Impact of Coronavirus on Parks?

[SpeakEasy]

I've got a 6-week trip planned starting in a couple of weeks. Since a large part of it is in FL state parks, some of our planning has been in the works for the better part of a year.

What's going to happen to campers like me if the fear of this new bug continues to spiral out of control? If the authorities decide they need to close the parks, where will we all go? I have no intention of cancelling my trip at this point, but I'm concerned about where I might find myself if I'm 1500 miles from home and being evicted from a campground. I envision Walmart parking lots being inundated with displaced RV'ers.

What plan B's is anyone developing?

-Speak

[CavemanCharlie]

Minnesota just announced that they plan to keep the State Parks open. (At least for now.) But, the visitor centers will be closed, no large groups or parties allowed, and everything ; like reservations; is going to be done remotely by phone or internet. (No one is going to be in the offices at the parks)



MODERATOR'S EDIT: Per the site Admin's request, I am closing all COVID-19 threads and directing future comments to one thread in Around the Campfire.

2019–20 CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC POSTINGS

[pianotuna]

COVID-19 rapidly spread from a single city to the entire country in just 30 days. The sheer speed of both the geographical expansion and the sudden increase in numbers of cases surprised and quickly overwhelmed health and public health services in China, particularly in Wuhan City and Hubei Province.

[Edd505]

azdryheat wrote:
Hope there are a lot of sky-is-falling campers out there, there'll be more campsites available to the rest of us.

Not in SW NM RV parks are getting filled. Schools out, state parks closed, many asked to stay home from work. That equals lots loading kids and heading out for unscheduled vacations.

[kellem]

We have over $1500 tied up in State park reservations in the coming months.
I would not expect these rural areas to be high risk but starting to lose some optimism.

Someone please hit reset. Lol

[pasusan]

CavemanCharlie wrote:
I found this. I have no idea how accurate it is:

https://www.campendium.com/camping/covid-19-state-by-state-campground-closures-responses/?fbclid=IwA...

Thanks much for this!

I check on it every day now. Very informative site - with direct links to each state and their parks.

It's not looking like this will be a good year for camping. We've got lots of reservations that will probably be cancelled. Boo hoo.

[SpeakEasy]

Well.

Florida is closing the state park campgrounds for the next 60 days.

There goes our spring trip. 25 nights that we had reserved in various FL state parks. Some reservations that we bagged eleven months ago.

****.

-Speak

[dturm]

Gjac wrote:
Florida may turn out to be a safer place to live because of the warmer weather. The virus thrives in the cooler weather but becomes less contagious in the warm weather.

We don't know this. It is "suspected" that this is the case but this virus has spread through parts of the world where temperature is similar to our summer. Not sure I'd risk exposure on a suspicion.

Dr. Doug

[kellem]

The wife made 5 reservations for 5 different state parks on the east coast, all said " we'll be open " .
Ofcourse things could change but we're optimistic.

[Gjac]

Florida may turn out to be a safer place to live because of the warmer weather. The virus thrives in the cooler weather but becomes less contagious in the warm weather.

[RambleOnNW]

Bummer the ski areas are closing. We like to take our rig up to the overnight areas for some ski fun.

[CavemanCharlie]

I found this. I have no idea how accurate it is:

https://www.campendium.com/camping/covid-19-state-by-state-campground-closures-responses/?fbclid=IwA...

[joebedford]

pianotuna wrote:
Florida is no longer fine.

We're in Florida and I'm thinking of going home a few weeks early.

[dturm]

pianotuna wrote:
Florida is no longer fine.

We're in Florida now and actually feel as safe as anywhere. We aren't going to public events, taking precautions washing hands and sanitizing when washing can't be done.

We're pretty much in the boonies and the park has larger sites compared with many we've been in. We're doing waves and elbow bumps rather than hugs and hand shakes.

I don't see any larger threat here than anywhere else other than in the center of a hot zone.

[pianotuna]

Florida is no longer fine.