Most developed recreation sites will remain closed through June 30.
The Inyo National Forest announced today that most developed recreation sites will remain closed through June 30. The closure can be rescinded as needed.
The order does not close trails, trailheads, and general forest areas, which remain open for public use.
The forest closure includes visitor centers, campgrounds, picnic areas, and day use areas and their facilities (restrooms, water and trash services). While trailheads remain open, restrooms, water, and trash services will not be available.
South Tufa (Mono Lake), Convict Lake, Hot Creek, and June Beach Day Use areas are closed.
The value of nature to promote mental and physical health comes at a time when access is vital to the American public. We are working diligently to reopen developed recreation areas for full access and ask that visitors be patient during this transition period. Be prepared for other options if your developed recreation area is closed, and whenever possible, recreate locally.
If you do plan on visiting the Inyo National Forest, please be aware that:No trash removal is currently offered – please pack out all trash and waste
- All toilet facilities are currently closed – please plan accordingly
- Avoid high-risk activities – law enforcement and search and rescue operations may be limited
- If an area is crowded, please search for a less occupied location
The safety of our employees and the public will continue to be our number one priority as we closely monitor the situation and implement changes accordingly.
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Anyone know if Tuff Campground will be open this weekend, starting on June 19th? I know Mammoth Lakes and the surrounding area will be fully open by then so just wondering about Tuff Campground. I can’t find anything regarding it’s planned reopening date and the forest service and camp host don’t know either. So fustrating!
Campgrounds closed: Holiday, McGee Creek, Tuff, French Camp, …
from our post June 11 State of Inyo Roads and Campgrounds: What’s Open? Closed?
We are anticipating an update today or tomorrow. Keep checking our website. We agree…it’s frustrating.
I understand that trying to meet the regulations set by different governmental agencies about the covid-19 virus can be confusing. However, the regulations affecting outdoor areas are in my opinion ridiculous. Study after study are showing that passing the virus outdoors is rare to impossible. Hikers that have been on trail have basically gone through what I call a wilderness quarantine and are some of the least likely to be infected or capable of infecting other people. OPEN THE FORESTS!!!!!
Reg
Kind of a mute point with it looking like things opening up soon,but I don’t think it’s so much the outdoor areas being and staying closed being the problem.
I have to agree,it seems safer to be outside,fishing camping in the wilderness and forests with not much concern of having to social distance,since most of the time you don’t really have to worry about being 6 feet from other campers if you don’t want to be.
I think the problem to why things stay,and soon to be stayed closed for so long is because what goes along with open campgrounds,the fishing season opener,stores and restaurants open,etc.
It’s the influx of people into the area….THOUSANDS of them…large groups going into stores,not abiding by the requests and rules of wearing masks, not distancing themselves from us and others.
Packed restaurants,taverns,cabins and motels.
Inyo County so far has been fortunate (so far) of very few COVID-19 positive cases and zero deaths from it.And Mono County,I think only one death.
Us living up here worked hard to try to keep things safe for us.
Many business’ thought it was best to close,even though a busy early tourist season would’ve meant more $$$ in their pockets.
Speaking for myself,I’m old and I’m a smoker,making wearing a mask a pain breathing,but I do when I enter stores or around people.
If things were open or had stayed open through this,fishing season on April 25th,campgrounds open that same week-end,stores,restaurants,etc. remaining open, bringing in tons of people,thinking only of tourism and money,my bet is there would’ve been more coronavirus cases brought here to the Owens Valley,and could’ve been a big problem for the residents.
Such stupidity. And there are some who want the government to control even more of our lives.
The Sierra is home for all Californians Dennison and Indygal, and the majority do abide by the rules.
I’m 100% behind you Matt, Don’t carry anything that won’t bio-degrade or you want to pack out. Oh, one more thought, carry a shovel so no one has to look at your sh*t or tp, bury it.
Sounds like the forest service is making an effort to open some of the smaller campgrounds starting 6/1. No reason for these to remain closed if everyone is capable of being responsible. Pack in pack out. Leave these areas better then you found them so we all can continue enjoying the land. Don’t be that guy that is responsible for these areas being shut back down.
I hope INF is working towards getting the word out down south. With fishing supposedly opening June 1, this creates conflicting messages to potential visitors. Haven’t seen anything yet in the SoCal press outlining these extended closures. A little extra effort communicating now could help minimize the problems later.
So lame – stop this fear hysteria, we need to open up N all us be responsible, if you’re fearful stay home, if you have a med condition stay home or wear a mask, if you dont wear a mask thats fine too, the point hear is lets all of us use our own judgement to move forward.
Not a good idea INF, people are still going to travel here to vacation, they’re just going to camp in other areas with no restrooms, no bear proof containers, no garbage cans, no fire pits and no maintained grounds to minimize the chances of a campfire or cooking stove from getting out of control. It’s happening right now and has been for weeks.
We’ll be very lucky if we don’t have a fire in the next couple of weeks.
Campgrounds are open – https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/232241?q=Tuff%20Campground IMHO, National Forrest Service has it right, opened the individual sites June 1 but the group ones are still closed.
It absolutely makes no sense to open trails and 6/1 trout season and not provide basic services ie restrooms, water, campgrounds, trash, enforcement. What are they thinking? Shame on the forest service for poor implementation and planning. That is embarrassing…….
indygal
100 % agree with you on that.
Without enforcement,they know they can avoid the rules WE living up here are following.
And if you check other blog sites,they don’t care.many of them saying “We’re coming anyway,and going to do as we please,including camping and fishing,whether the season is opened or not ….It’s our Constitutional right !”.
They’re saying,if restaurants, motels or condos are closed,no problem…they’ll flash more money at the owners and managers and “they’ll open for us “.
If you think it’s bad now,wait until June 1st and see what it’s like….gonna be a LOT worse and from then on throughout the summer.
No enforcement means no closures and no rules.not to mention the COVID-19 dangers and issues they bring along with them.For the most part,Inyo and Mono residents are following the rules and requests that’s been issued and in place.
Enforce the damn rules if your going to make them.
I am beyond enraged! The reason I live here is to camp and go to the back country. I respect my local authorities and understand that we are in a crisis and will abide by the rules, but when I do my “allowed” day hike, and there are people camping in closed campgrounds and backpackers have their multi tent campsite along a high country lake, wilderness permit be damned, and there is NO ENFORCEMENT, it really, I mean REALLY angers me! There are folks parked in sensitive riparian areas, pack station loading areas. You cannot make these rules and not enforce them! It is not fair to the locals who are sacrificing so much. They are coming anyway! They are staying in the campgrounds anyway! Let the people who obey laws have their socially distancing camping experience or enforce the freaking ordinances, instead of giving law breakers a free pass!
Hoping this doesn’t apply to private parks such as Browns Town etc.
…and where are all these tourists going to camp and stay ?
I know…
They’ll use dispersed areas,leaving trash,waste and poop for others to clean up and pick up,even more than usual.
They’ll still park and camp in the closed areas if there’s not strict enforcement not to.
They’ll park and camp on private property,but hoping the property owners take care of that problem themselves.
If there’s no place to camp and stay for a possible 20,000 plus tourists from SoCal coming for Trout opener,just postpone the Trout opener for another month.
Either that or open the campgrounds.
Most of them can’t handle a campsite without hook-ups and services anyway.
So you can fish at Convict Lake on June 1 but you can’t park or sit in the day use area and you can’t use a bathroom?
Hello everybody I had a question I plan on going up there the week of the 4th of July with a few of my family members will we be able to camp at any of the campsites we usually go to intake 2