GREAT FALLS — Effective at 5 pm on Friday, March 27, Glacier National Park will be closed to all park visitors until further notice. There will be no visitor access permitted to the park.
Park officials said in a news release that US Highway 2 inside the park boundary will remain open.
The closure is an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus).
“The National Park Service listened to the concerns from our state, county, and tribal partners and, based on current health guidance, temporarily closed the park,” said Glacier Superintendent Jeff Mow. “We will continue to work with our state, county, and tribal partners as this crisis continues and we will coordinate with them on when it will be safe to reopen the park.”
Earlier this week, Yellowstone National Park also announced that it is closed until further notice.
As of Friday morning (March 27), there are 108 confirmed cases of COVID-19 (coronavirus) in Montana.
Here is a list of counties with the most confirmed cases: Gallatin 39; Yellowstone 20; Missoula 8; Butte-Silver Bow 8; Lewis & Clark 8; Flathead 6; Cascade 6. Officials in Montana are keeping a list of confirmed cases in the Treasure State on an updated map and website - click here to visit the site.
There have now been seven hospitalizations of COVID-19 patients in Montana, according to the state Coronavirus Task Force. The DPHHS public health lab in Helena has completed more than 2,680 tests for COVID-19.
Bullock on Thursday afternoon issued a directive requiring Montanans to stay home and temporarily closes all nonessential businesses and operations as efforts to curtail the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus) continue. The order goes into effect at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, March 28. Click here for complete details.
The order will be in effect through Friday, April 10, and requires all businesses and operations in Montana, except for essential businesses and operations as defined in the directive, to stop all activities within the state. The Directive also prohibits all public and private gatherings of any number of people occurring outside a household or place of residence.
The order does not prohibit restaurants from continuing to offer take-out, curb-side, and delivery service. Click here for a list of Great Falls restaurants offering such service.
Employees who are not sure if they are considered essential should talk with their manager/business owner. Business owners with questions can call at 1-800-755-6672 and leave messages 24-hours a day and will receive a prompt response, according to Bullock.
*CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL TEXT OF THE DIRECTIVE*
CONTINUING COVERAGE:
- Coronavirus stimulus package: What it means for Americans
- Unemployment claims skyrocket in Montana
- Businesses trying to keep the doors open in Great Falls
- Churches and non-profits team up to help Great Falls
- U.S. deaths linked to COVID-19 top 1,000
- How safe is take-out food during COVID-19 pandemic?
- Restrictions and closures extended in Montana due coronavirus
- Yellowstone National Park is closed to all visitors until further notice
- Great Falls Clinic now accepting homemade masks
- "GF Take Down & Take Out" supports Great Falls restaurants
- Coronavirus: Frequently Asked Questions in Great Falls
- Some grocery stores begin offering periodic "seniors only" shopping
- Why COVID-19 is causing more concern than the flu
- Free COVID-19 testing and unemployment benefits for Montanans
