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UPDATE | Face Mask Requirements Returning To National Parks

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By Kurt Repanshek - July 9th, 2022

A number of national parks, including Grand Teton, are requiring visitors to wear face masks inside park buildings/NPS

Editor's note: This updates the list of parks that are either requiring or recommending face mask coverings in park buildings.

A number of national parks, including Grand Canyon, Olympic and Yosemite, citing increases in Covid cases, have reinstituted or are recommending face mask requirements if you enter a park building. Requirements can change from day to day, so check the website of the park you're heading to for the latest information.

The following parks are requiring visitors to wear face masks inside federal buildings, regardless of vaccination status.

Arches National Park, Utah

COVID-19 community transmission levels for Grand County has been elevated to HIGH. Masks are required for everyone in all NPS buildings, regardless of vaccination status.

Canyonlands National Park, Utah

The COVID-19 community transmission level for San Juan County has been elevated to HIGH. Masks are now required for everyone in all NPS buildings in the park regardless of vaccination status.

Colorado National Monument, Colorado

In accordance with CDC guidance for counties with medium to high transmission rates, masks are required in park buildings.

Death Valley National Park, California/Nevada

Masks are required  for everyone in all NPS buildings, regardless of vaccination status.

Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska

The park is requiring that visitors wear masks while inside any federal building within the park or while riding a park bus, except in the Walter Harper Ranger Station in Talkeetna. This applies to individuals over the age of two, regardless of vaccination status who enter common areas and shared workspaces in buildings owned, leased, or otherwise controlled by the National Park Service, including, but not limited to, park visitor centers, administrative offices, lodges, gift shops, and restaurants. This policy also applies to all park buses operated by the park concessionaire, Doyon/Aramark Joint Venture, and includes all park courtesy shuttles, as well as the transit and tour buses. 

Devils Postpile National Monument, California

Masks are required for everyone in all NPS buildings and restroom facilities, regardless of vaccination status.

Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

Coconino County’s Community Level is high, based on the CDC classification.  Masks are now required for all individuals over the age of two years, regardless of vaccinations status, in park buildings, and on public transportation. The majority of the state has also transitioned, with 11 of 15 Arizona counties in high. 

Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

Due to current, high COVID-19 community level in Teton County, Department of Interior policy requires that masks are required for everyone in all park buildings in Grand Teton National Park, regardless of vaccination status. Park buildings include, but are not limited to visitor centers, administrative offices, lodges, gift shops, and restaurants in the Grand Teton.

Jewel Cave National Monument, South Dakota

Effective July 8th, masks are required at Jewel Cave. All buildings are located in Custer County, which is currently at a HIGH transmission level. Masks are currently required in the visitor center and on cave tours.

Mount Rainier National Park, Washington

Due to a "MEDIUM" COVID-19 Community Level, masks are optional for everyone in all Mount Rainier National Park buildings, regardless of vaccination status.

Muir Woods National Monument, California

Masks are required for everyone in all NPS buildings and enclosed public transportation, regardless of vaccination status.

Olympic National Park, Washington

In accordance with National Park Service masking guidance and the CDC COVID-19 Community Level tracking tool, masks are currently required for everyone in all Olympic National Park buildings, regardless of vaccination status.

Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona

Masks are required inside buildings in the park.

Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Larimer and Boulder counties have been elevated to the High Level of community transmission for COVID-19. Masks are advised for Beaver Meadows Visitor Center, Moraine Park Discovery Center, Fall River Visitor Center, Alpine Visitor Center, on the Hiker Shuttle, and on in-park shuttle buses.

Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks, California

Wearing a mask is currently required inside all park buildings.

Wind Cave National Park, South Dakota

Consistent with CDC guidance regarding areas of substantial or high transmission, visitors to Wind Cave National Park, regardless of vaccination status, are required to wear a mask inside all park buildings and on cave tours beginning July 9, 2022.

Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho

Masks are required for everyone on all forms of public and commercial transportation.

Yosemite National Park, California

Masks are required for everyone in all NPS buildings and enclosed public transportation, regardless of vaccination status.

This is not necessary a complete list of all parks requiring face masks to be worn inside park facilities. The National Park Service is not keeping a running tally of those parks, and suggests you visit the official website of the park you intend to visit. The National Parks Traveler will try to tally all the parks with face mask requirements. If you know of one not on our list, please point it out in a comment.

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Comments

Submitted by tahoma on July 7, 2022 - 11:41am.
"Masks are REQUIRED inside all buildings at Mount Rainier National Park, regardless of vaccination status, due to a current "High" community level."
 
"In accordance with National Park Service masking guidance and the CDC COVID-19 Community Level tracking tool, masks are currently required for everyone in all Olympic National Park buildings, regardless of vaccination status."
Elsewhere in the Great Northwet, a quick check shows no masks required at this time for North Cascades, Crater Lake, Fort Vancouver or Craters of the Moon.

Submitted by Oregon traveller on July 9, 2022 - 12:08am.

Masks are currently required at Crater Lake National Park 


Submitted by tahoma on July 9, 2022 - 11:27am.

Sounds like policies are changing rather quickly.  Rainier Twitter reversed course July 8:

"Masks are optional inside all buildings within Mount Rainier due to a "Medium" COVID-19 community level.  Individuals may wear masks if they choose to do so."

Olympic NP website still shows masks required inside.


Submitted by Anonymous on July 11, 2022 - 8:00am.

Masks are like safety belts in cars.

Only stupid people refuse to wear them. 


Submitted by Ranger1 on July 11, 2022 - 11:36am.

It's actually rather simple. If the county goes "red" on the CDC green/yellow/red scale-the park institutes a mask mandate. A little more complicated in parks within more than one county. This has been policy since the spring-but all of a sudden its news because several large western parks went red at the same time.


Submitted by ecbuck on July 12, 2022 - 8:24am.

Only stupid people refuse to wear them. 

And people that actually pay attention to ther statistics.

 


Submitted by Rick B. on July 13, 2022 - 2:47am.

Luckily, most people are listening to scientists, rather than failed small town political extremists.


Submitted by ecbuck on July 13, 2022 - 5:20pm.

Rick - "Scientists'

LOL - nothing but grifters.  Did you know 27,000, royalty payments were paid to 18,000 NIH employees?  And I didn't know Fauci was from a small town.  


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