George Washington, Jefferson National Forests Restricting Access   Roanoke, Va. (April 2, 2020) - To protect public health and safety and align with guidance from Virginia health officials and experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as well as to comply with Virginia and West Virginia statewide stay-at-home orders, George Washington and Jefferson National Forests officials are extending temporary shutdowns to include additional day-use areas such as picnic sites, interpretive sites, shooting ranges and swimming sites. The shutdowns include: · All developed campgrounds and cabins · All public restrooms · All visitor centers · All trail shelters · South Pedlar ATV Trail System · Peters Mill Run/Taskers Gap Off-Highway Vehicle Trail System · Cascades Day Use Area · Crabtree Falls Day Use Area · Blacksburg Shooting Range · Wythe Shooting Range Trailhead facilities and access points to the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, including parking lots dedicated to the trail, remain temporarily shut down as well. “We believe people understand the serious risks posed by facilities and trails that draw large numbers of people into close proximity to each other,” said Forest Supervisor Joby Timm. “We appreciate people’s patience and understanding of our efforts to mitigate those risks to protect public health and safety.” For a list of specific facilities on the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests that are temporarily shut down, please visit: FS.USDA.gov/recmain/gwj/recreation. The George Washington and Jefferson National Forests officials will continue to coordinate a COVID-19 response in alignment with all federal, state and local guidance.

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