CALAIS, ME - Following guidance from the White House, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and state and local public health authorities, Saint Croix Island International Historic Site (Saint Croix Island IHS) plans to increase recreational access and limited visitor services immediately.
The National Park Service (NPS) is working service-wide with federal, state, and local public health authorities to closely monitor the COVID-19 pandemic and using a phased approach to increase access on a park-by-park basis.
Saint Croix Island IHS has reopened access to the interpretive trail, beach area, picnic area, vault toilet, and park rangers providing limited information services to the public at the open-air shelter overlooking the island, and on the visitor center’s porch.
Visitors entering Maine from out of state may be subject to a mandatory 14-day quarantine or negative COVID-19 testing alternative. Please see https://www.maine.gov/covid19/ for more details.
With public health in mind, the visitor center will remain closed at this time, with limited visitor services offered outdoors, most days, 9am - 4pm, although the schedule is subject to change.
The state of Maine strongly urges people to maintain social distancing of 6 feet in addition to wearing face coverings. When recreating, the public should avoid high-risk outdoor activities. Visitors should also follow CDC guidance to help reduce the spread of Covid-19. These measures include washing hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds; covering your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze; avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth; and most importantly, please stay home if you feel sick.
“The health and safety of our visitors, employees, volunteers, and partners continues to be our highest priority," said Meg Scheid, Site Manager at Saint Croix Island IHS. “We continue to work closely with the National Park Service Office of Public Health using CDC guidance to ensure public spaces are safe and clean and have closely aligned site operations to the State of Maine’s phased re-opening."
The operational approach will be to regularly monitor and examine each facility function and service provided to ensure those operations comply with current public health guidance. While most areas are accessible for visitors to enjoy, a return to full operations will continue to be phased and services may be limited. Should the pandemic emergency regress, the park will re‐evaluate these operations.
Details and updates on park operations will continue to be posted on our park website at www.nps.gov/sacr. Updates about NPS operations will be posted on www.nps.gov/coronavirus.
Tags: maine covid - 19 operating hours and seasons visitor services social distancing
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
