Recreation Areas Closed; Community Centers, Pools, Fields, Picnic Sheters, Playgrounds

What’s closed

• Recreation areas in parks operated by King County and Seattle; including picnic shelters, athletic fields and tennis/basketball courts. King County Parks and Seattle Parks and Recreation announced the closure of recreation areas in Seattle and King Country parks on Friday, saying that “pick-up games, picnics and other large gatherings will not be permitted.” Effective immediately, all playgrounds, sports courts, and picnic shelters are closed. Except for hygiene shower services, Seattle Parks and Recreation has cancelled all programming, childcare, rentals, and permitted events, and will close all community centers, pools, and environmental learning centers to the public. This will last until at least April 13. We will be in continued contact with public health officials to evaluate our options beyond this timeline. See our blog for details. You can also follow our Twitter feed.
• All Seattle Public School (SPS) playgrounds and playfields district-wide are to be closed tomorrow, Tuesday, March 24. This is a crucial step to increase public safety and social distancing. The closure of SPS playgrounds and playfields will be in effect until further notice. Please remind children and others about social distancing recommendations and review the guidelines for gatherings of children and youth while schools are closed. 
• State campgrounds. According to a news release from the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, the Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Department of Natural Resources, all campgrounds in Washington State Parks are closed through April 30.
• Some national park facilities. While state parks have all closed to camping, the National Parks Service is “modifying operations” for locations that cannot comply with public health guidance on more of a case-by-case basis. Park facilities that have closed include Seattle’s Klondike Gold Rush Museum and Mount Rainier’s Longmire Museum, Paradise Jackson Visitor Center and Paradise Snowplay Area. The latest park closure information for Washington is available online.

What’s open

• Day-use areas and trails in state parks. Visitors are “encouraged to practice social distancing and good hygiene while enjoying the outdoors” and to avoid ocean beaches due to a high volume of visitor traffic.
• Parks maintained by King County and the city of Seattle. While their playgrounds and ballfields are closed, the parks will remain open, as will park restrooms, which will be frequently cleaned and sanitized. This extends to “natural lands, regional trails, backcountry trails, and beaches where social distancing can be maintained.
• Some national parks. While state parks have shuttered, the national parks’ response has been more of a patchwork, with closures scattered throughout the network in Washington. The latest park closure information Washington is available online.