Yosemite is closed

Yosemite National Park is announcing modifications to operations at the request of the local health department. As of 3:00 pm today, Friday, March 20, 2020, Yosemite National Park is closed to all park visitors until further notice. This closure will be enforced 24-hours a day/7-days a week and there will be no access permitted to Yosemite National Park.

https://www.nps.gov/yose/learn/news/yosemite-national-park-is-modifying-operations-to-implement-latest-health-guidance-2.htm

More detail about Yosemite National Park being closed at the request of the local health department: The park is closed to all individuals with the exception of: residents of all communities within the legislative boundary of Yosemite National Park and residents of Yosemite West who are using NPS roads to access their residences. Additionally, while in the official performance of their duties: authorized NPS employees, authorized contractors of the NPS, authorized employees or contractors of Yosemite Hospitality, The Ansel Adams Gallery, NatureBridge, Yosemite Conservancy, the United States Postal Service, or other authorized park partners.

Every amenity was already closed, what's the rationale for closing the park itself? Sounds like CYA to me. The Governor says, go ahead, go outside and get some exercise. But not in a national park. Next up: all state parks close.

Closing the park also protects those that live and/or work in the park from someone bringing the virus in from another area. Medical care is limited in the park at it's best and do your really want the rangers to have to respond to hurt or lost hikers, or accidents or anything else that could possible expose them to the virus that was brought in by a visitor. Plus with the free entrance to all national parks now, the park would be over run and we saw what happened during the government shutdown. The Governor wants people to stay local and enjoy a park in their area or just go take a walk in their neighborhood.

Because travel to those parks involves potential exposure to you or others. And the goal is to massively reduce potential exposure. Basic epidemiology...

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Yosemite National Park has been closed since Friday. This closure does not allow for travel into the park for the purposes of purchasing food, picking up mail, or other essential activities by people who live outside the boundaries of Yosemite National Park. Rangers staffing the entrances may grant access for the purposes of medical care, based on their discretion and in consultation with the incident command staff.

If you receive mail at an address in the park but live outside the park, consider temporarily forwarding your mail via https://moversguide.usps.com/mgo/. (There is a $1.05 charge to verify your identity via a credit card that is associated with your “old” or “new” addresses.)

Arch Rock and Big Oak Flat Entrances are closed to all traffic nightly from 10 pm to 6 am. South Entrance will remain open 24 hours per day for the time being (for those authorized to be in Yosemite National Park). Please plan accordingly.