While Wasatch County’s latest health order has opened up state parks to non-county residents the county and the parks are discouraging out of county visitors.
Per the Wasatch County Health Order and consistent with the Governor’s directive state parks in Wasatch County are open to all Utah residents. Wasatch County Health Department has discouraged inter-county travel despite the fact that parks are open. Director of Wasatch Mountain State Park Tracy See says they also would rather not see a huge influx of out of county patrons.
“Traveling increases the risk of spreading COVID-19,” See said. “Visitors are discouraged from coming in and out of Wasatch County. As a reminder social distancing practices must be followed at all times.”
Wasatch Mountain State Park’s Golf Courses are open, and staff is sanitizing carts. See adds that the campground is open on the bottom loop, with the upper area not opening until the 1st of May.
“What I would recommend is families understand that if they come in large groups, we’re going to discourage them from gathering together in large groups,” See continued. “So, if its individual family units that can stay within their own campsites, that's great. Our trailheads are extremely packed right now and for off-highway vehicle user they need to understand that even though you can get up the trail at the Cascade Springs Road, you hit the snow once you get up on the bench upcoming Parkway. We've had a few people go up and get stuck and they really kind of torn it up in the mud. We're kind of discouraging and asking them to wait a couple more weeks for it to dry out so it doesn't get damaged.”
See asks that all park users follow the rules and remain civil.
“There's a lot of people that are stressed but our staff is also stressed,” See explained. “We opened a month early and we've had to work under different constraints. So, our visitors center won't open for another week just because of our museum area, we’re having to create some barriers to keep people out of museum areas, but our campground office will be manned.”
Summit County Health Department Director Rich Bullough said Summit County is not recommending inter-county recreational travel, but they are also not enforcing it. He anticipates opening golf courses in Summit County with their new order.
