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Top NPS Officials Support Grand Canyon's Closure, But Haven't Ordered It

Grand Canyon National Park remained open Saturday, days after the National Park Service's leadership team "supported" the park's closure due to the coronavirus pandemic and despite calls from local government and health officials that it be closed and internal recognition that the pandemic "is on a scale that we have never seen before."

National Park Outfitters Being Hit Hard By Coronavirus Impacts

The tourism and recreation industries have taken a big hit from the COVID-19 closures. The repercussions impact everyone from hotels to ski resorts to airlines to cruise lines. In our national parks and protected places, outfitters have not been exempt either, and have faced some drastic decisions as to their future leading rafting trips downriver.

UPDATE 2 | Around The Parks: Coping With Coronavirus, March 27

Units of the National Park System continued to close Friday in a bid to avoid the coronavirus pandemic, with Lassen Volcanic National Park in California, Glacier National Park in Montana, and Arches and Canyonlands national parks in Utah closing their entrance gates, and many other units further restricting visitor services. U.S. Rep. Raúl Grijalva of Arizona also called for the closure of Grand Canyon National Park.

What 'Walden' can tell us about social distancing and focusing on life's essentials

Seeking to bend the coronavirus curve, governors and mayors have told millions of Americans to stay home. If you’re pondering what to read, it’s easy to find lists featuring books about disease outbreaks, solitude and living a simpler life. But it’s much harder to find a book that combines these themes.

UPDATE 3 | Interior Secretary Refuses To Let Grand Canyon National Park Close In Face Of COVID-19

Hours after Coconino County officials in Arizona, frustrated that Grand Canyon National Park is still open despite the worsening coronavirus pandemic, urged Interior Secretary David Bernhardt on Thursday to follow guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and close the park, the National Park Service announced some operational changes at the park.