Sierra Counties Request That Lodging And More Campgrounds Open

Representatives from Mono, Mariposa, Madera and Tuolumne Counties sent a joint letter to California Governor Gavin Newsom and other state leaders to request a relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions that would allow for more Sierra tourism opportunities as summer approaches. California has begun to loosen restrictions throughout the state – including parking lots at state parks – though in many rural areas lodging and most public campgrounds have remained closed to help prevent the spread of the virus.

The letter reads, in part:

As representatives of our respective counties, we are asking you to relax the stay-at-home order to allow recreating in low-risk outdoor recreation areas. release guidance for the use of outdoor recreation areas and campgrounds, and allow the reopening of the lodging industry and campgrounds to support the use of outdoor recreation areas.

As in other rural areas of the state where tourism and recreation are the primary economic drivers, those of us in the Yosemite-Sierra region find ourselves in a precarious spot on the road to resilience. We rely on visitors for our businesses and communities to thrive and need your assistance to allow safe and legal travel to resume within our four-county region.

In Mono County, one of the region’s most popular destinations for anglers, the delayed trout season opened on May 23. The county then allowed the reopening of private campgrounds the following week.