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Arizona's Still Hiking: How State And National Parks Are Handling Coronavirus

By Steve Goldstein, Lauren Gilger
Published: Wednesday, March 18, 2020 - 1:05pm

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Picacho Peak State Park Arizona
Tim Agne/KJZZ
A hiker at Picacho Peak State Park in Arizona.

Arizonans have no spring training baseball games, no concerts or festivals to attend due to the coronavirus shutdowns. But people are turning to a form of recreation that is still available — the outdoors.

Hiking and camping is a popular pastime in Arizona and is something we can still do. The state of New Mexico closed its state parks due to the coronavirus, but most Western states, including Arizona, are keeping theirs open. National parks here remain open as well.

Christine Vogt is a professor and director of the ASU Center for Sustainable Tourism in the School of Community Resources and Development. She joined The Show to talk about the importance of having outdoor recreation space available during a time like this.

The Show also spoke with Tim Franquist, deputy director of Arizona State Parks, about how many people are utilizing the parks and what precautions the state is taking — including keeping the bathrooms clean.

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