Inyo National Forest Cancels Wilderness Permits including MT Whitney Thru May 15th.
National Forest Service News Release – Vallejo, Calif., April 30, 2020– The USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region, announced that most developed recreation sites will remain closed through May 15.
The order does not close trails, trailheads, and general forest areas; these areas remain accessible for public use. Information on individual recreation sites and opportunities are available from local National Forests.
Outdoor recreation can be beneficial to mental and physical health but must be practiced safely. In light of the statewide shelter-in-place order issued by the Governor of California, we continue to ask visitors to recreate locally.
If you do plan on visiting the National Forest please be aware that:
- No trash removal is currently offered – please pack out all trash and waste
- Avoid high-risk activities – law enforcement and search and rescue operations may be limited
- If an area is crowded, please search for a less occupied location
Closing any site for any reason is not an action we take lightly, but protecting our visitors and employees remains our highest priority. We are working with our state and local partners to determine the best path forward to safely reopen closed sites.
We appreciate your cooperation in keeping our national forests safe and healthy for everyone’s use.
Inyo National Forest extends closure of developed recreation sites in California until May 15– Wilderness Permits including MT Whitney have been Canceled Thru May 15th.
The USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region, announced that most developed recreation sites will remain closed through May 15.
The order does not close trails, trailheads, and general forest areas; these areas remain accessible for public use.
However, the Inyo National Forest has cancelled the issuance of Wilderness permits, including Mt. Whitney day and overnight permits, through May 15. Typically, the Wilderness quota system begins for the forest on May 1 and reservations for permits are issued via recreation.gov. Inyo County has advised that people do not engage in high risk activities. Mt. Whitney, especially this time of year, is an area where rescues and recoveries are common. People who have been awarded a permit reservation for Mt. Whitney or any other trailhead on the Inyo National Forest will receive a notice from recreation.gov that notifies them that their reservation has been cancelled and a refund have been issued.
Additionally, All Inyo National Forest campgrounds are closed. This includes Kennedy Meadows, Lone Pine, Mt. Whitney Trailhead, Lower Grays Meadow, Grandview, Sage Flat, Bitterbrush, Big Trees, Four Jeffrey, Forks, Intake 2, Holiday, Tuff, and French Camp, Convict Lake, New Shady Rest, Old Shady Rest, and Sherwin Creek, Oh Ridge, June Lake, Gull Lake, Aerie Crag, and Lower Lee Vining. The remaining campgrounds in the Bishop Creek drainage, Rock Creek drainage, Lakes Basin, Reds Meadow Valley, June Lake Loop, Lee Vining Canyon, and along Hwy 395 between Mammoth Lakes and Lee Vining are typically closed for winter conditions this time of year.
As a reminder, many roads that access these areas may also be closed for winter conditions.
All visitor centers are closed. This includes the Eastern Sierra Visitor Center in Lone Pine, the White Mountain Ranger Station, the Mammoth Lakes Welcome Center, and the Mono Basin Scenic Area Visitor Center in Lee Vining. The Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest Visitor Center is closed for the winter.
All picnic areas are closed. South Tufa (Mono Lake), Convict Lake, Hot Creek, and June Beach Day Use areas are closed. All campground restrooms, trailhead restrooms, picnic area, and day use restrooms are closed.
Customers needing information may call during regular business hours (Monday-Friday, 8:00 am- 4:30 pm, closed for lunch 12:00 pm -12:30 pm). Please be patient since call volume is significant.
- Mammoth Lakes Welcome Center:760-924-5500
- White Mountain Ranger Station and Bishop Supervisor’s Office: 760-873-2400
- Eastern Sierra Visitor Center, Lone Pine: 760-876-6200
If you do plan on visiting the Inyo National Forest, please be aware that:
- No trash removal is currently offered – please pack out all trash and waste
- All toilet facilities are currently closed – please plan accordingly
- Avoid high-risk activities – law enforcement and search and rescue operations may be limited
- If an area is crowded, please search for a less occupied location
Closing any site for any reason is not an action we take lightly, but protecting our visitors and employees remains our highest priority. We are working with our state and local partners to determine the best path forward to safely reopen closed sites.
We appreciate your cooperation in keeping our national forests safe and healthy for everyone’s use.
