The Denver Post had an interesting story today about the closures in Region 2 of the Forest Service.
What other public land entities in Colorado are doing:
State parks are not closed to hiking and boat ramps, the National Parks appear to be trying to figure it out community by community. Here’s a site that talks about the National Parks and Monuments in Colorado. Here’s an article about the more “destination” Parks, including Rocky Mountain National Park, which is a day trip from Denver. The community of Estes Park asked Secretary Bernhardt to close it. BLM is apparently implementing different approaches by State Office. For example, here is the Colorado State Office’s COVID page.
What Region 2 of the Forest Service is doing: note that Region 2 includes Kansas, Nebraska and parts of South Dakota and Wyoming as well as Colorado, so they’re not strictly comparable.
“Rocky Mountain Region officials are temporarily discouraging continued recreational use on the national forests and grasslands,” the U.S. Forest Service release reads. “While trails and roads may be open for use, facilities like visitor centers, entrance kiosks, restrooms and more will be closed. Currently, the guidance temporarily allows for the limited local day use of trails and rivers. The guidance is based on a risk assessment conducted by Forest Service officials to determine significant risks that would be difficult to mitigate given the demonstrated risk of COVID-19 exposure in large, concentrated gatherings of people.”
Asked how trails could remain open when trailheads are closed, U.S. Forest Service spokesman Lawrence Lujan sought to clarify the point.
“It varies across the landscape, but generally, if the trailhead is closed, the access to the trail is limited,” Lujan said. “Sometimes a trail has multiple arteries and can be accessed from various points.”
Decisions are being made at the ground level for Colorado’s 11 national forests, which typically have three to six districts each. Lujan recommended users consult individual forests and districts online to find out what is open or closed.“Each individual forest will report on their units’ recreational status,” Lujan said. “Know before you go. Check local public health guidance and orders, and your local district, before heading out. Take the necessary actions to do your part to prevent or stop the spread of the virus.
In this CPR article, there were a few clarifications:
While the Forest Service is recommending trailheads also close, local forest offices can choose to keep theirs open if they deem it safe.
The Forest Service is also discouraging hunting, fishing and trail use.
Based on a brief survey of Forest websites, it doesn’t seem all that easy to figure out what is closed. Maybe others know more? And based on some trailheads that get crowded, closing seems to lead to more people parking along the road nearby (as do fishers), rather than people going home.
Do other Forests/Regions have different policies?
The developed areas are closed. The remainder of the Forest is open in the Bitterroot NF
https://ravallirepublic.com/news/local/article_5f78237c-bb16-5e86-9292-96c7c5282855.html#tracking-source=home-top-story-1
Region 6 looks to have closed at least the Mt. Hood and Gifford Pinchot National Forests, and the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, in their entirety (since I’m not sure what’s left once “campgrounds, day-use sites, trailheads, Sno-Parks, cabin rentals and other developed recreation sites” are closed). I suppose you could park along a non-barricaded road and head off off-trail, though…
Perhaps any current USFS employees in R6 on TSW could clarify?
NEWS RELEASE
Release Date: March 26, 2020
Contact: Sue Ripp (360) 891-5222
Gifford Pinchot National Forest Closes all Developed Recreation Sites to align with statewide COVID-19 ‘Stay Home-Stay Healthy’ order
To align with state and local measures directing people to stay home to save lives, all Gifford Pinchot National Forest campgrounds, day-use sites, trailheads, Sno-Parks, cabin rentals and other developed recreation sites will be temporarily closed. These closures have been deemed necessary to address social distancing guidelines provided by the Centers for Disease Control and the State of Washington to help reduce the spread of COVID-19, and to avoid putting undue pressure on emergency services in local communities. Certain roads leading to heavily-used dispersed camping areas have also been temporarily closed. These roads include Forest Service roads 81, 83, and 90 with limited exceptions for local residents, fire and other emergency response, and permit holders.
Campsites and cabin rentals will not be able to be reserved through Recreation.gov. The forest has ceased sales of permits to climb Mount St. Helens on Recreation.gov for dates through the end of April, and permits already sold for climbs to take place now through April 6 have been cancelled and their permit fees refunded. Reservation and permit holders will be notified via email and/or cell phone text messages if there are any changes affecting their reservation. Refunds will be issued by Recreation.gov for cancelled reservations and permits.
As we work through an unpredictable and rapidly changing situation, health and safety is our number one priority. We are committed to continuing to support our communities, local emergency services, state governor’s orders, and fulfill our mission as we all work together to minimize the impacts and spread of COVID-19.
Forest offices are currently conducting public business by phone, email, or web-based transactions.
Latest updates and information can be found online: https://www.fs.usda.gov/giffordpinchot/
The Gifford Pinchot National Forest continues to monitor the COVID-19 situation and evaluate potential impacts. Please remember to review current recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and focus on protecting yourself, your family, and your community.
The Mount Hood National Forest and the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area also have closures currently in effect. For more information visit: http://www.fs.usda.gov/mthood and http://www.fs.usda.gov/crgnsa
On the Mt. Hood National Forest:
To support state and local measures directing people to stay home to save lives, all campgrounds, day-use sites, trailheads, Sno-Parks, fire lookouts, OHV areas, and other developed recreation sites on the Mt. Hood National Forest are temporarily closed.
Campsites, fire lookouts, cabins, and picnic sites reservations will also be unavailable through Recreation.gov.
The Mt. Hood National Forest has temporarily postponed firewood season until further notice. We’re working on ways to safely provide this service to our public while meeting COVID-19 public health requirements.
I just received this in an email from the PSICC via a retiree network:
Looks like trailheads are OK here… whew! Question to all, we have been discussing Ranger District, Forest, Region, WO who makes the decision.. what do you think about this specific case?
In parts of Colorado, I’m not sure if people know which Forest they go to, or even whether they’re on FS or BLM. Does it make sense to have some better kind of coordination for recreation.. perhaps by State?
Southern California: https://www.latimes.com/travel/story/2020-03-23/where-to-go-outside-in-southern-california-as-options-decrease (note who makes what decisions)
The U.S. Forest Service on Thursday closed campgrounds, picnic areas, bathrooms and other developed recreation sites in its California forests through April 30, but left trailheads alone, saying that “the general [f]orest area including the extensive trail system will remain open.”
As for the status of parking areas at trailheads in Southern California’s four national forests, “that is a question with each individual forest,” said Jonathan Groveman, Pacific Southwest Region media officers for the Forest Service.T “We pass that decision-making down to the individual forest level.”
“We had about 5x the normal amount of people, and the bottom of both trails is very tight,” wrote Cleveland National Forest spokesperson Olivia Walker in an email Tuesday morning. “On Sunday, we turned away as many as 100 people who showed up to hike the closed trails, and several hikers were arrested for sneaking through and running from our law enforcement officer to hike the trail.” The suspects were ticketed, given a court date and released, Walker said.
(As goes California …)
And also from Colorado: https://www.unionleader.com/news/health/white-mountain-national-forest-closes-toilets-recreation-area/article_6fcf38a9-87ec-5c4a-863a-235db28a15d8.html
The White Mountain National Forest has shut down numerous toilet facilities and the Rumney Rocks recreation area to minimize the spread of COVID-19, the forest agency said in a press release.
“As toilet facilities are shut down please plan ahead and use the restroom before arriving,” the statement reads.
Jon, the White Mountain is in New Hampshire and the White River in Colorado… but still interesting!
Duh (never could keep that straight).