John Cassino, a Moraine Sailing Club member, gets a boat ready for the water in August 2019. Rangers remind park visitors to social distance and observe park rules to stay safe this year.

Park officials believe the state parks will be busy, but safe.

Assistant park manger Brian Flores said McConnells Mill in Lawrence County has been the closest of the two area state parks to overcrowding. He said Moraine State Park, which spans four townships in Butler County, is seeing its fair share of increased use too.

“At McConnells Mill, we're up over 48 percent in May,” Flores said. “Moraine, we are pretty full. Cabins are 100 percent capacity. Beaches have been pretty full on a nice day. We can get a full beach on a nice Tuesday afternoon, when normally we wouldn't.”

In a news release Thursday, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn said fair weather mixed with the holiday falling on a weekend creates the perfect conditions for overcrowding at state park.

“Weather, of course, is the determining factor in turnout at all our state parks and last weekend saw all our parks heavily visited,” Dunn said.

The Bureau of State Parks also has evidence showing increased use during the pandemic. Recent attendance figures have shown people turning to the outdoors in record numbers.

In May, the statewide park system attendance reports show 5.8 million visitors compared to 4.2 million last year — a 36 percent increase. Eighteen parks experienced more than a 100 percent increase.

Dunn also said some parks in the southeast part of the state experienced crowding-forced closures.

“We fully understand the value of the outdoors experience during these trying times, and we encourage park visitors to spread out to other less popular state parks and consider off-times or days other than the weekend,” Dunn said.

Flores said he doubts the local parks will reach that extent.

“We haven't really gotten to that point here,” he said.

Flores said Moraine also offers more area than a lot of other parks.

“We have two beaches, two marinas, 50 miles of trails and the lake,” he said. “We can spread people out a little more here at Moraine.”

The extra space will come in handy as the state has announced it will stress pandemic precautions throughout the holiday weekend.

Social distancing is recommended and the wearing of masks is now mandated everywhere when within six feet of others or around those not sharing the same roof.

DCNR also has guidance that state park swimming beaches and pools are limited to 75 percent capacity and when parking lots reach that capacity, both will be closed to would-be swimmers until the crowd lessens.

Flores said as with every holiday, and now more so with the pandemic, park officials ask visitors to be mindful of not only pandemic precautions but also the regular rules and guidelines of park use, especially on the water with regard to life jackets and safe boating practices.

“The holidays definitely increase the amount of folks out here. We are anticipating larger crowds,” Flores said. “Don't put yourself in harm's way.”

Flores said the park is now staffed to handle the holiday after the pandemic caused some layoffs. He said rangers will be patrolling this weekend, and the park office will be open to visitors. He said some park educators will also be seen around the parks.

“We are out and available, and we are practicing the department of health guidelines in terms of social distancing, face masks and other safety measures,” Flores said. “Stay safe out there. I think it's going to be a good weekend.”