Hiker Headlines: Land Reopenings, Enchantment Permits, a Big Thank You

It’s May 7. Some state lands have reopened and King County Parks will soon follow suit. We have advice on staying safe as you venture a bit farther from your front door. The coronavirus has meant changes for Enchantments permits. And we can't thank you enough for how much you showed up for trails the last few days. 

Here’s some hiking news you might have missed this week.

Hikers have begun exploring a bit farther from home, now that some public lands have begun to reopen. Photo by greymstreet at Joe Watt Canyon.

Can I hike? Where? How? Like you, we’re super excited to see some areas begin to reopen to hikers. But not everywhere is open and we still need to be careful to keep ourselves and each other safe. Some state lands reopened earlier this week. King County Parks will reopen parks and trails, with some restrictions, on Friday, May 8. Keeping track of it is hard, we know, so we’re keeping our Hiking Guide up to date with alerts. We’ve also put together a FAQ to help get out on trail safely.

Enchantments permits: Overnight permits for the Enchantments area have been cancelled from May 15 through May 31 as part of continuing efforts to ensure physical distancing to protect against coronavirus infections. People who had permits will be refunded. Land managers will reassess every two weeks until it’s safe to allow permits again. Additionally, walk up permits will not be offered for the 2020 season to reduce crowding at the ranger station, however additional permits will be added to the online system on a first-come, first-served basis.

Thank you! Hikers showed up for trails in a big way over the past two days. Thank you all for GivingBIG and helping support our efforts to care for trails and give hikers the information they need — especially right now. We couldn't do it without you.

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