News Release

Capitol Reef National Park Will Temporarily Close

Date: April 9, 2020
Contact: Sue Fritzke, Superintendent, 435-425-4100

Torrey, UT – Capitol Reef National Park is announcing additional modifications to operations in response to a letter from the Central Utah State Health Department recommending a full closure. The health and safety of our visitors, employees, volunteers, and partners is our number one priority. The National Park Service (NPS) is working servicewide with federal, state, and local authorities to closely monitor the COVID-19 pandemic.

Effective immediately, Capitol Reef National Park will be closed to all park visitors until further notice, which includes all recreational and overnight activities, such as camping, hiking, backpacking, and canyoneering. The Cathedral Valley Road, Hartnet Road, State Route 24, Notom-Bullfrog Road, and Burr Trail will remain open to pass-through traffic only.

"We have been working closely with Wayne and 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,” park superintendent Sue Fritzke said. “Continued recreational activities in Capitol Reef National Park 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 both Wayne and Garfield Counties and the state for helping us keep visitors and our communities safe during this situation."

The public will be informed when full operations resume. The park will provide updates on the park website www.nps.gov/care and social media channels. The NPS encourages people to take advantage of the many digital tools already available to explore Capitol Reef including on the park website, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Updates about NPS operations will be posted on www.nps.gov/coronavirus.
 

About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 419 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov, and on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

Park Closure Enforcement

Capitol Reef National Park is closed to all visitation. Roads are open for pass-through traffic only. No recreational activities, including camping, hiking, or backpacking, are permitted. Park rangers will be on duty and may issue citations to persons violating this closure under the authority of 36 CFR 1.5(f).