36 State Park Parking Lots Are Shut Down

BREAKING: Gov. Newsom says he’s closing state parking lots to deter people from visiting parks, beaches https://t.co/7SSTJsnjna

— KTLA (@KTLA) March 24, 2020

California Governor Gavin Newsom’s stay-at-home orders to slow down coronavirus spread doesn’t mean the state is preventing residents from getting some fresh air.

Grocery stores are open. You can still pick up your prescription. You can still take your dog on a walk.

But you should also use common sense when doing all these things. Practice social distancing. Wash your hands. Wipe down your phone. pic.twitter.com/0QYIktdRYN

— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) March 22, 2020

As far as the state of California is concerned, it’s not unreasonable for social distancing hikes in some state parks too; just not the reckless residents who have crowded into several areas and risked further spread. So Newsom decided to close the parking lots at 36 of 280 state parks.

The San Jose Mercury News has more details:

The other 244 state parks remain open for now, and their parking lots remain open, said Gloria Sandoval, spokeswoman for the California state parks department. That could change if there are too many large crowds.

“The list is dynamic and will be updated regularly,” she said.

“State Parks will continue to monitor visitation and social distancing at all state park units and if the safety measures implemented today are not sufficient to protect public health, additional measures may be taken to fully close parks including trails, bathrooms, and other amenities,” she added in an email.

Here’s the full list of closures for now: