Smith Rock Closes Tomorrow, Along with All Oregon State Parks
March 22, 2020
We just got word from Park management that signs and barricades are going up to shut down Smith Rock State Park tomorrow for the foreseeable future. Bivy campers may spend the night tonight but must vacate by 1:00 PM on March 23. The day-use areas of the park will close at dusk on March 23.
The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) says they made this difficult decision based on four realities:
• We serve a lot of people. Maintaining social distance is difficult in busy parks.
• Staff and volunteers make parks work. We want to protect their health and safety, and we expect fewer will be available as this situation goes on.
• Park visitors affect the local community. Bringing several thousand people into a local community strains already-stressed grocery stores and health care providers, and search-and-rescue teams.
• Information is changing fast. Our new state park closure decision is in response to Governor Kate Brown directing Oregonians to maintain social distance in public at all times. The department urges all Oregonians to follow the Governor's directive and stay home to stay healthy.
“We would have preferred an orderly shutdown of the system and to remain open for daytime visits, but our concern for the effects on rural health care systems requires us to move up and expand our plans. We know this will cause a disruption since we’re suspending service to everyone, even people who live near a park. Reducing contact between people is more important than recreation at the moment.”
With options limited for people to go to theaters and restaurants, etc. hundreds have been flocking to all of the state parks, and Smith Rock has been no exception these past few days. Even with the overflow parking lot open, cars have been circling like sharks waiting for spots to open up. This is going to be hard on all of us. May it pass quickly and make us all safer for it.
The staff at SmithRock.com