing visitor centers, restricting trail access, barring high<\/span>er<\/span>-risk\u00a0<\/span>activities <\/span>and<\/span>\u00a0shutting down shuttle services<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

At Zion National Park, f<\/span>or instance, park shuttles\u2014which typically transport people to trailheads like that for the popular Angel\u2019s Landing path\u2014remain closed due to an inability to allow proper space on them. People can now only explore the park by vehicle, foot or bike. And because Zion has only 400 parking spots, Axel said that will naturally limit how many people can be in the park at one time. He expects parking areas to be full as early as 10<\/span>am<\/span>\u00a0some days.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFor the first day, things stayed pretty manageable,\u201d Axel said. \u201cPeople are observing social distancing. There were no aggressive encounters like we\u2019ve seen in stores, and things stayed under control.\u201d <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Safety measures like closing <\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>shuttle service are meant to protect park staff and visitors, Axel said. Park leaders have said these protocols will vary from park to park. Zion, for instance, may have park rangers standing at booths outside to provide park information in lieu of opening the visitor center.<\/span><\/p>\n

Meanwhile, leaders at Mount Rainier National Park are\u00a0<\/span>examining whether they can create<\/span> a one-way stream of traffic through the visitor center,\u00a0<\/span>similar to<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>one-way aisles<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>in\u00a0<\/span>some\u00a0<\/span>grocery stores. However, Axel and Bacher said these protocols are subject to change based on visitor behavior, staffing and even weather. Zion becomes very hot in the summer, so having park rangers provide information at outdoor booths may not be a viable solution\u00a0<\/span>for the park\u00a0<\/span>come July.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Search-and-rescue operations may also look different at parks. At Mount Rainier, <\/span>search-and-rescue teams will train with\u00a0<\/span>6\u00a0<\/span>feet of distance between them and no physical contact, said Brett <\/span>Hergert<\/span>, operations supervisor<\/span>. <\/span>When\u00a0<\/span>responding to an\u00a0<\/span>actual rescue, they\u2019ll be required to wear park-provided personal protective equipment<\/span>, such as goggles, gloves and face masks. In some\u00a0<\/span>situations<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>like<\/span>\u00a0loading a patient into an ambulance, they may have to wear gowns or other coverings.\u00a0<\/span>Since this could result in slower, more difficult rescues, Bacher said the superintendent has closed the upper mountain for now to reduce the number of potential rescues. <\/span><\/p>\n

Similarly, officials at Zion National Park are not allowing canyoneering or climbing, two activities that have a higher risk of injury. There was<\/span> one search-and-rescue call on Zion\u2019s first day of reopening. The park typically responds to 100 such calls each year, Axel said.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt presents some challenges that we have to work with and plan around to accomplish the same objective,\u201d he said. \u201cWe will still be there. We will still be responsive.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Bacher said there are \u201cno easy answers\u201d when <\/span>it comes to\u00a0<\/span>establishing protocols<\/span>, which can change quickly as people lear<\/span>n\u00a0<\/span>more about the virus and how it spreads.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Recreate Responsibly<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Because openings are still in flux and specific guidance can vary greatly from park to park, p<\/span>eople planning visits to national parks\u00a0<\/span>are encouraged to\u00a0<\/span>research the\u00a0<\/span>site\u00a0<\/span>before\u00a0<\/span>their trip<\/span>, Roulette said<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Many units have lists <\/span>of what is and isn\u2019t open\u2014this can include trails, campgrounds, visitor centers, parking lots and roadways\u2014available online.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A <\/span>larger\u00a0<\/span>list\u00a0<\/span>of tips posted on the NPS website<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span>also\u00a0<\/span>encourage<\/span>s<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>visitors to<\/span>\u00a0consider\u00a0<\/span>postponing challenging or higher-risk activities and <\/span>to\u00a0<\/span>maintain<\/span>\u00a0proper<\/span>\u00a0distance\u00a0<\/span>from other recreationists\u00a0<\/span>on trails.\u00a0<\/span>This guidance is\u00a0<\/span>similar to<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>six\u00a0<\/span>tips\u00a0<\/span>released\u00a0<\/span>last week by a\u00a0<\/span>coalition of nonprofit and outdoor organizations<\/span><\/a>, including REI Co-op. The tips, known as <\/span>Recreate Responsibly<\/span><\/a>, offer recreationists a starting point for how to get outside during this public health crisis.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Katie\u00a0<\/span>Bou<\/span>\u00e9<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>an outdoor advocate who helped the Recreate Responsibly Coalition f<\/span>orm the guidelines<\/span>, said she believes it\u2019s possible to rec<\/span>reate safely, but it\u2019s dependent on visitors taking the proper precautions to\u00a0<\/span>help\u00a0<\/span>protect themselves and others.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe need to be wearing masks, especially in towns and stores,\u201d she said. \u201cWe need to be doing our research on closures and local public health orders before heading out on a trip. We must step up our outdoor leave-no-trace ethics and follow the six guidelines created by the Recreate Responsibly Coalition.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Bou\u00e9<\/span>, who lives<\/span>\u00a0in<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Salt Lake City<\/span>, <\/span>said\u00a0<\/span>she\u00a0<\/span>didn\u2019t see anyone wearing a<\/span>\u00a0face covering while camping recently\u00a0<\/span>on public land\u00a0<\/span>in Utah<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>S<\/span>he said she was able to keep\u00a0<\/span>6<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>feet of space from other recreationists, but\u00a0<\/span>among those she encountered,\u00a0<\/span>she\u00a0<\/span>was the only person using a bandanna to shield her face. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

