News Release

Hovenweep and Natural Bridges national monuments increase recreational access to park campgrounds

Date: September 5, 2020
Contact: Vernon Cody, [phone]

BLANDING, UT – Following guidance from the White House, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and state and local public health authorities, Hovenweep and Natural Bridges national monuments are increasing recreational access. The National Park Service (NPS) is working servicewide with federal, state, and local public health authorities to closely monitor the COVID-19 pandemic and using a phased approach to increase access on a park-by-park basis.

Beginning September 10, 2020, Hovenweep and Natural Bridges national monuments will reopen access to:

• Campgrounds. At Natural Bridges, all 13 sites will be open. At Hovenweep, some sites will remain closed to promote social distancing and allow for proper cleaning by the maintenance staff.

With public health in mind, the following facilities remain closed at this time:

• Visitor centers. Park staff is currently providing information outside both visitor centers from 9am to 12pm and 2pm to 4pm, Thursday through Monday. This service is dependent on weather and staffing levels. No personal services are provided on Tuesday and Wednesday. At Natural Bridges, the park bookstore is also open from 9am to 12pm and 2pm to 4pm, Thursday through Sunday.

 
Superintendent Vernon Cody said, "We are pleased to announce that we are reopening campgrounds at Hovenweep and Natural Bridges and appreciate everyone’s patience as we as we take safe steps towards this goal. We encourage all visitors to be safe and to recreate responsibly while visiting these parks."

The health and safety of our visitors, employees, volunteers, and partners continues to be paramount. At Hovenweep and Natural Bridges national monuments, our operational approach will be to examine each facility function and service provided to ensure those operations comply with current public health guidance, and will be regularly monitored. We continue to work closely with the NPS Office of Public Health using CDC guidance to ensure public and workspaces are safe and clean for visitors, employees, partners, and volunteers.  

While these areas are accessible for visitors to enjoy, a return to full operations will continue to be phased and services may be limited. When recreating, the public should follow local area health orders, practice Leave No Trace principles, avoid crowding and avoid high-risk outdoor activities.

The CDC has offered guidance to help people recreating in parks and open spaces prevent the spread of infectious diseases. We will continue to monitor all park functions to ensure that visitors adhere to CDC guidance for mitigating risks associated with the transmission of COVID-19 and take any additional steps necessary to protect public health.   

Details and updates on park operations will continue to be posted on our websites www.nps.gov/hove and www.nps.gov/nabr, and on our social media channels. Updates about NPS operations will be posted on www.nps.gov/coronavirus.