April has really been a spectacular month at the condo in Moab! The weather has been beautiful with sunny days and a few high clouds. Moderate temperatures ranging from the high 60s to the mid 80s as the month wraps up have made it a wonderful time to be outdoors. I’ve been doing a fair amount of hiking and exploring new parts of red rock country.

Even though Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park are still closed, Grand County has decided to loosen up the restrictions for vacation rentals and hotels. So, I am going to be departing on May 3 as the first guests check in on May 6. There is a new requirement to have a 72 hour vacancy between departures and arrivals. This is to ensure that after the property is cleaned all viruses are completely killed and the next guest can be assured of a safe and comfortable stay.

If you would like to make reservations there is still some availability for May and June. Please make sure that your start date is three days after the departure date of the previous guest.

Here is a portion of the information from the health department memorandum pertaining to departures and arrivals:

72-Hour Rest Period:

All lodging facilities that provide a room or other rental (including a cabin, house, or unit) shall restrict access to each room or other rental from any person for a period of 72 hours after check-out of prior guests.

Cleaning staff may enter the room or rental after 24 hours if they have received supplies and training specific to personal protective measures and sanitation supplies pursuant to recommendations of the health department. The purpose of this 72-Hour Rest Period is based on scientific studies indicating that the COVID-19 virus can remain stable on certain surfaces for up to three (3) days (i.e.,72 hours).

Example Timeline – Guest checks out on Sunday at noon, room/rental is left alone for the rest of the day. On Monday afternoon cleaning services are provided if cleaning staff is appropriately trained and protected. On Wednesday afternoon the room/rental is available for new guests to check in.

Beautiful spring temperatures and gorgeous sunny skies characterize life at the condo in Moab during the first part of April. Uncharacteristically, there are no people in town because the Coronavirus epidemic has led to the closure of both Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park. As a result, I’m staying here during the closure to enjoy the gorgeous red rock scenery and do a little bit of hiking on BLM and National Forest Land.

This is a rare opportunity to take pictures among the red rocks without people in them. But unfortunately, I can’t get into the national parks so I have to just enjoy the other public lands which seem almost endless. With all of the local businesses shut down with the exception of the supermarkets and a handful of restaurants offering takeout service, Moab resembles a ghost town.

It’s very important that anyone who is not a full-time resident or property owner stays away from this part of the world because there are no accommodations. All hotel rooms are shut and only available to what are considered essential workers which means people who are directly tied to keeping Moab going. And vacation rentals have been terminated through at least the end of April and possibly longer.

So, while southeastern Utah, Western Colorado, Northeast Arizona and northern New Mexico have relatively few cases of the Coronavirus, the locals and the authorities want to keep it that way.  The best way to do this is to completely eliminate people coming in and out of this part of the world for any reason that is not truly essential.

All of us fervently hope that by keeping Coronavirus cases in the single digits in each County in the Four Corners region we can return to a semblance of normal life sooner than many other parts of the country. There has even been a call for everyone working in supermarkets and the food service industry to wear masks 100% of the time since they are in contact with the food supply. Some more extreme types don’t want anyone entering Moab unless they can first show proof of a negative Coronavirus test but it’s unlikely were going to get to that point anytime soon.

Hopefully, things will return to normal sometime later this year. So you may wish to consider making reservations for autumn since that is a very popular time and the condo in Moab tends to sell out quickly.