News Release

Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area Temporarily Closed

News Release Date: April 5, 2020

Contact: Christopher Derman, 423-569-9778

The National Park Service (NPS) announced today that effective 9:00 AM (ET), Monday, April 6, Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area will be closed to all visitors until further notice in response to letters from county and state health services departments. No entry will be allowed on park property, except to employees, residents, and other authorized persons. Through traffic is permitted.

The health and safety of employees, residents, volunteers, and partners, as well as park visitors, at Big South Fork is the number one priority. The NPS is working servicewide with federal, state, and local authorities to closely monitor the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The National Park Service listened to the concerns from our local partners and, based on current health guidance, temporarily closed the park,” said Superintendent Niki Stephanie Nicholas. “We are committed to continued close coordination with our state and local partners as we progress through this closure period and are prepared when the timing is right to reopen as quickly and safely as possible.”

The NPS encourages people to take advantage of the many digital tools already available to explore Big South Fork NRRA, including: https://www.nps.gov/biso/index.htm, and through the park’s social media pages on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. 

Updates about NPS operations will be posted on http://www.nps.gov/coronavirus. Please check with individual parks for specific details about park operations.