Here are some of the new stories Saturday morning:
— PennDOT reports River Road is open at Lewisburg. The road closed Friday because of high water. The Susquehanna River crested below flood stage overnight at Lewisburg.
— At Sunbury, the National Weather Service reports the Susquehanna River main stem of the river crested just above 18 feet, and is now receding. The Shikellamy State Park Marina access road is not open.
— It appears the Shikellamy State Park Marina will open May 8. The full release from DCNR is below:
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE DCNR Announces Plan for Reopening Some State Park, Forest Facilities “As the weather turns warmer, DCNR anticipates even greater numbers of people will be looking for opportunities to be outdoors – to connect with nature and exercise for good health,” Dunn said. “As staffing allows and with the appropriate protocols in place to ensure safety, we are working to reopen our state parks and forests so that Pennsylvanians can realize all of the benefits associated with being outdoors.” The schedule for reopening state park and forest facilities is:
With the exception of one restroom in each day use area and marina, all state park and forest facilities outside of the counties in the yellow phase will remain closed until changes are made consistent with Governor Wolf’s guidelines for reopening. The public can still access DCNR trails, lakes, rivers, streams, forests, roads, and parking areas statewide for recreation. All playgrounds, nature play areas, interpretive centers, amphitheaters, and group camping facilities statewide will remain closed indefinitely. Swimming beaches statewide will be closed until June 6. All programs, events, and large gatherings at state parks and forests in counties that are designated red are cancelled through June 15. Based on availability, organizers will have the option to reschedule later in the year. No new reservations for these activities are being taken. In counties designated yellow, any events with more than 25 people will be cancelled. If the event is under 25 people and outdoors it will be allowed to occur, however any indoor events will be cancelled. Consistent with Governor Wolf’s guidelines for reopening, facilities such as pavilions will only be available for groups under 25 and will be on a first come first serve basis. Picnic tables in state parks will be dispersed to allow room to spread out and avoid crowds. Campsites and cabins should only be used by members living in the same household as part of COVID-19 mitigation efforts. People who live in areas still under stay-at-home orders should not travel long distances for outdoor recreation, and instead should look for opportunities close to home. Pennsylvania has 6,000 local parks and more than 12,000 miles of trails available (check first to make sure they are open, as some local parks are closed). Visitors can help keep state parks and forest lands safe by following these practices:
To help avoid exposure to COVID-19 and protect others, and still enjoy the outdoors:
Pennsylvania has 121 state parks, and 20 forest districts. Information about state parks and forests is available on the DCNR website. Updates also are being provided on DCNR’s Facebook and Twitter accounts.
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