Summertime is almost here in Colorado, which typically means a season full of peak-bagging, river-rafting, and scenic memories. Unfortunately, it looks like the coronavirus pandemic will put a serious damper on travel plans around the state for many.

In a world where policies are seemingly ever-changing and future plans are uncertain, many questions remain unanswered.

“Can I still go to the mountains? Is it safe to travel to Colorado? Are the ski resorts reopening?”

With so much uncertainty surrounding this new virus, there’s no clear road map for what comes next, but there are a few things you’ll need to know before traveling to the Centennial State.

Colorado’s “safer-at-home order” strongly recommends staying home unless traveling for essential needs (such as grocery shopping, take-out, banking, getting gas, taking care of a family member or pet, and doctor visits). This order also discourages anyone from traveling more than 10 miles from their home, with Polis previously mentioning that June restrictions may resemble those of May. That being said, some campgrounds have reopened, with other natural spots soon to follow.

Regardless of easing restrictions, many of the state’s mountain towns are still asking visitors to refrain from visiting.

San Juan County Sheriff Bruce Conrad stressed this in a Facebook video on Monday, “We need to slowly turn this tap on, and not open the flood gates to visitors. We are simply too attractive of a destination to afford that approach.”

The Colorado Tourism Office also warns of the stress that unnecessary travel can put on hospitals in smaller communities, stating that “while ‘escaping’ to the great outdoors and more rural parts of the state may seem like a logical idea, Colorado’s rural destinations and mountain communities have limited medical facilities and personnel and need to reserve them for their residents.”

Sheriff Conrad went on to say, “And I get that an individual may think that packing up the family and coming up to the mountains for a camping trip is in no way endangering themselves or others, but what’s missed in that thinking is if we begin to allow the normal number of visitors of this stage in the crisis. We will also without a doubt be responding to those campgrounds for the variety of calls and crowding first responders. This where we can’t afford to endanger the rest of the community.”

In the mountains, public health orders vary by county, but most continue to push back against tourism in their area with a number of regulations and restrictions.

For instance, in Pitkin County (home to Aspen), travel for recreational purposes should be limited to the Roaring Fork, Crystal, and Fryingpan River valleys.

Meanwhile, Clear Creek County roads remain closed to non-resident traffic. County officials asked visitors to wait in a Facebook post on Monday stating, “At this time we are asking you to wait a little bit longer before visiting Idaho Springs, Empire, Georgetown, and Silver Plume. We look forward to welcoming you back once the pandemic subsides.”

It’s also worth mentioning that many of the state’s key attractions remain closed such as ski resorts, restaurants and bars, arts and cultural facilities, entertainment venues, and sports arenas. Popular outdoor recreation areas like the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve and The Manitou Incline also remain closed.

Despite these strange times, the public interest in traveling to Colorado is still there. According to a recent study from rentcafe.com, Aspen placed 4th among the top 20 “most resilient” travel destinations during the nationwide lockdown. While Aspen-related travel searches dropped 40 percent for March and April, the mountain town remained the 4th most resilient spot in the country. The national average was a 64 percent drop, with places like Brooklyn dropping by 78 percent.

While there are no restrictions on travel in or out of Colorado, respecting state and local precautions could help prevent a second wave of the virus from hitting the state. To put it simply, now isn’t a great time to visit Colorado. Most mountain towns don’t seem to want tourists, a number of outdoor destinations remain closed, and legal restrictions related to typical tourist activities are still in place. For now, save your adventure for when the pandemic has passed.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Right now is not the time to explore in Colorado due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Please plan to adventure after the crisis has passed and the state’s ‘ safer-at-home‘ order has been lifted. Travel to other towns and the mountains is strongly discouraged. Entry into the backcountry is also ill-advised. During the outbreak, you should continue to stay close to home and avoid risky outdoor activities that could potentially strain first responders and search and rescue teams. Always follow official state and county orders as well as social distancing guidelines.