“As Green Matters explains, national parks closed their doors during the coronavirus pandemic. They had originally been ordered to waive entry fees, to “[make] it a little easier for the American public to enjoy the outdoors in our incredible National Parks,” but park-goers struggled to maintain social distancing and hygiene guidelines.
“We don’t want the parks to become super spreaders,” Timothy Whitehouse, executive director of Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, told The Guardian. “These communities simply do not have the capacity or the medical infrastructure to deal with an outbreak.””