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Following guidance from the White House, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and state and local public health authorities, Dinosaur National Monument is increasing recreational access. The National Park Service (NPS) is working with federal, state, and local public health authorities to closely monitor the COVID-19 pandemic and using a phased approach to increase access on a park-by-park basis.
Beginning Wednesday, May 13, 2020, Dinosaur will reopen access to all monument roads and trails. Restroom facilities will remain limited in some areas of the monument and access to drinking water will not be available at this time. Visitors should plan on being self-sufficient.
With public health in mind, the following facilities and operations remain closed:
• All monument visitor centers and the Quarry Exhibit Hall.
• All monument campgrounds.
• All overnight backcountry travel.
• All river operations.
For the Colorado portion of the monument, the current state guidance directs that outdoor recreation must be within one’s community and/or no further than 10 miles from residence.
The health and safety of our visitors, employees, volunteers, and partners continues to be paramount. At Dinosaur National Monument, our operational approach will be to examine each facility function and service provided to ensure those operations comply with current public health guidance and will be regularly monitored. We continue to work closely with the NPS Office of Public Health using CDC guidance to ensure public and workspaces are safe and clean for visitors, employees, partners, and volunteers.
While these areas are accessible for visitors to enjoy, a return to full operations will continue to be phased and services may be limited. When recreating, the public should follow local area health orders including the practice of social distancing, avoid crowding, wearing masks, if appropriate, and avoid high-risk outdoor activities.
The CDC has offered guidance to help people recreating in parks and open spaces prevent the spread of infectious diseases. We will continue to monitor all park functions to ensure that visitors adhere to CDC guidance for mitigating risks associated with the transmission of COVID-19 and take any additional steps necessary to protect public health.
We will notify the public as we increase access and operations by providing updates on our website nps.gov/dino and social media channels @DinosaurNPS on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Updates about NPS operations will be posted on www.nps.gov/coronavirus.
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PRESS RELEASE | Special to the Herald Times
