Yesterday, the National Park Service (NPS) received a letter today from the Health and Human Services Director and Chief Health Officer for Coconino County recommending the full closure of Grand Canyon National Park. Upon receiving this request from the local health department, acting Superintendent Mary Risser, with the support of the NPS Deputy Director, Operations, David Vela and Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt, made the decision to immediately close the park until further notice.
The closure also follows the announcement earlier this week that a Delaware North employee is the Grand Canyon South Rim’s first identified case of the new coronavirus.
“The Department of the Interior and the National Park Service will continue to follow the guidance of state and local health officials in making determinations about our operations,” Secretary Bernhardt said. “As soon as we received the letter from the Health and Human Services Director and Chief Health Officer for Coconino County recommending the closure of Grand Canyon National Park, we closed the park.”
Residents at the Grand Canyon’s South Rim shared on social media Wednesday images of barricades being put up along residential roads to prevent visitors from entering the park.
Updates about NPS operations will be posted on www.nps.gov/coronavirus. Information regarding rescheduling backcountry reservations can be done via e-mail.
