Upcoming Bivy Campground Closure and More COVID-19 News for Smith Rock State Park
March 20, 2019
SmithRock.com reached out to Smith Rock State Park management and confirmed today that the Bivy Campground will be closed from April 3 to May 8. Before May 8, the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) will review the state park campground closure to decide whether it should be extended.
According to the OPRD news release:
”State park, forest, and wildlife area camping areas are built into relatively small areas by design, making maintaining social distance difficult. Working with fewer staff and volunteers is becoming a reality, making it difficult to maintain proper cleaning procedures. To support the state goal of reducing transmission of COVID-19, temporary campground closures are necessary. The details of these actions—such as dates and affected programs—are under constant review and will change as new information develops.”
Other closures we have learned about from park management or that you may have missed on our Facebook feed:
As of March 17, 2020, the Welcome Center has also been closed for the foreseeable future.
Water fountains are to remain off until further notice.
All permitted gatherings such as weddings and large group visits are also cancelled from April 3 to May 8.
The Smith Rock Spring Thing is cancelled
The Smith Rock Ascent race is postponed
So if you do come out for some exercise, keep a 6 foot distance between each other, and if you touch anything, wash your hands thoroughly. If you have hand sanitizer, better yet, to avoid the bathroom faucets.
Take care everyone from the staff at SmithRock.com!