Wildfire smoke and an ongoing pandemic might have taken some of the pomp and circumstance out of the celebration of the National Park Service's 105th anniversary at Crater Lake on Wednesday, but for many visitors, it couldn’t put a damper on one of the park's free admission days.
Marsha McCabe, spokesperson for the national park, said the free entry days are all planned by the National Park Service – pandemic or not. In April and May of last year, the national park closed to the public, shuttering the park for one of its free entry days.
“We follow the CDC guidance so if there was guidance that came out that suggested we needed to close down some functions, then we would follow their guidance but that’s certainly not happened at this point.”
McCabe said signage for masks have been erected and are the primary way to get people to comply with the state mandate.
“We’re trying to set an example, too," McCabe said. "When my staff is out in the field and dealing with folks, they’re wearing masks, too, and I think oftentimes people see that and then they put their masks on, too.”
Masks are required in indoor spaces and outdoors starting on Friday, in situations where visitors cannot social distance.
Many visitors young and old donned masks at the park on Wednesday, like Jia Zhao and his extended family, who visited from Portland.
Zhao is a healthcare worker at a hospital in Portland and said his vacation to southern Oregon is one of the first times away from a bustling hospital where he works with COVID-19 diagnosis’ as a laboratory scientist.
“I’ve been stuck in my unit,” Zhao said.
He said, despite the smoke, the trip down to the national park was worth it.
“We are facing some tough battles back home,” he said. “I’ve already got a ton of email saying this and that is going on."
Being able to get away from a higher density city life, and being able to social distance at the park appears to make him feel safer.
The same is true for Jan and Gary Zum Mallen, educators from Illinois, who both wore masks at the park.
The couple described themselves as “national park people.”
They were happy to be able to get into the national park, on a free admission day or at all, since they missed out due to a park closure at the start of pandemic last year.
They’ve been to more than 20 national parks in the United States and can now cross Crater Lake off their list.
“Right before the pandemic, we did 10 national parks in the southwest, in January and February of 2020,” Jan said.
The couple hope to visit half a dozen more national parks as they travel into Southern California, although they are aware of wildfires and closures.
“It’s going to be a long time before I get on a plane but if you can get to a national park, it’s a great way to get to the outdoors and spend some time,” Gary said.
Jan said when she and her husband left home, that they knew the pandemic was growing everywhere.
“Now that we’re fully vaccinated, we still feel like we can keep ourselves safe,” Jan said. “We’re okay with masks … we think that’s a good idea.”
While boat tours and trolley tours have been canceled for the second summer in a row, as well as special programs, the Rim Café, Annie Creek Restaurant and Gift Store are open and the lodge is open to registered guests only. There are also rangers at the top of the Cleetwood Trail to offer assistance.
Visitor centers are currently closed. The Natural History Association is set up in the Community House with information about the park.
