While many trails and other outdoor state park amenities remain open, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources has temporarily closed visitor centers, park offices and site offices to the public because of the coronavirus pandemic. The closures include the Mastodon State Historic Site Museum in Imperial, a DNR spokesman said.
Those facilities were closed Friday (March 20), and will last until at least at least April 30, the DNR reported.
In addition, all special events and on-site programs are suspended or postponed through April 30, according to the Missouri State Parks website.
While museums, centers and offices are closed, outdoor facilities, like the Sandy Creek Covered Bridge Historic Site north of Hillsboro, remain open, a department spokesman said.
In addition to trails, state park lodging, campgrounds and boat ramps are still open to the public, the department reported.
Signs posted on doors will direct visitors to restrooms and other services and provide a phone number for visitors to contact staff, according to the report.
The department urges those who visit state parks to adhere to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations, such as limiting groups to no more than 10 people and maintaining a distance of at least 6 feet from other people. Park visitors are also urged to bring water, soap and hand sanitizer with them.
Missouri State Parks staff members are available on site or by phone to answer questions. For more information about Missouri State Parks, go to moparks@dnr.mo.gov.
