Three county parks will be closed for August to protect residents from high temperatures, officials said.
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The parks that will be closed starting Saturday are El Capitan Preserve near Lakeside, Hellhole Canyon Preserve in Valley Center and Mt. Gower Preserve in Ramona.
These closures are in addition to two parks — Agua Caliente Regional Park and Vallecito County Park, which are in or near the Anza-Borrego Desert — which were already closed Memorial Day weekend and will reopen Labor Day weekend.
County officials said they will use the seasonal closures to complete maintenance projects, such as trail restoration.
Officials advised that people who still wish to hike during the summer in areas that remain open to stay hydrated, tell someone where you’re going and be prepared with extra food, water and proper clothing.
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They also recommend leaving dogs at home when you go hiking in the heat or remember that hot pavement can burn dogs paws.
All three areas are under an extreme heat warning again this year until at least Sunday.
National Weather Service meteorologist Sam Zuber said Valley Center and Lakeside could see temperatures the first week of August that are 5 to 7 degrees above normal temperatures. Ramona will see temperatures in the high 90s to low triple digits, representing a still 9- to 11-degree increase from average for the area.
“Probably by the first week of August, we’re going to be seeing a slight cooldown, but temperatures are going to remain at or above normal through at least the end of next week,” Zuber said.
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For more information about San Diego County parks, visit sdparks.org.
