Evers Closes 40 Wisconsin State Parks, Recreational Areas

(Steve Apps/Wisconsin State Journal via AP, File)

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Gov. Tony Evers on Thursday ordered the closure of 40 Wisconsin’s state parks, forests and recreational areas primarily in southern and southeastern Wisconsin to help reduce overcrowding and vandalism and to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

Evers’ warned that the order could be followed by more closures if the public doesn’t follow social distancing guidelines and vandalism continues.

The sites that will close indefinitely starting Thursday night include some of the state’s most popular hiking and camping destinations, which had been a place for cooped up families to spend time outdoors during the stay-at-home order.

“Unfortunately, growing difficulty with ensuring social distancing compliance, dwindling cleaning supplies and mounting trash are some of the challenges faced by our state parks staff,” Evers said in announcing the closures. “We have to address the growing public health and safety concern and protect Wisconsinites.”

He said the situation had reached the point where public safety in the parks and surrounding communities took precedence over keeping the locations open.

The closures include Devil’s Lake State Park, the Kettle Moraine State Forest, Blue Mound State Park, Governor Dodge State Park, New Glarus Woods State Park and Dells of The Wisconsin River State Natural Area. The only closed park that isn’t in southern Wisconsin was High Cliff State Park on Lake Winnebago in Calumet County.

As of Wednesday, there had been 99 deaths and nearly 2,800 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Wisconsin.