News Release

Chickasaw National Recreation Area Modifying Operations To Implement Local Health Guidance

CDC

News Release Date: April 6, 2020

Contact: Megan Wilkins, 5806227234

Sulphur, Okla. – Chickasaw National Recreation Area, in response to guidance from local and tribal leadership, and in response to expanded Safer at Home orders from the State of Oklahoma, is announcing additional modifications to operations to support federal, state, and local efforts to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).  

As of April 6, 2020, Chickasaw National Recreation Area will offer very limited services outside those that support visitor or resource protection. In response to guidance from the National Park Service Public Health office to discourage visitors from traveling large distances, and to comply with state orders prohibiting the gathering of more than ten people, the following services and operations will be suspended:

New:

• Road to Veterans Lake is closed

• All of Travertine Creek is closed to swimming

• East Perimeter Road is closed, which includes the following areas:

  • Little Niagara Parking and Restrooms

  • Travertine Nature Center Parking and Restrooms

  • Bear Falls Parking

  • Garfield Falls Parking

  • Panther Falls Parking and Pit Toilets

  • Travertine Island Parking and Restrooms

Pre-existing Closures:

• Travertine Nature Center

• All campgrounds

 
The health and safety of our visitors, employees, volunteers, and partners at Chickasaw National Recreation Area 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. We will notify the public when we resume full operations and provide updates on our website www.nps.gov/chic and social media channels.  

Some outdoor spaces at Chickasaw National Recreation Area remain accessible to the public in accordance with the latest federal, state, and local health guidance.   

• Trails

• Boat launches

• Picnic areas 

If contemplating a visit to a national park during this pandemic, the NPS asks visitors to adhere to guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state and local public health authorities to protect visitors and employees. As services are limited, the NPS urges visitors to continue to practice Leave No Trace principles, including pack-in and pack-out, to keep outdoor spaces safer and healthier.


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

www.nps.gov


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.