Stock Photo for Shenandoah National Park

National parks are opening across the country, but visitors should expect a ‘new normal’

Across the country, national parks are opening their gates and welcoming visitors after a prolonged shutdown due to the coronavirus. But park visitors should expect a “new normal,” David Vela, Acting Park Service Director at Bryce Canyon, told the Associated Press. Depending on the park, a new normal could include closed facilities and some closed roads and trails. Visitors are encouraged to check park websites for the latest information on reopening.

Some advocates for the parks, however, worry that the push to reopen is happening too soon and too fast. A park service document recently estimated that up to 40% of park staff may require isolation and 4% may require hospitalization. “Parks absolutely should not open until the safety of National Park Service employees, concession employees, volunteers and other partners,