A woman relaxes on a beach near San Francisco. | Getty Images Newsom shuts parking lots near California beaches, trails after seeing weekend crowds

SAN FRANCISCO — California will shutter state-run parking lots at three dozen parks and beaches to reduce crowds after residents packed popular outdoor spaces across the state this weekend, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday.

During California’s first weekend under a mandatory statewide stay-at-home order, trails, parks and beaches were jammed, fanning fears that outdoor recreation would undermine social distancing efforts intended to blunt the spread of the coronavirus.


“We can’t see what we saw happen over the weekend happen again,” Newsom said in a Monday video press conference.

Local officials preceded Newsom's state parking lot closure by shuttering local hiking trails, playgrounds and public sports fields. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced Sunday that the city will close its parks, golf courses and beaches to group activities, while San Francisco closed its playgrounds. Long Beach has closed dog parks, basketball courts, playgrounds and picnic areas, while San Diego County similarly closed bike parks, skate parks and play structures.

Newsom described the move to block off parking lots as a “soft closure” that would nudge Californians into changing their behaviors, rather than a more sweeping shutdown. He noted how it's impossible to socially distance the required six feet on single-track trails.

The parking lots closed immediately includes nine parks in Los Angeles County, seven in Marin County, 11 in San Mateo County, eight in Sonoma County and one — Torrey Pines — in San Diego County. Among the state parks closed are: Topanga, Angel Island, Sonoma Coast and Mount Tamalpais.

"Normally that would light up my heart to see tens of thousands of people congregating down at Malibu," he said. "One cannot condemn that, but one can criticize it."

The governor said parks officials would also be “significantly increasing” their patrolling of state beaches and noted that authorities “have the capacity to fine if necessary."