These National Parks Have Reinstated Mask Mandates

Alison Fox
·2 min read
9
Entrance sign for Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona.
Entrance sign for Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona.

Jim Lane/Education Images/Getty Images

National parks throughout the country have reinstated mask mandates as COVID-19 cases continue to rise throughout the country once again.

Some of the largest and most popular parks across the United States are now requiring face masks be worn indoors. That is in line with guidance from the National Park Service, which recommends masking in areas that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention classifies as having a "high" level of COVID-19 community transmission.

While mask rules vary by park, they are still required on all forms of enclosed public transportation, the NPS noted.

"Grand Canyon National Park has been directed by the Department of Interior (DOI) to use Center of Disease Controls (CDC) COVID Community Levels to put in place guidance and masking requirements to protect our community, park employees, and visitors," the NPS wrote for the Grand Canyon. "Last week the CDC COVID Community Levels were High for the first time since this metric was used. Consequently, we were required to [implement] masking for all individuals over the age of two, regardless of vaccination status, in all park buildings and in public transportation per DOI policy."

Similarly, Denali National Park & Preserve in Alaska reintroduced a mask requirement inside federal buildings on July 8, regardless of vaccination status, including in lodges, gift shops, and restaurants. The rule does not apply to the Walter Harper Ranger Station in Talkeetna.

"This decision has been made based upon Department of Interior policy which requires federal agencies to institute mask mandates within federal buildings when the COVID-19 community level reaches HIGH in the surrounding area, per CDC guidance," the NPS said in a statement.

And Yellowstone National Park has reinstated an indoor mask mandate in indoor facilities, CBS News reported last week.

Currently, new cases are averaging more than 106,000 recorded each day, according to the CDC. Those are dominated by different omicron variants, including more than half of cases attributed to BA.5.

These are some of the most popular national parks that have reinstated mandatory mask requirements indoors.

Arches National Park; Utah: Find out more

Canyonlands National Park; Utah: Find out more

Colorado National Monument; Colorado: Find out more

Death Valley National Park; California, Nevada: Find out more

Denali National Park and Preserve; Alaska: Find out more

Devils Postpile National Monument; California: Find out more

Grand Canyon National Park; Arizona: Find out more

Jewel Cave National Monument; South Dakota: Find out more

Muir Woods National Monument; California: Find out more

Olympic National Park; Washington: Find out more

Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks; California: Find out more

Wind Cave National Park; South Dakota: Find out more

Yellowstone National Park; Idaho, Montana, Wyoming: Find out more

Yosemite National Park; California Find out more

Alison Fox is a contributing writer for Travel + Leisure. When she's not in New York City, she likes to spend her time at the beach or exploring new destinations and hopes to visit every country in the world. Follow her adventures on Instagram.