Washington Closes State Campgrounds During Coronavirus Outbreak

SEATTLE, WA — All state campgrounds will be closed throughout Washington through April 30 to help slow the spread of the coronavirus, state agencies announced Sunday.

State parks will stay open for day use and trails, but no new campers will be allowed starting Monday and current campers will be phased out. Cabins and yurts will also be closed, officials said in a news release.

"Due to the volume of people visiting Washington’s ocean beaches, we are asking the public to avoid those areas," officials said in a release from Washington State Parks, the Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Department of Natural Resources. "People should continue to practice social distancing when recreating outdoors."

Meanwhile, Olympic National Park announced Sunday it was temporarily closing all campgrounds, with no timeline for when they would be reopened. Mount Rainier and North Cascades National Parks both remain open, but some facilities at Rainier have been closed.

Campers who have state parks reservations through April 30 will be notified and offered a refund.

Fish and Wildlife areas and water access are still open for public use, but due to theft and increased use of public restrooms, people should bring their own hand sanitizer and toilet paper, officials said.

Ongoing updates about each agency's COVID-19 response will be posted on the State Parks, Fish and Wildlife and Department of Natural Resources websites.

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