Photos: Amid coronavirus fears, U.S. national parks begin opening up

Aaron Stubbs and his two children sit on a rock to watch sunset at Joshua Tree National Park in California, Tuesday, May 19, 2020. The park reopened this week after a lengthy closure to help slow the spread of the new coronavirus. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
SPRINGDALE, UT - MAY 15: A lone car makes its way down a road in Zion National Park on May 15, 2020 in Springdale, Utah. Zion National Park had a limited reopening Wednesday as part of its reopening plan after it was closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo by George Frey/Getty Images)
A black bear walks through a field in Cades Cove on Saturday morning May 9, 2020 and passes by some of the first visitors to the partial reopening of The Great Smoky Mountains National Park. (Scott Keller/The Daily Times via AP)
Visitors to Cades Cove make their way around the 11-mile loop Saturday, May 9, 2020 on the first day of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park reopening.(Scott Keller/The Daily Times via AP)
A visitor takes a photo at the Grand Canyon Friday, May 15, 2020, in Grand Canyon, Ariz. Tourists are once again roaming portions of Grand Canyon National Park when it partially reopened Friday morning, despite objections that the action could exacerbate the coronavirus pandemic. (AP Photo/Matt York)
Matilda Fresk, left, and Enosh Baker hike along the rocks at Joshua Tree National Park in California, Tuesday, May 19, 2020. The park reopened this week after a lengthy closure to help slow the spread of the new coronavirus. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
SPRINGDALE, UT - MAY 14: The evening sun lights the Watchman Tower formation at the entrance to Zion National Park on May 14, 2020 in Springdale, Utah. Zion National Park had a limited reopening yesterday as part of its reopening plan after it was closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo by George Frey/Getty Images)
Tanya Wyler takes a photograph as Matthias Zather and Ines Zather, all of Switzerland, gather at the Grand Canyon Friday, May 15, 2020, in Grand Canyon, Ariz. Grand Canyon National Park has increased recreational access at the South Rim to selected viewpoints. The South Rim will reopen May 15-18 for incoming traffic from 6-10 a.m. with limited day use access. The National Park Service is using a phased approach to increase access on a park-by-park basis during the COVID-19 pandemic. (AP Photo/Matt York)
SPRINGDALE, UT - MAY 15: Hikers take pictures at the entrance of the famous Narrows hike, currently closed, along the North Fork of the Virgin River in Zion National Park on May 15, 2020 in Springdale, Utah. Zion National Park had a limited reopening Wednesday as part of its reopening plan after it was closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo by George Frey/Getty Images)
SPRINGDALE, UT - MAY 15: Visitors leave the Zion Lodge parking lot to go on hike in Zion National Park on May 15, 2020 in Springdale, Utah. Zion National Park had a limited reopening Wednesday as part of its reopening plan after it was closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo by George Frey/Getty Images)
Aaron Stubbs, second from right, and his two children sit on a rock to watch sunset at Joshua Tree National Park in California, Tuesday, May 19, 2020. The park reopened this week after a lengthy closure to help slow the spread of the new coronavirus. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
A social distancing sign is seen at the Grand Canyon Friday, May 15, 2020, in Grand Canyon, Ariz. Tourists are once again roaming portions of Grand Canyon National Park when it partially reopened Friday morning, despite objections that the action could exacerbate the coronavirus pandemic. (AP Photo/Matt York)
Tourists take pictures of the Blue Star spring near Old Faithful Upper Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming on June 11, 2019. - Old Faithful has erupted every 44 to 125 minutes since 2000. (Daniel Slim/Agence France-Presse via Getty Images)
FILE - In this Jan. 10, 2019, file photo, visitors ride their bikes along the road at Joshua Tree National Park in Southern California's Mojave Desert. Joshua Tree National Park is slowly reopening after a lengthy closure to slow spread of the coronavirus. Park entrances, roads, parking lots, trails, individual campsites and most restrooms are open. All programs remain canceled and along with all permits for special use activities through May 31, 2020. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)
Half Dome, as seen from Yosemite Valley, on Thursday afternoon Oct. 17, 1989 (Photo: Yosemite Conservancy webcam)
File photo of a raven flying over the Merced River with El Capitan and Bridalveil Fall in the background on Thursday, May 25, 2017, at Yosemite National Park, Calif. (Jim Gensheimer/Bay Area News Group)
FILE - In this Jan. 10, 2019, file photo people visit Joshua Tree National Park in Southern California's Mojave Desert. Joshua Tree National Park is slowly reopening after a lengthy closure to slow spread of the coronavirus. Park entrances, roads, parking lots, trails, individual campsites and most restrooms are open. All programs remain canceled and along with all permits for special use activities through May 31, 2020. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)
An RV is parked on a campground at Joshua Tree National Park in California, Tuesday, May 19, 2020. The park reopened this week after a lengthy closure to help slow the spread of the new coronavirus. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
A climber descends a rock face at Joshua Tree National Park in California, Tuesday, May 19, 2020. The park reopened this week after a lengthy closure to help slow the spread of the new coronavirus. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
YOSEMITE, CA - JAN. 10: Tourists in winter hats are silhouetted against El Capitan in a view of Yosemite National Park, Thursday, Jan. 10, 2019, from a Wawona Road lookout. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
A Joshua tree stands along a road at Joshua Tree National Park in California, Tuesday, May 19, 2020. The park reopened this week after a lengthy closure to help slow the spread of the new coronavirus. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Yosemite Falls stands tall above the valley floor on Tuesday, May 28, 2019 in Yosemite National Park. The waterfalls are full but the crowds are gone after the Memorial Day weekend in Yosemite Valley. The unusually wet May has led to a June with roaring waterfalls feeding the Merced River, which has already swollen to twice its average size according to U.S. Geological Survey gauges. (Anthony L. Solis -- Santa Cruz Sentinel)
Marta Jerebets, left, and Arthur Pettit pitch their tent on a campground at Joshua Tree National Park in California, Tuesday, May 19, 2020. The park reopened this week after a lengthy closure to help slow the spread of the new coronavirus. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

By Gieson Cacho | gcacho@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group

PUBLISHED: May 20, 2020 at 3:47 p.m. | UPDATED: May 20, 2020 at 3:49 p.m.

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U.S. National Parks have started the process of opening back up after being closed because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Some places such as the Great Smoky Mountains on the Tennessee-North Carolina border have been welcoming visitors since May 9. Others such as Joshua Tree National Park have opened this week. Still, other sites such as the Grand Canyon have opened and closed again. The South Rim of the national park in Arizona allowed visitors on May 15 but then closed a few days and is scheduled to accept tourists again May 22, just in time for Memorial Day weekend.

No matter where they go, visitors shouldn’t expect business as usual. All parks are going through phased reopenings. In the meantime, visitors have been flocking to places that are already open such as Yellowstone, Grand Teton National Park and Zion National Park, which have seen a flood of tourists. Many of them don’t have masks on nor are they following social distancing guidelines, according to a report.

Closer to home, Yosemite National Park has plans to reopen in early June but with limits.

The photo gallery above shows some of the parks in the process of reopening. Other images show what awaits tourists once these national treasures finally open.

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