As the coronavirus outbreak in Oregon shuts people out of restaurants, businesses and workplaces across the state, there may still be one place to escape into public: nature.

Many public parks and trails remain open amid the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, and both parks and public health officials are actively encouraging outdoor recreation right now.

“Actually, being outside is a healthy thing to do in this environment,” said Paula Fasano Negele, a spokeswoman for the Oregon Office of Emergency Management. “You’re social distancing when you’re outdoors, it’s good for your mental health, and it’s good for your physical health right now, so I think it’s probably a good thing to do.”

Officials have already taken several measures to try to stem the spread of the coronavirus. On Monday, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown banned gatherings of more than 25 people, while ordering all bars and dining rooms in the state to close and shift to takeout and delivery only.

U.S. public health officials have also cautioned against group gatherings of more than 10 people, and recommend people stay at least six feet apart while staying out of public as much as possible.

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Few of those actions apply to outdoor recreation spaces, however, where it’s usually easy to keep an appropriate distance from others, and few objects are commonly touched.

As a result, few outdoor recreation spaces have so far been closed.

People walk along Indian Beach on a fall day at Ecola State Park on the northern Oregon coast.Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department shut down its Whale Watching Center Monday, as well as two gift shops on the Oregon coast. Otherwise all of Oregon’s state parks remain open.

“While the COVID-19 situation is still very fluid, your parks are currently open,” department director Lisa Sumption announced Tuesday. “We are continuing to put our best foot forward by reviewing and updating our approach to management.”

That will include refining the department’s cleaning procedures to focus on high-traffic areas and “touch points,” Sumption said, as well as following any guidelines laid out by state officials.

The cleaning procedures will apply to bathrooms, showers, yurts and cabins, but they won’t apply to play structures, according to the parks department, as they aren’t normally cleaned. Play structures remain open, with signs posted reminding visitors to wash their hands regularly, cover coughs and maintain social distance.

Park sites and trailheads managed by the U.S. Forest Service also remain open, which includes thousands of natural spaces across the state.

“The forest service doesn’t typically open and close facilities like a park would, so unless something changes, they’re open,” said Rachel Pawlitz, spokeswoman for the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area.

Trailheads in the Columbia Gorge often draw more than 25 people at a time, but it’s often easy to gain separation from crowds on the trail. There are a few exceptions, like Benson Bridge at Multnomah Falls, that funnel people into narrow viewpoints.

Forest officials wouldn’t comment on potential closures of specific areas. Their focus right now is on how to keep natural spaces open to the public, while following the lead of public health agencies, they said.

No other federal land management agencies have announced widespread closures in Oregon. Neither the Bureau of Land Management nor the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife have announced any closures due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The National Park Service has shut down the visitor center at the Lewis and Clark National Historical Park, but other national park sites, including Crater Lake, remain open as usual.

With the caveat that things could change very quickly, the message from officials has been an invitation to continue exploring Oregon’s outdoors – especially at a stressful time like this.

“It’s an excellent form of therapy,” Pawlitz said of hiking in the Columbia Gorge. “You get to one of those overlooks with a beautiful panoramic view, and there’s just something about that that can be really refreshing.”

--Jamie Hale; jhale@oregonian.com; 503-294-4077; @HaleJamesB

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