Canal Road Parking Lot Closed!

jdog

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I got a call on Friday May 8th, from the Local state park superintendent. She asked me to spread the word that they are temporarily closing the parking lot at 625 canal road.

This is covid-19 related.

Please DO NOT CALL HER! Calling her won't make mtbers her friend, so please don't call her to complain.

For the time being, my suggestion is to avoid 6mr on weekends if possible. Find other lots than canal road and don't linger in the lots. Try to ride very early or after 3 pm.

Government public health officers are working to avoid public gatherings and this is part of that action.

Last Sat the canal road lot was overflowing and it was noted that the license plates were at least 50% out of state at the time. This is at least partially the concern.

Let's do our part to keep this park open. The current situation is frustrating for sure, but a hard closure of the park is BY FAR a worse outcome.

Please note that illegal parking WILL 100% result in Tickets and/or towing of illegally parked vehicles.
 
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Colonial park drive is also closed - just in case you were thinking of taking the D&R over from there. Parking on Elizabeth Dr at the HS sports complex.
 
If the park police were out yesterday they are going to eventually close them all. Rode down Blackwells by Canal and the one lot that was open was jammed at 5PM. 25 cars (no pic was driving sorry), parallel to the road, on the grass. Every other open lot along the canal was beyond capacity too.

Maybe it was mothers day and they'd look the other way.

Hoping this doesn't get worse and we go backwards.
 
If the park police were out yesterday they are going to eventually close them all. Rode down Blackwells by Canal and the one lot that was open was jammed at 5PM. 25 cars (no pic was driving sorry), parallel to the road, on the grass. Every other open lot along the canal was beyond capacity too.

Maybe it was mothers day and they'd look the other way.

Hoping this doesn't get worse and we go backwards.

They were ticketing for sure.
 
I was at Chimney Rock yesterday. Newman's lot was overfull, with people parked up on the grass. Ball field lot had about 6 cars when I started, 20 when I was finished.
 
If the park police were out yesterday they are going to eventually close them all. Rode down Blackwells by Canal and the one lot that was open was jammed at 5PM. 25 cars (no pic was driving sorry), parallel to the road, on the grass. Every other open lot along the canal was beyond capacity too.

Maybe it was mothers day and they'd look the other way.

Hoping this doesn't get worse and we go backwards.

That was my observation as well at 2:30pm yesterday.
 
Should be fine if you get there at the crack of early.
I'll take the later shift.....I'd rather start a ride at 6pm than 6am, since it's warmer later in the day and sunset is not until almost 8:15pm these days.
 
Rode today, parked at Jacques at 2, plenty available. Did see a loader piling up gravel and brush at canal lot entrance. Conditions were great
 

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