Grants, NM - The National Park Service (NPS) in response to the latest guidance from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), and the New Mexico Governor’s “Stay-At-Home Instruction" issued on March 23, is announcing the closure of operations at El Morro National Monument (NM) to support federal, state, and local efforts to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
As of March 26, El Morro NM will offer no services outside those that support resource protection. At El Morro NM, the following services and operations will be suspended in order to comply with public health guidance the visitor center, campground, all trails, and grounds will be closed.
The health and safety of our visitors, employees, volunteers, and partners at El Morro NM is the top priority. The NPS is working with federal, state, and local authorities to closely monitor COVID-19. There will be a public notification when full operations resume and updates will be provided on the park’s website, https://www.nps.gov/elmo/index.htm and Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/elmorro.nps/.
The El Malpais National Monument (NM) Visitor Center continues to be closed but trails are still accessible. Please note that restroom facilities at trailheads are open but users are required to bring their own toilet paper and hand sanitizer. The NPS encourages people who choose to visit El Malpais NM during this pandemic to adhere to guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state and local public health authorities to protect visitors and employees. As services are limited, the NPS urges visitors to continue to practice Leave No Trace principles, including pack-in and pack-out, to keep outdoor spaces safe and healthy.
The NPS encourages people to take advantage of the many digital tools already available to explore both El Morro and El Maplais NM, including websites and Facebook pages for both parks. Park websites include photo galleries and both Facebook sites will continue to post content about park resources to learn more about what makes these places so special.
Updates about NPS operations will be posted on www.nps.gov/coronavirus. Please check with individual parks for specific details about park operations.
- NPS -
Tags: covid-19
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