Plumas National Forest Recreation Facility Closures
QUINCY, Calif. –– Many campgrounds, picnic areas, bathrooms, and boat launch facilities on the Plumas National Forest have been closed at least through April 30 for the health and safety of visitors and staff.
These actions have been taken based on the best available medical advice for cleaning per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines and to promote social distancing. Recreation visitors are encouraged to contact their ranger district office with additional questions.
The following facilities are closed:
Beckwourth Ranger District
Blairsden (530) 836-2575
Big Cove Campground Frenchman Campground Lakes Basin Campground Black Mountain Lookout Frenchman Kiosk Lakes Basin Group Campground Camp 5 Bathrooms & Picnic Tables – Boat Ramp Open* Frenchman Lake Picnic Area Laufman Campground Chilcoot Campground Gold Lake 4×4 Campground Lightning Tree Bathrooms & Picnic Tables – Boat Ramp Open* Conklin Park Campground Gold Lake Boat Ramp Lightning Tree Campground Coot Bay Fishing & Picnic Site Gold Lake Campground Lunker Point Boat Ramp Cottonwood Group Campground Gold Lake Picnic Area Mallard Cove Bathrooms & Picnic Tables – Boat Ramp Open* Cottonwood Spring Campground Goose Lake Campground Meadow View Campground Cow Creek Fishing Site Grasshopper Flat Campground Nightcrawler Bay Fishing Site Crocker Campground Grizzly Campground Portola Picnic Area Crocker Guard Station Haven Lake Campground Ross Camp Crystal Fishing Access Honker Cove Bathroom & Picnic Tables -Boat Ramp Open* Salmon Egg Shoal Fishing Site Eagle Point Fishing Access Jackson Creek Campground Snallygaster Point Fishing Site Fairview Point Jenkins Point Spring Creek Campground Frenchman Boat Ramp Lake Davis Kiosk Turkey Point Fishing Site
Mt. Hough Ranger District
Quincy – (530) 283-0555
Antelope Amphitheatre Hallsted Campground Queen Lily Campground Antelope Picnic Area Hutchins Group Campground Red Bridge Campground Antelope Dam Kiosk Indian Rock Day Use Rock Creek Campground Boulder Creek Campground Lone Rock Campground Round Valley Picnic Area Bradys Camp Long Point Campground Sandy Point Boating & Day Use Bucks Kiosk Picnic Site Long Point Group Campground Silver Lake Campground Cascade Day Use Area Lost Cove Boating Snake Lake Campground Deanes Valley Campground Lower Bucks Campground Spanish Creek Bridge Overlook Gansner Bar Campground Lower Bucks Fishing Site Spanish Creek Group Camp Greenville Campground Lunker Landing Fishing Site Sundew Campground Grizzly Creek Campground Meadow Camp West End Cove Day Use Grizzly Forebay Campground Mill Creek Campground Whitehorse Campground Guiney Point Fishing Site North Fork Campground
Feather River Ranger District
Oroville – (530) 534-6500
American House OHV Camp Maidu – Boating Running Deer Campground Black Rock – Boating Maidu Amphitheatre (LGV) Sandy Beach (Pulga) Black Rock Overflow Campground Milsap Bar Campground Sawmill Ridge Warming Hut Black Rock Tent Campground Mooreville Boat Ramp Sly Creek Campground Blue Water – Swimming Mooreville Warming Hut South Fork Warming Hut Feather Falls Campground Onion Valley Warming hut Stag Point OHV Camp Golden Trout Crossing Pancake – Swimming Strawberry Campground Little Grass Accessible Fishing Trailhead Peninsula Tent Campground Strawberry Car Top Launch Little Beaver Campground Poker Flat OHV Camp Tooms Boating Little Grass Valley Horse Camp Red Feather Campground Tooms RV Camp Little North Fork Campground Roger Cow Camp Wyandotte Campground
*Updated April 23, 2020 – Lake Davis Boat Ramps Open
The Plumas National Forest continues to monitor the COVID-19 situation and evaluate potential impacts and adjustments to reservations and our reservation policies through Recreation.gov. Reservation holders will be notified via email and/or cell phone text messages if there are any changes affecting their reservation. In the event of delayed openings of some, part or all of the campgrounds and recreation rentals, to ensure safe social distancing, you will receive a full refund for your reservation. Please remember to review current recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and focus on recreating safely while protecting yourself, Forest Service employees and our volunteers
Overnight Camping Prohibited on the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest in Alpine County California
Spark, NV. – At the request of Alpine County in California, all Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest lands within the boundaries of the county will be temporarily closed to overnight camping starting on Saturday, April 25, 2020.
