The state has some advice for Colorado residents thinking of taking a break from their quarantine for a weekend trip to the mountains: don’t.

“The COVID-19 pandemic is putting a strain on hospitals and first responders everywhere – especially in smaller mountain communities where people often visit for recreation,” said Shoshana Lew, the executive director of the Colorado Department of Transportation in a joint statement with the Department of Natural Resources. “One of the easiest ways people can help is by staying off the road. This reduces the potential for crashes and the resulting stress on our health care system and local emergency responders.”

The statewide directive to stay at home, now in its second week, does exempt necessary activities that specifically include “outdoor activity, such as…walking, hiking, nordic [sic] skiing, snowshoeing, biking or running.” State parks were directed to remain open to those “who live in the vicinity.” The order did not waive social distancing requirements for those who choose to go outdoors.

Elisabeth Lawrence, a Summit County commissioner, said that she is hearing reports of vacation rentals that are still busy in her jurisdiction or trailheads where people congregate. “Believe me, we are anxious to welcome you back,” she said. “We can’t wait to welcome you back. This is just not the time.”

Lawrence explained that in Summit County, where the state’s first COVID-19 positive case occurred, there are few businesses open to entertain visitors. Someone who is injured or needs rescuing in the mountains could take away the time of first responders and take up space in hospitals that could be scarce during a large-scale COVID-19 outbreak.

“We still have many people from across the state – a lot of them from our Front Range area – who are off work or furloughed or telecommuting and have lots of free time now that they didn’t have before, that they want to recreate in the mountains,” she said. “You simply can’t come up to the mountains to recreate right now. It’s not safe.”