After a week-long closure due to flooding, the Manzanar auto tour road is once again open to traffic.
On the night of July 22-23, Shepherd Creek on the north side of Manzanar and Bairs Creek on the south jumped their banks, flooding the auto tour road and burying significant site features, including Merritt Park and gardens in Blocks 12 and 34.
National Park Service (NPS) staff are still in the process of accessing and addressing the damage. The areas impacted by the flooding remain closed to the public to ensure visitor safety and resource protection. Gardens in Blocks 22, 17, 15, and 9 were not affected.
The Visitor Center, which features 8,000 square feet of exhibits, an award-winning introductory film, and bookstore, is open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily. The restored World War II-era mess hall and two reconstructed barracks in Block 14 are also open. Visitors who choose to explore Manzanar on foot should wear sturdy shoes, hats, sunscreen and carry water.
To learn more about Manzanar, visit www.nps.gov/manz or call (760) 878-2194 ext. 3310. Manzanar is also on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ManzanarNationalHistoricSite.