Trails are only likely to stay open if this weekend plays out well.
The park officials have warned that this is a “fluid crisis” and they will constantly be monitoring the situation under the guidance of health officials. Initially, parks, trails, and golf courses were set to open on Friday, but that was changed to today at the last minute.
Flower shops opened yesterday, just in time for Mother’s Day, but many flower markets were overcrowded and social distancing proved to be a challenge.
As parks and trails open today, officials will be keeping a close eye on the situation to see if L.A. can follow health and safety guidelines. This will be more of a second chance to prove that we can do better than the situation we saw in March, where trails were overcrowded and masks weren’t worn.
“Rangers will be checking for masks, for example, and if people aren’t wearing masks, they might close trails again,” said Casey Schreiner, founder of Modern Hiker.
While most parks and trails will be open, Runyon Canyon will remain closed and cars entering Griffith Park will be limited.
It’s important to remember, that it’s not absolutely necessary to go out this weekend. The fewer people there are on the trails, the easier it will be to maintain six feet apart. So, you could always plan to go during the week, when it may be quieter.
If you do go decide to hit the trails, you’ll need to follow these guidelines by LA County Parks & Recreation:
Detailed guidelines for visiting golf courses, parks and trails have been released, you can also stay up-to-date by visiting https://parks.lacounty.gov/covid-19/.
Alternatively, you can explore a range of things from home or alternative things to do outside with our roundup of things to do in May.
If you’re looking for ways to cool off more than getting out, here are a few options:
- Order yourself some delicious frozen treats that can be delivered to you
- Visit one of these cooling centers
Cooling centers are available at several #LACOUNTYPARKS locations today from 12:00-6:00pm. More locations available @ReadyLACounty. Stay safe during the #LAHeat! pic.twitter.com/8pB8ftvhdA
— Los Angeles County Parks & Recreation (@lacountyparks) May 7, 2020
Featured Image: Cameron Venti