Hiking trails in San Mateo, Sonoma counties to reopen
Closed since late March, parks in Sonoma and San Mateo counties will start reopening trails this week, with a caution to the public to avoid clustering amid fear of spreading the coronavirus.
Meanwhile, on the eve of the summer recreation season, the U.S. Forest Service said it could begin reopening California campgrounds starting in May. The service will coordinate with rural counties.
The trail openings in Sonoma and San Mateo counties are the first break from complete shutdowns in both areas. “During this time, it’s critical that park users follow the new rules developed to prevent overcrowding, discourage gatherings and support social distancing,” said San Mateo County Parks Director Nicholas Calderon.
Trails will reopen Monday in 13 of 23 parks in San Mateo County, Calderon said. The parks include Huddart and Wunderlich near Woodside, San Pedro Valley in Pacifica, Pescadero Creek near La Honda, and San Bruno Mountain, according to park staff. The segment of the Bay Trail that passes through Coyote Point in San Mateo will be accessible on foot or bicycle, but the park will remain closed.
“San Mateo County’s order differs from the orders in other counties by restricting outdoor recreation to within 10 miles of a person’s residence,” said Carla Schoof at San Mateo County Parks. “This restriction applies not only to San Mateo County residents but also to residents of other counties who wish to travel to San Mateo County for outdoor recreation.”
In Sonoma County, modified rules took effect Wednesday. The county Health Department requires that “park visits must originate from a resident’s home and cannot involve the use of a motor vehicle.” Park users must carry a face covering and wear it if they come within 6 feet of other visitors.
The opening of national forest sites would roll from May into early June, said Eli Ilano, forest supervisor for Tahoe National Forest and the coordinator for the U.S. National Forest’s public information office for the region’s COVID Emergency Team.
“We’re trying to be consistent with what the local counties are doing,” Ilano said.
The U.S. Forest Service manages 20 million acres of public land across 19 national forests in California, with roughly 800 campgrounds accessible by vehicle at lakes, streams and trailheads. When recreation closures started amid the coronavirus pandemic, most Forest Service campgrounds were gated with notices that the closure would be in effect through Thursday, April 30. That date has been pushed forward.
At Tahoe and other destinations in the High Sierra, the openings could be in line with dates of last year, when snowmelt from high snow levels pushed the start of camping season past Memorial Day weekend.
The timeline is also dependent on the public’s behavior, Ilano said. In some cases, visitors have passed the gates at campgrounds and left trash near closed dumpsters and restrooms, where animals have plundered the garbage.
Last week, the U.S. Forest Service sent out an urgent national message for the public to avoid highrisk activities. The reason, Ilano said, is because searchandrescue teams, wilderness rangers and staff in the field will remain extremely limited until late May.
“San Mateo County’s order differs from the orders in other counties by restricting outdoor recreation to within 10 miles of a person’s residence.”
Carla Schoof, San Mateo County Parks