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A sign at the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks site Bear Paw Lake shows ovenight camping has been closed at the lake due to COVID-19. Wednesday, Montana Gov. Steve Bullock announced Phase I for reopening Montana, which included some access to Montana's vast outdoors. In Phase I, campgrounds will start to open on a limited basis. In Hill County, Beaver Creek Park did not close. The only thing the park closed to the public was the park office. Recreation activities such as hiking and overnight camping were never closed, and are still allowed as long as folks follow the social distancing guidelines.
Editor’s note: This corrects misreporting in the photo caption that said camping was closed in Beaver Creek Park. Camping was and is not closed in the park.
Montana Gov. Steve Bullock announced Wednesday his Phase I for reopening the state amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The reopening comes after slower growth in new COVID-19 cases statewide. Montana reached 439 cases Wednesday, after two weeks of flattening the curve. Fourteen people have died statewide. Bullock's stay-at-home order lifts Sunday.
What does that mean for outdoor recreation?
It was stated Wednesday that outdoor recreation can open if physical distancing is followed. That includes fishing access and parks. There may be some limited reopening of campgrounds, but it wouldn't be until the third and final phase that campgrounds and group-use facilities fully reopen.
Bullock didn't mention Montana's two biggest tourism destinations in iconic Glacier National Park and Yellowstone National Park, but in recent days, both park superintendents have given interviews on what reopening may look like. Also, Xanterra, which is the concessionaire for both parks, announced Monday that none of its lodging within either park will take reservations for dates before June 15.
The governor did speak about the hurting tourism industry in his press conference, but said, "Now is not the time for people to be traveling to Montana."
Phase I also states that all nonessential travel should still be minimized and a 14-day quarantine for those traveling to the state remains in place.
Counties can also enact their own restrictions that go beyond the state's orders, Bullock said.
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