Most state parks throughout Florida and the Keys remained open as of Friday at noon, but camping and special event reservations shut down for the next 60 days.
State parks that are still open have implemented Gov. Ron DeSantis’ directive on March 19 as it pertains to gatherings on public beaches and swimming areas to less than 10.
As of Friday afternoon, Curry Hammock State Park in Marathon was at capacity per the governor’s 50-percent capacity order. Per direction from the state, parks will no longer allow additional visitors to enter once the capacity daily limit is reached to ensure public safety and discourage crowd gathering.
“If you come out, you will have to sit in line until people leave,” said Ken Troisi, park manager.
Sitting halfway between Key Largo and Key West on 1,000-acres, Curry Hammock’s vast land preserve is open for people to walk and enjoy the day. The beach area, picnic pavilions and cookout spots also remain available. Troisi said the park has halted kayak rentals.
“It’s a place of open space for our public to get out and utilize in a respectful manner,” he said.
In Key Largo, John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park’s visitors can still walk trails, hang out at the two beaches and fish. When the weather’s good, kayaking and paddle board rentals are being offered, according to Cass Meadows, assistant park manager.
“We are here because people need this,” she said. “As long as we can, we’re going to offer it.”
While the park isn’t welcoming new visitors past 5 p.m., Meadows said rangers aren’t immediately forcing those inside to leave. “We’re letting people recreate and be out in the open,” she said.
Meadows said they, too, are following the 50-percent capacity levels. She said the park’s seeing 30-40 percent capacity. In addition, Meadows said Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock Botanical State Park has plenty of trails to walk on while maintaining social distancing.
We just trimmed all trails, and there’s a lot of open space up there,” she said.
Windley Key Fossil Reef State Park, MM 84.9, Islamorada; Long Key State Park, MM 67.4, Layton; Bahia Honda State Park, MM 36.8, Big Pine Key; and Fort Zachary Taylor State Park, Key West also remain open.
VARYING OPINIONS ON BEACHES
While the governor is maintaining his position on beaches remaining open, former governor and current U.S. Sen. Rick Scott had a different message to the state and local government.
“I think they ought to do everything they can to stop people from being on the beach,” Scott said in an interview on CNN. “What are you thinking about by being on the beach being around people who might have coronavirus and then you’re going to go home and impact the people you love the most?”
U.S. Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell says it’s essential the governor use his power to immediately close access to all public beaches.
“Eliminating access to beaches is an absolute necessity if we want to successfully slow the spread of coronavirus,” she said.
Due to county ordinances closing adjacent public beaches, four state parks across Florida were closed today. They include Topsail Hill State Park in Sarasota; Grayton State Park and Deer Lake State Park in Santa Rosa Beach and Henderson Beach State Park in Destin.
