Vallejo, CA…USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region has decided to close developed campgrounds on four additional National Forests in California to provide consistent COVID-19 mitigation response in accordance with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Stay-at-Home Orders. The Sacramento Region is being added to the Stay-at-Home Order and, in turn, developed campgrounds will now be closed on the Eldorado NF, Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, Plumas NF, and Tahoe NF. These Regional Orders will be in effect from December 11, 2020, through January 6, 2021.

There are now 12 National Forest that have closed their developed campgrounds to be consistent with Governor Newsom’s orders. The previous eight National Forests are in California’s Southern and San Joaquin zones, including Angeles NF, Cleveland NF, Inyo NF, Los Padres NF, San Bernardino NF, Sequoia NF, Sierra NF, and Stanislaus NF. Day use of National Forests will remain open for the health and welfare of Californians. We urge all visitors to follow CDC guidelines to recreate responsibly and check with your local National Forests before visiting.

“This order will protect visitors and our employees by reducing exposure to COVID-19 and mitigating the further burden on limited healthcare facilities,” said Randy Moore, Regional Forester of the USDA Forest Service’s Pacific Southwest Region. “Campgrounds, like other overnight accommodations, create opportunities for people from differing households and communities to gather, require maintenance and regular cleaning, and entice the public to travel distances far enough from home to necessitate overnight accommodation. Taking those things out of the equation is a prudent measure at this time.”

Regional Order 20-28 can be found HERE. Additional Regional Orders affecting other zones are possible as well. The Pacific Southwest Region’s eighteen National Forests align with the state of California’s zones as follows:

Southern – San Bernardino, Los Padres, Cleveland, Angeles, Inyo National Forests

Northern – Mendocino, Modoc, Six Rivers, Shasta-Trinity, Klamath, Lassen National Forests

San Joaquin – Stanislaus, Sierra, Sequoia National Forests

Greater Sacramento – Eldorado, Tahoe, Plumas National Forests, Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU).

We continue to recommend that you not travel long distances to recreate and, again, check with your local National Forest before visiting. If you or anyone in your household is feeling sick, please remain at home and plan your trip for another time.  All visitors should practice self-sufficiency during your visits to national forests. Recreating responsibly will help ensure that expanded access to recreational facilities, services, and opportunities continues. Responsible recreation practices should be maintained at all times, including:

• Research winter road conditions and make sure your vehicle is snow ready;
• Maintaining at least six feet distancing from others;
• Do not gather in groups and please follow the latest guidance from officials;
• Communicate with others as you pass. Alert trail users of your presence and step aside to let others pass;
• Pack out your trash and leave with everything you bring in and use; and
• All services may not be available, so please plan accordingly.