The National Park Service announced today that Big Bend National Park and Rio Grande Wild & Scenic River units will be closed to all visitors until further notice. The closure is in response to a positive case of COVID-19 in the park’s residential community. The closure is in accordance with the parks’ COVID-19 operations plan developed alongside public health professionals.

The park will close to public entry Thursday morning, July 2. No entry will be allowed into the park, except to employees, residents, and other authorized persons. Through traffic will be prohibited, as will travel on Terlingua Ranch Road within park boundaries.

“We are working closely with our state and local partners during this closure,” said Big Bend National Park Superintendent Bob Krumenaker. “Healthy NPS employees will continue to work behind the scenes, improving the condition of the park, with strict adherence to social distancing and safety protocols to assure their safety. We look forward to reopening the park, when the timing is right, as safely as possible.”