She said she\u2019s also become worried after hearing reports of grocery stores in Moab<\/span>, Utah,<\/span>\u00a0filled with travelers not wearing masks.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c \u2026 [I] am concerned that folks who are visiting are not respecting the local community\u2019s health,\u201d she said in an email to the Co-op Journal. \u201cIt\u2019s a double-edged sword because these rural communities can\u2019t afford to have a visitor spread an outbreak in their isolated towns\u2014but they also depend on outdoor recreation.\u201d \u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Bou\u00e9<\/span>\u00a0acknowledged the importance of the national parks reopening<\/span>, given that many businesses in nearby communities depend on park-generated tourism.<\/span>\u00a0In 2018, national park visitors spent about $20.2 billion in local gateway regions while visiting the parks<\/span>, according to the\u00a0<\/span>NPS<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI do think there is a path for outdoor towns to sustain their economies while living safely\u2014it all just depends on whether or not visitors are going to do the right thing,” Bou\u00e9 said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

REI Adventure Travel is a leading provider of small group active trips that explore more than 20 national parks. For the latest on the co-op\u2019s departures to these iconic destinations, visit REI.com\/adventures and see the COVID-19 update.<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/span>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Editor\u2019s note:\u00a0Check\u00a0our store locator\u00a0to see the current status of your local REI. (More on\u00a0our reopening approach.) Visit\u00a0this FAQ\u00a0for\u00a0current details about orders, returns and more. After\u00a0nearly\u00a0two months of closures and restrictions\u00a0due to COVID-19, the country\u2019s\u00a0national parks are slowly reopening to visitors.\u00a0But park officials\u00a0caution this isn\u2019t a return to\u00a0pre-pandemic\u00a0recreation.\u00a0 Because mandates vary from state to state, parks\u00a0are […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14208,"featured_media":160005,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[685],"tags":[1999,727,649,113,656],"internal-tag":[],"class_list":["post-159916","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-covid-19","tag-latest-posts","tag-national-park-service","tag-national-park","tag-public-lands"],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","canonical_url":"https:\/\/rei.com\/blog\/news\/the-national-parks-new-normal","smart_links":{"inbound":0,"outbound":0},"traffic_boost_suggestions_count":0,"meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"The National Parks\u2019 New Normal","url":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/news\/the-national-parks-new-normal","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/news\/the-national-parks-new-normal"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2020\/05\/National-Park-2.png?resize=150%2C150","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2020\/05\/National-Park-2.png?fit=1000%2C667"},"articleSection":"News","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Sarah Grothjan"}],"creator":["Sarah Grothjan"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Uncommon Path \u2013 An REI Co-op Publication","logo":""},"keywords":["covid-19","latest posts","national park service","national parks","public lands"],"dateCreated":"2020-05-29T19:36:05Z","datePublished":"2020-05-29T19:36:05Z","dateModified":"2023-03-03T19:39:24Z"},"rendered":"