NPS Closes Its Trails, But Only On Weekends – Crazy-Quilt Pattern Of COVID Closures In Local Mountains

The Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area has not closed its hiking trails.

Until now.

Unlike every other parks agency in the region … the National Park Service has not acted to enforce the lock down ordered by local agencies.

Even the Grand Canyon was open until yesterday… when the federal agency was shamed into closing it.

Pictures showed huge crowds clustering in unsafe clusters.

The Los Angeles County Health Department ordered a shut down … at all public facilities.

And that list includes trailheads and trails … in Los Angeles County.

But the county line goes right through the middle of the local mountains.

Ventura County has not ordered its trails closed.

Some agencies in Ventura County have closed trails.

State parks in Ventura County were closed.

But not the federal lands above Malibu.

Yesterday … bowing to unsafe crowding conditions … the National Park Service announced partial closures in Ventura County.

Only on weekends.

The Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area will close trails, trailheads, restrooms, pullouts and overlooks in Ventura County from 2 p.m. on Fridays until 6 a.m. on Mondays.

Officials said they made the decision in response to guidance from the state and Ventura County to slow the spread of the new coronavirus.

But the governor has ordered stay at home.

Nd the state has closed its trails … some of which connect to U S government National Park Service trails.

Confusing.

Inconsistent.