Washington state parks, wildlife areas close for 2 weeks following governor's 'stay home' order

Lake Wenatchee State Park. (Photo by Wolfgang Kaehler/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Wolfgang Kaehler/LightRocket via Getty Images

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Gov. Jay Inslee on Monday ordered all non-essential businesses to close within 48 hours and for all Washingtonians to "stay home" for the next two weeks in an effort to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.

In response to Inslee's "stay home, stay healthy" order, the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission (Parks) and the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) announced on Tuesday the temporary closure of all state-managed parks, wildlife areas and water access areas for at least two weeks starting Wednesday.

Entrance gates and facilities will be closed, and on-site public services will be suspended, according to the release, posted on the Washington State Parks website. However, essential staff will be at the parks to preserve and protect resources.

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Camping and other overnight accommodations on state-managed recreation lands will remain closed through April 30.

To find the latest information about State Parks and WDFW operations in response to the coronavirus outbreak in Washington state, visit parks.state.wa.us/COVID19 and wdfw.wa.gov/about/covid-19-updates.

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