On April 2, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and Appalachian Trail clubs requested that the federal government consider closing the trail to hiking. The trail — which, in Pennsylvania, crosses the Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike along a ridge in northern Lehigh and Northampton Counties — is already closed in some areas because of state and federal restrictions. Those areas can be found here (https://wildeast.appalachiantrail.org/explore/planand-prepare/hiking-basics/health/covid19/a-t-closures/). The conservancy requests that you stay off the trail no matter what local regulations advise because crowds have made hiking dangerous in many places.

1. Are state parks open? Can I go for a hike?
Balancing the need to get outdoors with the advice
on staying safe during the coronavirus pandemic.
by Gary Thompson, Updated: April 10, 2020
A lot of us want to go for a hike right now to relieve stress, but it’s adding a lot of stress to our trails.
As part of efforts to clamp down on the spread of the coronavirus, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy closed all state forests and
state and county parks, making it harder for folks to get outside and exercise while practicing social distancing.
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On April 2, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and Appalachian Trail clubs requested that the
federal government consider closing the trail to hiking. The trail — which, in Pennsylvania,
crosses the Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike along a ridge in northern Lehigh
and Northampton Counties — is already closed in some areas because of state and federal
restrictions. Those areas can be found here (https://wildeast.appalachiantrail.org/explore/plan-
and-prepare/hiking-basics/health/covid19/a-t-closures/). The conservancy requests that you
stay off the trail no matter what local regulations advise because crowds have made hiking
dangerous in many places.
“These same crowds accessing the A.T. may not know how a simple half-day hike can spread
COVID-19. While hiking, they may have eaten lunch at a picnic table, taken a break in a shelter,
used a privy, or shared a map or food with someone unknowingly infected with COVID-19 and
carried this highly contagious virus back to their communities at the end of the day,” said Sandra
Marra, president of the conservancy, on the organization’s website.
"They may not have realized that A.T.C. staff and trail volunteers have been recalled from the
A.T. and cannot maintain the footpath, trail heads, shelters, and privies that may be heavily (or
permanently) impacted by increased visitor use. And they may not be aware of the rural
communities adjacent to the trail that may not have the health-care resources to help a sick
hiker or volunteer or manage a COVID-19 outbreak should a hiker transport the virus in from the
trail,” said Marra.
In the Philadelphia area, sites like the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum remain
viable outdoor options, but you should take precautions, said Mica Denise McCullough of the
Alliance for Watershed Education of the Delaware River Watershed, a group that organizes
local outdoor events through its mission to promote the understanding and protection of aquatic
life and habitats.
“Due to the great human desire to get outside these days, some trail areas are filling up quickly,"
McCullough said by email. "We recommend going in the morning or evening, but avoiding the
mid-afternoon ‘rush hour.’ Hitting the trails during quieter, less crowded times also increases
your chances of seeing wildlife, such as foxes and birds in Tacony Creek Park, or many types of
waterfowl and migratory birds at John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge.”
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2. But it’s not just Jersey. In Pennsylvania, some national parks and recreation areas (Valley Forge, Delaware Water Gap) are
closed, though state parks and state game lands remain open.
In Delaware, officials are looking at limiting state park access on a “case by case” basis. The Delaware Department of Natural
Resources and Environmental Control said it will limit vehicle access to prevent crowding and allow for safe social
distancing.
So what should we do when we want to get outside? Here’s what you need to know.
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JOSE F. MORENO / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
People run and walk along The Wissahickon's Forbidden Drive in the Wissahickon Valley Park, Philadelphia. Tuesday, April 7, 2020. The park is seeing summer-level crowds, despite
Gov. Tom Wolf's stay-at-home order, and the result is taxing those who operate the 1,800 acres of forest and trails.
The risks of hiking now
In hard-hit New Jersey, it’s possible to find a trail or a beach or a nature preserve that is open to the public, but officials say
you shouldn’t really go. These sites are becoming increasingly crowded, and the bottlenecks run counter to public health
goals that park closures are meant to achieve.
https://www.inquirer.com/health/coronavirus/hiking-covid-new-jersey-delaware-pennsylvania-philadelphia-20200410.html
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3. In Jersey, it may be time for the idea of taking a nature hike to take a hike.
“We don’t love the idea of closing our parks, but we find it extremely necessary,” said Camden County spokesperson Dan
Keashen. He said social distancing in public spaces is a problem and priority not just locally.
» READ MORE: It’s spring. We want to go outside. How do we safely social distance? | Elizabeth Wellington
If we all congregate in the few remaining natural places, it’s “counterproductive,” Keashan said, and could undermine efforts
to help keep us all safe.
“As the days have gotten nicer and the stay-at-home period endures, we have been increasingly concerned to see the
behavior of some visitors to our state parks and wildlife areas, with full parking lots and increasingly crowded trails,” said
Natural Resources and Environmental Control Secretary Shawn M. Garvin.
The best idea, he said, is to walk, hike, and exercise in your neighborhood.
And if you’re in a state where some parks are still open, don’t travel far. The Pennsylvania Fish and Game Commission
recommends that people use state parks within 15 miles of their home, to mitigate the potential spread of the virus.
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Delaware officials advise that you limit your time in parks, and visit during off-peak hours. Out-of-state visitors are subject
to a 14-day quarantine. The polices will be enforced by Natural Resources police.
What about the Appalachian Trail?
https://www.inquirer.com/health/coronavirus/hiking-covid-new-jersey-delaware-pennsylvania-philadelphia-20200410.html
© 2020 The Philadelphia Inquirer, LLC
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