Limiting COVID-19 exposure is a crucial step in the fight against the virus and, to do so, governments statewide are enforcing social distancing guidelines and issuing stay-at-home orders.
Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks have also decided close the parks to visitors after receiving backlash from Montana Gov. Steve Bullock, conservation groups, and local health officials from surrounding counties for initially only suspending entrance fees to the parks as the pandemic continued to spread across the country, according to the Bozeman Daily Chronicle.
Critics complained the fee waiver would only encourage people to travel long distances to visit the park which could also lead to social distancing guidelines being ignored.
Within 16 hours of announcing free entrance to the parks, another announcement was released saying the parks were closed, according to the paper.
Betsy Buffington, a regional director for the National Parks Conservation Association said she supports the park closure, told the Daily Chronicle: “These are difficult times for us all, but protecting park staff, surrounding communities and visitors is paramount.”
Much of Yellowstone Park had already been closed due to winter conditions. Roads along the park that share state boundaries will remain open.
The road leading from Mammoth Hot Springs to Cooke City will also remain open, but rangers will be monitoring the area heavily and no one will be able to stop on the road, according to the Bozeman Daily Chronicle.
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