“We recognize that this overnight camping restriction comes at a time when many are seeking respite in natural areas,” said Forest Supervisor Bill Dunkelberger. “However, this temporary closure is to support state, county, and local authorities in controlling COVID-19 pandemic.”
“We appreciate the public’s cooperation in helping us keeping our vulnerable rural counties and communities safe,” added Dunkelberger.
California is still under a mandatory, statewide stay-at-home order to protect the health and well-being of all Californians and to establish consistency across the state in order to slow the spread of COVID-19. (https://www.gov.ca.gov/2020/03/19/governor-gavin-newsom-issues-stay-at-home-order/)
The Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest understands how important it is for people’s physical and mental health to get outside and exercise during the COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, it is important that the public honors the States’ “Stay at Home” directives to not travel for recreation needs. If some time outside is needed, please keep close to home in areas where social distancing can be practiced. For more information about how the Forest Service is responding to COVID-19, visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/about-agency/covid19-updates.
Closures
- Forest Wide
- Campgrounds
- Day Use Areas
- Visitors Centers
- Bridgeport Ranger District
- Buckeye Hot Springs
- Dispersed camping and day-use area along Buckeye Road
Restrictions
- Forest Wide
- Group Size: No more than nine people in an area
- Fire Restrictions: The following is prohibited…
- Igniting, building, maintaining, attending or using a fire, including charcoal grills and barbecues, coal and wood burning stoves, and sheepherder’s stoves.
- Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle, trailer, or building.
- Alpine County
Eldorado National Forest Recreation Areas Remain Closed to Prevent Spread of COVID-19
Protecting the Public and Our Employees is a Priority
Please note that all of EID/Sly Park Recreation Area’s day-use and camping areas remain closed to the public until we receive further notice from the state.
Post Date: 04/30/2020 9:30 AM
UPDATE: 4/30/20 9:30am
Sly Park Recreation Area is still CLOSED.
There may be some confusion about El Dorado County letting their mandates expire as of 4/30. These mandates are above and beyond the mandates set by the State of California. The State shelter in place still applies. Sly Park Recreation Area will open for limited use when the State enters Phase 2 and CA State Parks have resumed similar operations. According to the governor this is still weeks away. As for what limited use will look like please continue checking this page and our main homepage as we will be opening in stages.
California State Parks Closes Vehicular Access at all State Parks
Contact: Newsroom@parks.ca.gov
California State Parks today announced it is temporarily closing vehicle access at all 280 state parks to prevent the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).
On Saturday, many state parks once again experienced visitation surges that made it impossible for the public to implement appropriate social/ physical distancing practices. During this pandemic disease, every person has a role to play in slowing down the spread of COVID-19. Protecting individuals, families and communities comes down to common sense.
As such, the public is reminded to adhere to the following guidance:
- Stay home if you are sick.
- Stay close to home when you get outdoors. This is not the time for a road trip to a destination park or beach.
- Venture out only with people in your immediate household.
- Walk around the neighborhood and enjoy neighborhood parks.
- Always maintain a physical distance of 6 feet or more when recreating in the outdoors. If you cannot maintain physical distancing, leave the park.
- Do not congregate in parks.
To date, the department has implemented various safety measures such as temporarily closing all campgrounds, museums and visitor centers in the State Parks System; cancelling all events; and closing vehicular traffic at certain parks and beaches, and fully closing others.
California continues to issue guidance on preparing and protecting Californians from COVID-19. State Parks is monitoring the situation closely and is following guidance provided by the Governor’s Office via the California Department of Public Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. Protecting visitors and all who take care of state parks from the exposure to the pandemic disease is a top priority for the State of California.
State Parks will continue to monitor visitation and physical distancing at all state park units, and if the safety measures implemented thus far are not sufficient to protect public health, additional measures may be taken to fully close parks, including trails, bathrooms and other amenities.
State Parks has developed a one-stop resource center––www.parks.ca.gov/FlattenTheCurve––to find park safety and closure information, and messaging and graphics from the “Flatten the COVID-19 Curve at Parks” social media awareness campaign. Please check this webpage regularly, as it will be updated with new information as it becomes available.
We will add additional Local Closures here as they come available.