Coronavirus Update: Bay Area Parks Announce Easter Weekend Closures, Urge People To Stay Home
(CBS SF) – With the ongoing shelter-in-place in the Bay Area due to the coronavirus pandemic, park agencies are announcing additional closures for Easter weekend, urging crowds to stay away and celebrate at home instead.
Here is a list of the temporary closures in effect during the Easter holiday. These are in addition to other park closures that are in effect during the shelter-in-place, which continues until at least May 3rd.
Golden Gate Bridge:
The Golden Gate Bridge District is closing the south end parking lots from Friday, April 10th at noon until Monday, April 13th at 7 a.m. Meanwhile, the entrance to the Caltrans Vista Point Parking Lot is closed from 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
"Bridge visitorship has declined dramatically since the shelter in place orders were put into effect on March 17. This is good news that demonstrates the public is largely obeying the shelter in place orders, helping our communities stay healthy and safe during this crisis. We encourage the public to keep up the good work and stay home this holiday weekend," the bridge district said in a statement.
East Bay:
The East Bay Regional Park District is closing parking lots in 10 of their parks on Saturday and Sunday. This includes the staging area for Mission Peak on Stanford Avenue in Fremont. With the exception of Mission Peak, trails and open space remain open for the public on a walk-in and hike-in basis. Picknicking and other group activities are prohibited.
The closures include:
- Black Diamond Mines – All parking lots closed
- Briones – Alhambra Staging Area closed
- Coyote Hills – All parking lots closed
- Garin – All Parking lots closed
- Kennedy Grove – All parking lots closed
- Lake Chabot – Main Parking lot closed
- Lake Temescal – All parking lots closed
- MLK Jr. – Doolittle South and Arrowhead Staging Area closed
- Mission Peak – Stanford Avenue Staging Area closed (Fenced with no trail access, closed by request of City of Fremont)
- Miller Knox – All parking lots closed
"Respectfully, please don't drive to Regional Parks this Saturday and Sunday of this Easter weekend," Park District General Manager Robert Doyle said in a statement. "We can't have the huge crowds that we did a few weeks ago."
Marin County:
On Thursday, the county's Director of Emergency Services designated no parking zones around parks and open space areas in unincorporated areas of Marin County. Violators who park near open spaces will receive a $100 fine.
The resolution was put into effect after the Marin County Sheriff's Department continued to see a large number of visitors showing up to walk the trails.
Peninsula:
The Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District is closing all of its preserves in San Mateo County on Saturdays and Sundays, starting April 11th, following a request by the county's health officer. They include:
- Coal Creek
- El Corte de Madera Creek
- La Honda Creek
- Los Trancos
- Long Ridge
- Pulgas Ridge
- Purisima Creek Redwoods
- Ravenswood
- Russian Ridge
- Skyline Ridge
- Teague Hill
- Thornewood
- Windy Hill
MROSD officials said Long Ride and Windy Hill would also remain closed throughout the week.
Meanwhile, San Mateo County Parks have been closed since March 27th and will remain closed until further notice.
South Bay:
Nine San Jose regional parks and parking lots will be closed on Saturday and Sunday to prevent overcrowding, city officials announced. The regional parks closed include Almaden Lake Park, Alum Rock Park, Kelley Park, the Municipal Rose Garden and Lake Cunningham Park.
Meanwhile, the city's neighborhood parks are open this weekend, but certain parking lots will be closed. Gatherings, such as Easter egg hunts, are prohibited.
California State Parks:
The state parks agency announced full closures for several parks in Monterey and Santa Cruz County.
Monterey County closures (starting on sunset April 10th until further notice):
- Andrew Molera State Park
- Garrapata SP
- Julia Pfeiffer Burns SP
- Pfeiffer Big Sur SP
- Point Lobos State Natural Reserve
Santa Cruz County closures (starting April 8th - through April 15th; may be extended):
- Big Basin Redwoods SP
- Castle Rock SP
- Forest of Nisene Marks SP
- Henry Cowell Redwoods SP
- Lighthouse Field State Beach (SB)
- Manresa SB
- Natural Bridges SB
- New Brighton SB
- Santa Cruz Mission State Historic Park
- Seacliff SB
- Sunset SB
- Twin Lakes SB
"Instead of visiting parks and beaches, the department encourages all Californians who celebrate Passover and Easter to do so safely at home or join loved ones virtually. More than ever this weekend, staying home is critical to the safety of individuals, families, communities and all who take care of parks during this pandemic," the agency said.
