So much for that plan

Today I started making my way from southwest Arizona to the red rock country of Utah. This evening I’m at Painted Rocks Petroglyph Site near Gila Bend and will continue eastward and northward over the next couple of weeks. Hey, celebrating my birthday by boondocking and hiking in Moab sounds like a good idea.

Well, moments ago I learned the Southeast Utah Health Department issued an order that essentially shuts down tourism in Carbon, Emory and Grand Counties.

Overnight Lodging. Effective at 10 pm (MST) on March 17, 2020, all overnight and short-term lodging facilities (including but not limited to hotels, motels, condos, townhomes, guest homes, RV parks, and all camping on public or private lands) within Carbon, Emery, and Grand Counties may only check-in, rent, or lease to Essential Visitors and Primary Residents. Essential Visitors and Primary Residents may utilize public lands for primitive camping purposes. No camp shall be located within 200 yards of another camp and no camp shall consist of more than 10 people. An Essential Visitor is any individual renting lodging or camping for an amount of time less than 30 days for the purposes of work within Carbon, Emery, and Grand Counties, or for an employer within the boundaries of Carbon, Emery, and Grand Counties, and their spouse and dependents. Primary Residents are any individuals renting lodging for periods of 30 days or greater or whose primary address is within one of the counties. (My emphasis added)

Moab and Arches National Park are in Grand County. Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante are outside that three-county area. For now, that leaves plenty of alternative places I could play. But I’m worried other health departments might follow SEUHD’s lead.

UPDATE: Link to article. And this.