Baker-Polito Administration Announces
Additional Steps to Encourage Social Distancing at State Parks and Beaches
Coastal State Beach Parking Areas Will
Temporarily Close; Select Seasonal State Parks to Open Early
BOSTON — Governor Charlie Baker today
issued an emergency order requiring all coastal beach
reservation parking areas managed by the Department of Conservation and
Recreation (DCR) to close effective 12:00 PM on Friday, April 3, 2020 to reduce
large concentrations of people at beaches during the COVID-19 outbreak. Additionally,
effective 12:00 PM on Friday, April 3, 2020, DCR will open select seasonal state parks early and expand
access at other parks to provide additional open space opportunities for
residents to enjoy and alternatives to popular state parks throughout the
Commonwealth.
Coastal parkways
that provide access to state beaches will also be closed to both parking and
dropping off passengers. State beaches will remain open and available to
pedestrians for transitory use only (walking, jogging, biking, solitary
fishing, etc.). A link to find specific parking and traffic restrictions can be
found here.
State parks and
associated parking areas remain open at this time; however, the public is asked
to visit state parks and other open space properties that are located near
their homes to ensure social distancing to limit the spread of COVID-19.
Additionally, DCR’s agency-owned ice rinks, visitor centers, campgrounds, playgrounds, fitness areas, athletic fields, athletic courts, golf
courses, and bathroom facilities will remain closed until Monday, May 4, 2020.
DCR will also be
limiting the amount of parking spaces available at certain high-visitation
state parks. DCR continues to stress that if a park is crowded, visitors should
consider visiting a different location or returning at a later date or time.
The state parks system has over 450,000 acres of property, and
every region of the state contains multiple parks to explore that may be less
busy than others in the area. DCR advises visitors of state parks to:
- Stay within solitary or small groups, and avoid
gatherings of ten or more people;
- Practice social distancing of at least six feet
between individuals;
- Participate in only non-contact recreational
activities;
- Practice healthy personal hygiene, such as
handwashing for at least 20 seconds; and,
- Stay home if ill, over 70, and/or part of a
vulnerable population.
To centralize
COVID-19 updates that impact the state parks system, DCR recently developed a
Massachusetts State Parks COVID-19 Updates webpage. Prior to visiting a state parks
property, members of the public should review the contents of the webpage.
Furthermore, for information about the Baker-Polito Administration’s ongoing
efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, please visit the Department of
Public Health’s (DPH) website.
