Inslee: Some Outdoor Recreation Can Resume May 5 In Washington

OLYMPIA, WA — Gov. Jay Inslee unveiled a plan to ease restrictions on outdoor recreation in Washington, beginning May 5. The governor was joined remotely by leaders from the Department of Natural Resources, the Department of Fish and Wildlife and Washington State Parks for a news conference Monday afternoon.

"We know in times of crisis that our public lands and natural resource areas are a place that we go to for our physical, our mental and our emotional well-being, so it was one of the hardest things to have to close those lands to the people of Washington," said Hilary Franz, Commissioner of Public Lands.

"Thanks to the shared sacrifice of everyone, and the heroic work of our first responders, our doctors, our nurses, we are able to take steps today to reopen our public lands. I truly believe that reconnecting people with nature is the first step in a long journey back to normalcy."

Inslee said the latest data on COVID-19 activity in Washington, along with updated modeling, provided an opportunity for the state to begin relaxing some rules for day trips, with added precautions.

"Based on the data that we have now received, we are close to the point in the spread of this virus where we can enjoy the outdoors," Inslee said.

The updated guidelines will allow for day-use of state parks and public lands managed by the Department of Natural Resources, along with state fish and wildlife areas. Permitted activities include hiking, hunting, fishing and golf, provided visitors avoid groups and adhere to social distancing practices.

All camping on state lands will remain banned, including in backcountry areas and primitive sites.

Inslee said all recreational trips should be limited to direct members of each household, and visitors should continue to wear face coverings, avoid gatherings and maintain a six-foot distance from others while outdoors.

The governor cautioned that rolling back some of the rules should not be misinterpreted as a sign that the state's battle with COVID-19 is over.

"This is not a return to normal today, the virus is too rampant to allow that," Inslee said. "We have a plan for reopening our state, but it depends on how the data comes in regarding the progress of this virus."

Should data begin to show signs of increased virus activity, the state could reinstate the restrictions at a future date, Inslee said. Local governments will also have the authority to maintain any restrictions they deem necessary.

Guidelines and restrictions for outdoor recreation:

1) Anyone exhibiting any cold or flu-like symptoms shall not participate in outdoor recreation activities.
2) Any state parks, state public lands, hunting and fishing seasons, golf facilities, trails, and other public parks, public lands and trails may be closed at any time if there is reason to believe unsafe conditions exist or social distancing practices are not being adhered to.
3) People must recreate locally: Do not travel farther than necessary and do not stay overnight to recreate.
4) Limit your recreation partners to only those who live within your household unit.
5) Practice social distancing at trailheads, boat launches, and all areas where you encounter others.
6) Utilize facial coverings in any situation where social distancing is not possible.
7) Bring your own food and supplies when possible. This will help protect others in your community.
8) The Golf Alliance of Washington has been working to provide appropriate social distancing and limits on activities. These include spacing out tee times, limits on size of parties, walking-only (unless someone needs to be in the cart for mobility reasons), no on-site beverage or food service (take-away only, just as with other food service) and more.

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Washington's parks, fishing areas will reopen in phases

Don Hoch, director of Washington State Parks, said it was unlikely all properties would be ready to reopen by May 5, and residents are encouraged to check each park's status before they hit the road.

The Department of Fish and Wildlife said some coastal areas will not reopen immediately, and shellfish or clamming areas will lag behind others.

Inslee's "Stay Home, Stay Healthy" order, which went into effect March 23, deemed non-commercial fishing a non-essential activity and all boat ramps on public lands were closed. Dozens of boaters gathered on Seattle's Lake Union Sunday, calling on the governor to "Let Us Fish."

Inslee has not indicated when other sectors of Washington's economy may begin to reopen, and reiterated in a Monday's news conference that updated modeling makes it clear that lifting all social distancing efforts too soon would ensure the virus's return.

The governor noted that while daily hospitalization rates have dropped and new infections appeared to have plateaued, the state has not fallen below the threshold required to allow for a wider rollback of restrictions.

Last week, Inslee lifted some restrictions on public and private construction projects, allowing job sites to resume operation once they can meet detailed public health requirements. The governor said a plan to resume elective surgeries in the state would be announced soon.

Watch the governor's full news conference here: