Mar 31, 2020 
 Vehicle access closed at Auburn State Recreation area, other state parks
California State Parks announced Sunday it is temporarily closing vehicle access at all 280 state parks to prevent the spread of coronavirus. This includes the Auburn State Recreation Area.
(Photo: Crowds at the confluence at Auburn SRA, this area is now closed)

At Auburn State Recreation Area, park officials closed all gates, parking areas and roadside parking in the confluence area. The park remains open to entry by bike, horse and foot, but visitors are strongly encouraged to stay local if they want to get out of the house.

Mike Howard, Superintendent of Auburn State Recreation Area, said he was waiting for the state to take this action, after the confluence drew heavy crowds of people seeking recreation among the COVID-19 stay-at-home orders. "If this level of closure still doesn’t disperse people, the department will consider a hard closure,” Howard said. “Let’s hope we don’t get there.” Howard said park officials handed out 80 parking violations a week ago during a crowd Mayor Bill Kirby likened to the “beaches of Southern California. I totally understand people’s desire to get outdoors, but we are at the point where people need to do that near their homes,” Howard said. “Not by traveling out of the area to other communities and definitely not in such a way that that causes crowding.”

County and state officials agree.
In a statement issued this week, Placer County Health Officer Dr. Aimee Sisson said, “We ask residents to use common sense and stay close to home to get their exercise, as the state has said as well. Traveling between different communities contributes to the spread of disease and the burden on small hospital systems.”
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Placer County parks
Placer County Parks Division has not closed parking all together but has created a parking reservation system at its biggest location – Hidden Falls Regional Park. Hidden Falls, which is in Auburn, is a 1,200-acre park featuring 30 miles of hiking trails.

“The health and safety of our park guests is our top priority,” said Placer County Parks Administrator Andy Fisher. “We’re thankful to have our beautiful parks open for guests to enjoy, but we’ll need everyone to do their part and apply social distancing during their visit, on foot, on bike or on horse.”

Fisher said Hidden Falls has morning and afternoon and full-day parking sessions available for reservation, keeping vehicle attendance at about 100. Fisher said the park has seen an increase in visitors but has not been overcrowded. Fisher said he recommends that visitors avoid all high-contact areas in the parks to help slow the spread of COVID-19. While the bathrooms at Hidden Falls are still open, the Parks Division closed drinking fountains, playgrounds, picnic tables and benches at all of its parks.

Bear River Campground in Colfax has also been a popular place for park-goers recently, Fisher said. The Parks Division has delayed the opening of the campsites, but the campground is still open for day use. “We have seen quite a bit of use there,” Fisher said. “We don’t have a reservation system there yet, but we are watching it closely.”

Fisher echoed the same advice as other park officials. “It’s a good time to get outdoors but it's best to stay in parks near your home rather than going a long way away,” he said. “It’s very easy to overwhelm our services. We really do want to keep our parks open, people are cooped up, but it has to be orderly and it has to be safe.”

CLICK HERE to read complete article and see more photos at Gold Country Media website.

Update from PCTA:

​"Two weeks ago, on March 13, the PCTA asked all those who are already on the trail—as well as those waiting to start—to cancel or postpone your journeys. Unfortunately, not everyone observed this request.

STAY OFF THE PACIFIC CREST TRAIL. 
Due to COVID-19, you are legally required to avoid non-essential travel and shelter-in-place throughout most of the U.S., including in California, Oregon, and Washington. Long-distance hiking on the PCT is non-essential travel. For everyone’s sake, it’s time for you to do your part and cancel or postpone your long-distance trip.

Many sections along the PCT as well as facilities are closed—with more closing each day. We are no longer providing information about what sections of the PCT are closed or open as the situation is rapidly changing, and we’ve asked long-distance users to cancel or postpone journeys. PCTA, as the nonprofit dedicated to the trail, does not have the authority to close the PCT, public lands, or revoke permits. That is the role of our partners in the land management agencies. Please read our permit page for more about that topic.

Now is not the time for a vacation.Several communities have expressed concern about long-distance PCT hikers putting their populations at risk. Please respect the PCT community and our towns by canceling or postponing your journey. When it’s safe, you’ll be welcomed back.

PCTA supports you taking limited, local nature walks if you practice social distancing of 6 feet, and the location is not closed. Many trailheads are closed to emphasize the need for social distancing.

We take this pandemic seriously and are extremely concerned not only for your health but for society’s as well. Collectively, we should do everything possible to limit the spread of COVID-19."

CLICK HERE for this update from PCTA.

CLICK HERE for the most recent Covid-19 information for the Pacific Crest Trail.

California State Parks today, Sunday, March 29, 2020, announced it is temporarily closing vehicle access at all 280 state parks to prevent the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).
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On Saturday, many state parks once again experienced visitation surges that made it impossible for the public to implement appropriate social/ physical distancing practices. During this pandemic disease, every person has a role to play in slowing down the spread of COVID-19. Protecting individuals, families and communities comes down to common sense.

As such, the public is reminded to adhere to the following guidance:

• Stay home if you are sick.
• Stay close to home when you get outdoors. This is not the time for a road trip to a destination park or beach.
• Venture out only with people in your immediate household.
• Walk around the neighborhood and enjoy neighborhood parks.
• Always maintain a physical distance of 6 feet or more when recreating in the outdoors. If you cannot maintain physical distancing, leave the park.
• Do not congregate in parks.

To date, the department has implemented various safety measures such as temporarily closing all campgrounds, museums and visitor centers in the State Parks System; cancelling all events; and closing vehicular traffic at certain parks and beaches, and fully closing others.      
 
