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The American and global shutdown shuttered many state and national parks along with it. Now some parks are starting to reopen, albeit with a number of precautions.
Yellowstone, Americas first national park, recently began accepting visitors for the first time since March 24, but don't expect things to be business as usual right away. The park, which is sprawled out among three states, is only opening its Wyoming entrances for now and isn't allowing any camping for the time being. So all visitors must leave the park by sunset for the time being.
Park rangers have said they have figured out how to enforce social distancing guidelines in any indoor space within the park, but have said they will be mainly relying on visitors adhering to social distancing guidelines on their own in the outdoor areas. If Monday was a prelude of things to come then the park and others that follow have reason for concern. Time will only tell if that was a one-off or if park rangers will need to institute new guidelines to ensure the safety of visitors.
To be honest, I am wholly in favor of our national parks reopening if they can be done so safely. I've been to a number of them, Yellowstone included, and have loved every minute of my trips. There is nothing quite like taking a hike in Redwood National Forest or having a picnic near the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. These parks highlight the abundant natural beauty spread throughout our country and, if reopened smartly, can be a safe place for people who've been stuck inside for the past two months to get out in nature and enjoy some fresh air once again.