SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The California Department of Parks and Recreation on May 15 began to loosen up restrictions at 27 state parks.
The agency previously closed parking lots at most of its locations, allowing visitors to walk in but encouraging them to stay close to their homes.
Limited parking is now available at Henry Cowell Redwoods, The Forest of Nisene Marks and Wilder Ranch state parks.
The parks department said in an email that it is working with local governments on a “phased and regionally-driven approach to increase access to state park units,” that fit in with local ordinances.
Despite the new openings, the agency is still encouraging that visitors follow guidelines imposed during the coronavirus restrictions.
“Just because the stay-at-home order may be modified, it does not mean things are going back to normal,” the email read. “It is critical that Californians continue to stay close to home, practice physical distancing, avoid congregating with others outside their immediate household and abide to the new visitor guidelines State Parks has implemented across the state park system to mitigate the spread of Covid-19.”
Visitors are asked to visit the web page of their outdoor destination to find out if it is open, what new visitor guidelines are in effect and if parking is available.
State Parks will continue to monitor visitation and physical distancing across the system and if unsafe conditions develop, park units may close again.
For information, visit www.parks.ca.gov/ParkIndex and parks.ca.gov/FlattenTheCurve.