California continues to issue guidance on preparing and protecting Californians from COVID-19. State Parks is monitoring the situation closely and is following guidance provided by the Governor’s Office via the California Department of Public Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. Protecting visitors and all who take care of state parks from the exposure to the pandemic disease is a top priority for the State of California.

State Parks will continue to monitor visitation and physical distancing at all state park units, and if the safety measures implemented thus far are not sufficient to protect public health, additional measures may be taken to fully close parks, including trails, bathrooms and other amenities.

State Parks has developed a one-stop resource center––www.parks.ca.gov/FlattenTheCurve––to find park safety and closure information, and messaging and graphics from the “Flatten the COVID-19 Curve at Parks” social media awareness campaign. Please check this webpage regularly, as it will be updated with new information as it becomes available. 

These new State Parks closures are impacting our local parking areas. This photo was taken today at Empire Mine State Historic Park Penn Gate parking lot. The signs are up, including social distancing guidelines.

RATTLESNAKE BAR IS GATE CLOSED BY CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS - NO TURN AROUND. 
 The Folsom Lake SRA gate at Rattlesnake Bar off Auburn Folsom Road was locked today, as per Governor's Order. Important for everyone to know, there is NO turn around there. 

For all closures at our local State Parks, CLICK HERE to read Mother Lode Trails article.

 FS REGION 5 ORDER ALL DEVELOPED RECREATION SITES CLOSING THROUGH APRIL 30.  
 Regional Order No. 20-01

This order affects the Pacific Crest Trail, Tahoe and Eldorado National Forest , and others. Since our high Sierra camps,  don't open until the end of May, we can hope this order may be lifted by then.

You can access this order here:
https://www.fs.usda.gov/r5

Effective immediately, State Parks has temporarily closed vehicular traffic to parks experiencing high visitation. See our local list below.
 ​Last weekend, many state parks and beaches received record visitation numbers, which made it impossible for the public to implement appropriate social/ physical distancing practices. As a result, State Parks is working closely with local county and public health officials and assessing park operations on a daily basis to provide access to healthy outdoor options while maintaining required social/ physical distancing.

For those wishing to take a break in the outdoors, public health officials are advising them to walk, run, hike and bike in their local neighborhoods and walk to parks. Most importantly, the public is being asked not to congregate in the outdoors. Everyone has the responsibility to “Flatten the COVID-19 Curve at Parks” by maintaining a social distance of 6 ft. or more when recreating in the outdoors, and staying home if they are sick. If visitors cannot maintain social distancing, they need to leave the park.

These parks are now closed to vehicle access:

Nevada County:

• Donner Memorial SP
• Empire Mine SHP
• South Yuba River SP

El Dorado County Placer County:

• Ed Z’berg Sugar Pine Point SP
• Emerald Bay SP
• Folsom Lake State Recreation Area (SRA)
• Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park (SHP)​

Placer County:

• Donner Memorial SP
• Folsom Lake SRA
• Kings Beach SRA​

Sacramento County:

• Folsom Lake SRA

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE DYNAMIC UPDATED LIST AT STATE PARKS
https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=30355

Empire Mine SHP Penn Gate Staging paved parking for vehicles and the gravel horse trailer parking behind the gate is open as of this morning (March 26). It is subject to closure any time. They are in contact with the Governor's office and this notice could change hourly. 

A few days ago, Empire Mine shut the Visitor's Center and its parking, but one person is there to help you with information if you call. If you would like to know if the gates are still open, they are encouraging you to call the Visitor Center at 530-273-8522

"Executive Order N-33-20, which requires all Californians to “shelter-in-place” by remaining at home or at their place of residence, except as necessary to obtain food, care for a relative or friend, get necessary healthcare, or go to an essential job."

The county and state orders are not stopping you from hiking or riding your horse or bike outside, but you must maintain social distancing and not gather in groups.

Empire Mine is also under the Nevada County CODE RED instructions, meaning Nevada County is on lockdown. No visitors from outside the county. This a mandatory order.

HIDDEN FALLS NOTICE. 
 Placer county parks has enacted the following protocols to slow the SPREAD OF COVID-19
To the extent we safely can, we are pleased to keep this facility open as a place for essential outdoor exercise during these challenging times.
NOTICE:

• Reservations required each day beginning Saturday March 28, 2020.  
• Restrooms, overlook decks, picnic areas and benches are closed.
• Check status before visit here https://www.placer.ca.gov/6106/Hidden-Falls-Regional-Park
• Trails remain open subject to the guidelines below:

Trails remain open subject to orderly and safe use.  Visitors are expected to practice social distancing (stay at least 6 feet away from non-household members) and avoid use of high contact areas including bathrooms, overlook decks, picnic tables and benches.

Please be considerate of people around you and neighbors in the rural surroundings.  The park can only remain open if visitors conduct themselves in an orderly and safe manner.  Reservations are required on all days in response to high usage and to avoid overcrowding.  Please respect the parking limits.  Vehicles attempting to park along roadways outside designated parking areas are subject to ticketing.

During wet weather, trails are subject to use restrictions by horses and bicycles.

As conditions surrounding the Covid-19 response change rapidly, please check status before you begin your trip. Reservations and open status are subject to change with short notice.  
Thank you for your patience as we all learn to cope with the threat of Covid-19 together.

For more general inquiries around COVID-19 and Placer County’s directives, view current information at www.placer.ca.gov/coronavirus. Public hotline also available at 530-886-5310.

https://www.placer.ca.gov/6106/Hidden-Falls-Regional-Park