Angeles National Forest Shutters High-Use Areas, Offices Due To COVID-19
ARCADIA (CBSLA) - Federal park officials are shutting down portions of the Angeles National Forest due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The temporary closure of the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument and Los Angeles Gateway Ranger District went into effect Friday and restricts access to roughly 40,000 out of 700,000 acres, Nathan Judy of the U.S. Forest Service said.
It does not restrict people from walking onto National Forest land that is not covered by the order.
Through July 1, the shutdown will impact four formal trailheads and 23 informal trail access points, resulting in a larger closure of 23 trails and 19 roads, said Judy.
The closure was ordered for local compliance with ``current federal, state, and local guidance for social distancing and to ensure health safety of its visitors, volunteers and employees,'' Judy said in a statement.
In all, the closure encompasses 81.5 miles of trail -- out of 760 open miles -- and 54.5 miles of road.
Click here for the Forest Order, maps of the affected areas, and other info.