News Release

Bering Land Bridge National Preserve implements federal mask requirement for COVID-19 prevention and protection

Date: February 10, 2021
Contact: Mike Thompson, [phone]

FEBRUARY 10, 2021 -- To protect the health of those who live, work, and visit our national parks and facilities, and in support of the President’s Executive Order on Protecting the Federal Workforce and Requiring Mask-Wearing, face masks are now required in all NPS buildings and facilities. Masks are also required on NPS-managed lands when physical distancing cannot be maintained.  

What does this mean for Bering Land Bridge?   

1. Face masks are required when visiting the Bering Land Bridge offices in Nome. All individuals are required to wear masks, including employees, visitors, partners, and contractors. Currently, visits are by appointment only, please contact staff directly.   

2. The Bering Land Bridge Visitor Center remains closed.   

3. When visiting Serpentine Hot Springs, face masks are required in the facilities.   

If you are planning a visit to Serpentine Hot Springs, please follow these guidelines:  

• Wear a mask around other visitors who are not in your party  

• Maintain 6-feet physical distance between visitors who are not in your party  

• Do not travel to the hot springs if you are exhibiting COVID-like symptoms:  https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html 

• Wash your hands often with soap and water or use hand sanitizer  

• Bring your own cleaning supplies, soap and/or hand sanitizer  

• Avoid sharing sleeping or cooking space with visitors who are not in your party   

• Bring your own sleeping bag and tent in case the bunkhouse is occupied  

• Avoid sharing the hot tub with visitors who are not in your party  

• Surfaces should be cleaned after they are touched  

• Wash your dishes in warm, soapy water before you leave  

• Dispose gray water in the outhouse or next to the airstrip, 100 feet from water. Gray water includes all water used for cleaning, brushing teeth, washing hands, etc.   

• Pack out all trash, do not leave trash in any facilities  

• Do not use the burn barrel or light campfires    

Visitors are responsible for their own health and safety when in the Preserve.  Thank you for helping to keep yourself and others safe and healthy!  Updates about NPS operations will be posted on www.nps.gov/coronavirus. Please visit www.nps.gov/bela for specific details and updates on Bering Land Bridge operations. For questions, please contact Mike Thompson at [phone] or [e-mail] or the main office at 907-443-2522.