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Utah's 5 National Parks Closed As Capitol Reef Shuts Gates

Wolfgang Staudt
/
flickr

All five of Utah’s national parks are closed after Capitol Reef officials said Thursday they’re shuttering their gates to prevent spread of the new coronavirus. The park known for its sandstone cliffs was the last national park still open in Utah after Zion, Bryce Canyon, Arches and Canyonlands had previously closed under pressure from local government and health officials. Capitol Reef’s decision comes after Utah Gov. Gary Herbert on Tuesday urged peopled to stay at home even though it is Easter week. Many of America’s most popular parks have closed, including Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Great Smoky Mountains and Glacier.