Despite Marin County's shelter-in-place order, visitors crowd Dillon Beach, Calif. on Saturday, March 21, 2020. (Photo by Robbie Schneider)

Despite Marin County's shelter-in-place order, visitors crowd Dillon Beach, Calif. on Saturday, March 21, 2020. (Photo by Robbie Schneider)

Visitors flocked to West Marin in March despite the county's stay-at-home order to slow the spread of the coronavirus. (Marin County Sheriff's Office via Twitter)



A sign posted by the Marin County Open Space District reminds people to keep a safe social distance in the Terra Linda/Sleepy Hollow Open Space Preserve along Lucas Valley Road in San Rafael on Saturday, March 21, 2020. During the shelter at home order, health officials recommend maintaining a distnace of six feet from people in public to control the spread of the COVID-19 virus. (Jennifer Upshaw Swartz/Marin Independent Journal)

A sign posted by the Marin County Open Space District reminds people to keep a safe social distance in the Terra Linda/Sleepy Hollow Open Space Preserve along Lucas Valley Road in San Rafael on Saturday, March 21, 2020. During the shelter at home order, health officials recommend maintaining a distnace of six feet from people in public to control the spread of the COVID-19 virus. (Jennifer Upshaw Swartz/Marin Independent Journal)

Throngs of visitors to West Marin packed beaches and other scenic spots Saturday, prompting county officials to call on Bay Area residents to stay away amid a shelter-in-place order aimed at curbing the coronavirus.

Horrified locals sent photos of a bustling Dillon Beach, where they said so many visitors turned out on the bright sunny day that residents’ cars were blocked from leaving the area. In Stinson Beach and the Point Reyes National Seashore, locals there also reported larger than usual crowds.

The parking lot along Sky Oaks Road on Mount Tamalpais was shuttered by sheriff’s deputies, who described seeing an “astronomical amount of people NOT practicing social distancing and home sheltering,” in a tweet hash tagged #stayathomeandsavealife.

The Marin County Department of Health and Human Services called the scene “an unusual influx of visitors – residents from around the Bay Area – amassing for the purpose of being outdoors” in an announcement Saturday night. Public health leaders and law enforcement authorities urged Bay Area residents to stay within their communities.

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At the Pruneyard in Campbell, a team effort, creative minds keep businesses afloat Two-lane roads packed with vehicles created traffic problems that could hinder public safety’s ability to respond, they said. Problems with sanitation – bathrooms at state and federal parks are closed – also were cited.

“Marin is usually a place for recreation, but now is not the time,” said Dr. Lisa Santora, county deputy public health officer, in a statement. “Congregating in these popular areas makes the shelter-in-place order less effective and continues to put all of our counties at risk of COVID-19 spread.”

Public health officials ask that residents stay close to home and avoid driving whenever possible.

Marin’s shelter-in-place order went into effect Tuesday, limiting movement only to essential needs. Gov. Gavin Newsom has since issued a similar statewide order.