To allow Illinois residents to engage in some outdoor activities, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) began to reopen select state parks, recreation areas, fish and wildlife areas and trails on May 1. Visitors to the reopened sites will be required to comply with social distancing guidelines and other COVID-19 best practices.
While some IDNR sites reopened on May 1, all other IDNR sites, including state historic sites, will remain closed until further notice.
Visitors to reopened IDNR sites should bring alcohol-based hand sanitizer (containing at least 60 percent alcohol) and face coverings.
Additional health and safety guidelines include: Practice social distancing by keeping at least six feet of distance from others; Please stay home if sick or feeling any symptoms, such as fever, coughing, troubled breathing, and/or other flu-like symptoms; Visit alone or with members of your household; Stay local- visit parks that are closest to where you live; If arriving at a park and crowds are forming, please move to another area or return another time/day to visit; Cover coughs or sneezes with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash. If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your upper arm/elbow.
For the full list of parks that are now reopened, please see this week’s print edition.