Last Thursday, New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham amended an emergency public health order that, effective tomorrow (Monday, July 13), closes state parks to out-of-state residents.
Visitors to state parks must demonstrate proof of residency or will not be permitted entry. According to New Mexico State Parks, visitors must show one of the following to demonstrate residency: a valid New Mexico license plate, New Mexico driver’s license or ID card, New Mexico vehicle registration, federal document attesting to residency, or military identification. In order to ensure compliance with the new public health order, State Parks will further modify days and hours of operation for a handful of parks due to continued visitation from out-of-state residents and the additional staff time needed to enforce the public health order.
“What we saw for July Fourth was a clear demonstration that we got way too much going on in terms of travelers who provide risk. They bring the virus in. We can’t manage that,” Lujan Grisham said at a news conference Thursday. “If you’re coming to a state park, that is an easy thing to enforce. We will turn you right around.”
Out-of-state residents may visit national parks in the state only after quarantining for 14 days.
There has been significant community spread in our state since New Mexico opened more businesses,” said Health Secretary Kathy Kunkel, “and that spread has not been sufficiently mitigated with COVID-safe behaviors like face-coverings. Without those behaviors and strategies being uniformly adopted, the best way to reduce transmission is to reduce the opportunity for spread. We will all help each other through this.”
##RVT956b
I’m a NM resident and I honesty, before and when COVID-19 is over love that people want to come see our beautiful state. The two times I’ve gone camping this summer it’s been 90% Texans, 5% Oklahomans, and the remainder New Mexicans.
The real issue: Most, if not all of our out of state visitors that I have witnessed do not follow any of the states guidelines.
-not quarantining (14 days is the rule) that means you stay put, not leave your hotel or your RV.
-out all over without a mask (not wearing it if they do have it), while violating the quarantine.
-I can’t go to any business safely because this is happening all over (Red River, Angel Fire, Eagles Nest, Panderies, etc..). I’m sure it’s equally bad in the Ruidoso area (huge destination for Texans).
-A lady (with Texas Plates) was puking in a bucket in front of her RV and an ambulance was there this trip, I’m sure she was all over town before too.
the facts are this….full time RVers have been sucking off the taxpayers for way too long. You pay no property taxes. Gas taxes are not enough to support infrastructure. you use our facilities at National and State parks that is paid for with our property taxes. Or you clutter up our BLM land. The facts are RVs are not meant to live in full time, which is why they end up falling apart on the roadways. Now your stuck having to sit in one place {if you can find one} and all we hear is whining and crying because you can’t run off to get out of the heat? Oh well…enjoy living in 100sq ft with your kids and animals in walmart parking lots or become a NORMAL human! Buy a house, pay your taxes and send your kids to a REAL SCHOOL for a REAL EDUCATION! { this does not include elderly retired who have paid their dues and their taxes.}
The problem that the RV community has as a whole, is the fact that we don’t have a large organization lobbying for us. FMCA and like organizations are basically painting these grandiose pictures of what the lifestyle is like to help sell rigs and gadgets. We are lucky to have Russ and the staff of RVTravel to help us.
I understand the concerns and why the state parks are closed to out of staters. But NM took my out of state money for a annual pass 4 months ago and I have not been able to use it, and now the parks are closed to me indefinitely. I think it would be fair to refund my money, even if is pro-rated from the date of the official closure to out-of staters.
Nope… Not gonna comment. I’ll be banned just like my fourth n final time off Twitter.
But hey! All you out of Staters turn loose ur bag of C19 on ur way thru NM – just don’t stop… And the 14 day ‘quarantine’ is either/or – however long ur original intended stay was for – shortest of the two. Per one of Lujan’s trusted ‘health ministers’…
Don’t call it camping. Call it an over night BLM protest . Maybe burn down a pit toilet and you will be OK. Because it’s been proven the virus doesn’t spread at riots and protests.
That has a bitter sound to it, you can’t differentiate between actual protestors and the thugs who use an actual protest as an excuse to loot. Why not don a Nazi uniform and protest the protest?
Nevermind.
All I can say is to look at the political party this woman represents. Need I say more???
I don’t understand the mindset of not allowing overnight camping in a self-contained RV. Yet, somehow, day use is ok? BBqing, family picnics, etc?
Restrict overnight camping to self-contained RVs. No tents, popups, or anything that does not have it’s own toilet and shower facilities. How hard is that?
We have October reservations at Oliver Lee State Park for 4 nights. It remains to be seen if it will happen.
Yet hotels, luxury resorts, and restaurants/bars are fine. Because they have wealthy owners and pressure groups which might not ‘sponsor’ the governor next time. But po’ folk in self-contained campers in remote areas, yeah, let’s send them away, they are the problem. Starting my list of ‘States Which Treated Us Like Dirt’ for future reference.
It isn’t just tourists who “bring the virus in”. Local citizens can and do harbor the virus and many remain without symptoms. Blaming tourists alone is irresponsible and emboldens people to “tourist-bash”. However, I do strongly agree that now is NOT the time for travel.
Some of our NM State Parks are open – for Day Use Only. No overnight camping. That means you can go with your family, have a great picnic and barbeque. But, the visitor centers and restrooms are closed and locked. Where do you and/or your children go to relieve themselves? Into the bushes!! Now THAT’S really sanitary! Yet those with fully self-contained RVs can’t stay over night in campsites 20 feet apart. Hmmmmm…