News Release

Bryce Canyon National Park Temporarily Closed

Date: April 6, 2020
Contact: Peter Densmore

Today the National Park Service (NPS) received a letter from the Southwest Utah Public Health Department recommending a full closure for Bryce Canyon National Park. Upon receiving this request, Superintendent Linda Mazzu, with the support of the NPS Deputy Director, Operations, David Vela and Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt, made the decision to close the park until further notice effective 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 7th.  

All park areas will be closed to the public. 

The health and safety of park visitors, employees, local residents, volunteers, and partners in and around Bryce Canyon National Park is our number one priority. Garfield County Commissioners issued a statement as well today supporting a temporary closure in response to feedback from the community.

"We have been working closely with Garfield County and the State of Utah to follow guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as the state’s ‘Stay Home, Stay Safe’ order,” Mazzu said. “Continued visitation to Bryce Canyon made it hard to maintain the thresholds needed to ensure a safe visit, which is why this temporary closure is so important. I’d like to express my appreciation to Garfield County for taking the initial steps in this process. Your support for Bryce Canyon National Park and our communities is greatly appreciated.”

The NPS encourages people to take advantage of the many digital tools already available to explore Bryce Canyon National Park, including:  

• Junior Ranger books and badges available online and can be mailed to PO Box 640201, Bryce UT, 84764 for a badge.

• The Bryce Canyon Natural History Association Bookstore remains open online, and purchases over $10 will be shipped for free.

• Social Media: Connect with us on our social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Updates about NPS operations will be posted on www.nps.gov/coronavirus. We will notify the public when we resume full operations and provide updates on our website www.nps.gov/brca, and social media channels.  

Park Closure Enforcement

All vehicles, bikes, and pedestrians are prohibited from entering any park areas including trails, roads and backcountry areas. Park rangers may issue citations to persons violating this closure under the authority of 36 CFR 1.5(f).