If you’re planning on enjoying one of the country’s national parks this summer, you might want to make sure you’re stocked up on masks before you leave. A surge in COVID-19 cases is causing many parks to reintroduce masks mandates.
Rules about masks vary depending on the park and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s COVID-19 Community Levels tool. In areas the CDC identifies with a high COVID-19 community level, masks are required regardless of vaccination status. In most low and medium COVID-19 community level areas, masks are optional, however visitors should use policies enforced at staff and volunteer discretion. In all parks, masks are required on all forms of enclosed public transportation. So far, six national parks have reinstated mask mandates according to the National Park Service website.