Page 32 - ARUBA TODAY

A32 FEATURE
Saturday 21 March 2020
National parks are free, but some oppose that amid the virus

By BRADY McCOMBS and hopefully things will return
JAMES ANDERSON to some kind of normal,"
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Most said Elaine Gizler, executive
national parks are open director of the Moab Area
as a refuge for Americans Travel Council.
tired of being stuck at In Rocky Mountain Nation-
home during a pandemic, al Park, Katarina Takahashi
but despite now being free of Longmont, Colorado,
to visit, people may find trudged through fresh snow
it more difficult to enjoy during a three-hour hike to
them as parks close visitor Emerald Lake, passing oth-
centers, shuttles, lodges er alpine lakes surrounded
and restaurants to fight the by towering peaks. She
spread of the coronavirus. called the 3-mile (5-kilome-
Parks are trying to keep up ter) trek last week a much-
with ever-changing rules needed escape.
and recommendations "It's a very refreshing time
from government officials to be outdoors, to get the
who are urging people to health benefits of exercis-
avoid gathering in large ing, be in the sunshine, and
groups but allowing them get away as well from the
to get outside for fresh air anxiety I've felt, that we're
and exercise as long as all feeling, about the virus,"
they keep away from oth- said Takahashi, a 32-year-
ers. old freelance Japanese
The National Park Service language translator who
says it's adhering to the blogs about the outdoors.
latest guidelines from the Snowshoers head up a slope above Paradise at Mount Rainier National Park, Wednesday, March Businesses in Estes Park, a
White House and Centers 18, 2020, in Washington state. gateway town that relies
for Disease Control and Associated Press heavily on Rocky Mountain
Prevention, vowing to keep National Park, are watch-
outdoor spaces open while America's National Parks. Canyon National Park also of year because of deep ing virus developments
giving park superinten- A hospital in Moab, Utah, stopped its shuttles and snow. The Statue of Liberty warily.
dents the power to close or also has implored state of- closed its restaurants. National Monument and "We are open for business
modify operations. ficials to slow the flow of In Northern California, visi- Ellis Island in New York are until the city tells us oth-
Interior Secretary David people coming to see the tor centers at several des- closed entirely. erwise," said Jacob, who
Bernhardt this week tempo- red rocks and unique for- tinations managed by the Workers at Grand Canyon works for Kirk Mountain
rarily waived entrance fees mations at Arches and park service, such as Muir have shifted away from du- Adventures, which offers
at national parks, monu- Canyonlands national Woods National Monu- ties that put them close to snowshoeing, fly fishing, hik-
ments and wildlife refuges parks over fears the facil- ment, Alcatraz Island and tourists. ing, backpacking and oth-
to make it easier for people ity couldn't handle an out- the Golden Gate Bridge, "We're just coming up with er excursions into the park.
to get outdoors and "imple- break. In response, officials are closed. Yosemite Na- different ways for them to Kirk employees were lead-
ment some social distanc- this week limited hotel stays tional Park closed its camp- do their jobs that's mind- ing snowshoeing and fly
ing." to people in town for work grounds. ful of the CDC guidelines," fishing trips this week —
"Getting out into the wil- and banned dining in res- Chris Brunell, who spent park spokeswoman Lily each limited to three peo-
derness is perfect for what taurants. most of the past three Daniels said. ple, not because of the
we call the 'shack nasties' Nationally, parks are devis- weeks camping in Yosem- For most people, the coro- virus but because many
— being cooped up in- ing ways to stay open while ite, said he was told he navirus causes only mild or visitors want a more inti-
side your home," said Trish keeping people safely had to pack up and leave moderate symptoms. But mate experience in nature.
Jacob, an employee of a apart and trying to ensure Thursday, two days earlier for the elderly and people But spring break business is
backcountry guiding com- employees stay healthy. than he expected. with existing conditions, it slightly down, Jacob said.
pany near Rocky Mountain Many closed visitor centers, Brunell, who was laid off can cause more severe ill- Like its Moab counterpart,
National Park. museums and entrance from a Silicon Valley tech- ness. The vast majority of the Estes Park Chamber
But not everyone is on booths while rangers are nology job before the those who are infected re- of Commerce is focusing
board with the idea of peo- stationed outside to field outbreak, said the park cover. more on helping its mem-
ple descending on parks visitors' questions. emptied noticeably after In Utah, the hospital's con- bers deal with the virus
and their gateway towns Though rangers are work- lodging and restaurants cerns are over the social than promoting tourism.
to escape the virus. ing, some parks warned closed Tuesday. interactions at hotels, The town's already been hit
Making parks free will lead people to be extra cau- "Compared to the usual bars, restaurants and of- by a statewide ban on din-
to overcrowding and put tious, especially in plac- numbers, it's just a trickle," ten crowded trailheads or ing at restaurants and bars.
staffers and visitors at great- es with wintry weather, he said. entrance gates. Expecting If there's any silver lining, it
er risk of being exposed to because resources are Yellowstone National Park, thousands of tourists in the may be better that the first
the virus, according to a strained amid the pan- Mount Rainier National city this weekend, Moab shock waves from the coro-
group representing park demic and rescues may be Park in Washington state Regional Hospital execu- navirus are hitting now,
service employees. more difficult. and Rocky Mountain Na- tives urged the governor rather than during the peak
"It is irresponsible to urge Zion National Park in south- tional Park in Colorado also to ban visitors. But tourists summer season, chamber
people to visit national ern Utah halted shuttles closed facilities. Most ame- have only been prohibited executive director Keith
park sites when gathering used by most people visit- nities and roads in Yellow- from staying at hotels. Pearson said.
at other public spaces is ing its red rock vistas nestled stone — which spans parts "We're just encouraging "By Memorial Day, if the
no longer considered safe," in a narrow canyon. Tourists of Wyoming, Montana and people stay home and stay worst can be in the rear-
said Phil Francis, chairman now must wait for limited Idaho — and Rainier nor- in their residences and to view mirror, that would be
of the Coalition to Protect parking to free up. Grand mally are closed this time wait out this two weeks and fantastic," Pearson said.q