ST PAUL, Minn. — With warmer weather upon us and cabins, resorts and campgrounds beckoning, KARE 11 has received numerous questions about whether or not these facilities are open for use, and what the guidelines and limitations might be.
Earlier this week Explore Minnesota, the state's official tourism wing, asked the Governor's office to clarify the guidelines for both operators and users under Mr. Walz's Stay at Home order. This is what they found.
Resorts
- Hotel portions of resorts (including rented cabins) can open as planned and can accept guests.
- Guests do not have to be members of a critical sector to stay at a resort.
- Communal amenities may not be open for use, except for the following that may be open provided social distancing and enhanced cleaning protocols are followed: Retail food stores, laundry facilities, fish cleaning stations and docks.
- While resorts can accept visitors, the Stay at Home Order continues to discourage unnecessary travel, and the Order asks people to remain close to their homes.
- Resorts do not have to open if they are not comfortable doing so.
RV Resorts
- People who rely on their campsite as a primary residence, or that are seasonal renters and who maintain personal property at their site, can continue to utilize the RV resort.
- Camp sites can be used on a short term or temporary basis by people who require necessary shelter for the purposes of work or required social distancing.
- Camp sites that are reserved for temporary or rotating use for purely recreational and short term purposes are not allowed.
- Communal amenities may not be open for use, except for the following that may be open provided social distancing and enhanced cleaning protocols are followed: Bathrooms/shower buildings, retail food stores, laundry facilities, fish cleaning stations and docks.
- While people can visit RV resorts as outlined above, the Stay at Home Order continues to discourage unnecessary travel, and the Order asks people to remain close to their homes.
- RV resorts do not have to open if they are not comfortable doing so.
Private and Public Campgrounds
All private and public campgrounds and dispersed camping sites are closed to recreational camping. This means that camp sites that are reserved for temporary or rotating use for purely recreational and short term purposes are not allowed.
This closure does not apply to:
- People who rely on their campsite as a primary residence, or that are seasonal renters and who maintain personal property at their site.
- Camp sites used on a short term or temporary basis by people who require necessary shelter for the purposes of work or required social distancing.
Communal amenities may not be open for use, except for the following that may be open provided social distancing and enhanced cleaning protocols are followed:
- Bathrooms/shower buildings
- Retail food stores
- Laundry facilities
- Fish cleaning stations and docks
While people can continue to visit campgrounds as outlined above, the Stay at Home Order continues to discourage unnecessary travel, and the Order asks people to remain close to their homes.
Campgrounds do not have to open if they are not comfortable doing so.
All or part of this could change, of course, if the Stay at Home order is allowed to expire May 4.
