If you’re embarking on a dream trip to a national park, you’ll be relieved to know they’re still open, but there’s a catch. The U.S. Department of the Interior developed a national parks contingency plan to address operations during a government shutdown.
According to the contingency plan, 64% of National Park Service staff will be furloughed, and those who remain will perform limited, “excepted” activities. Here’s what that means to you.
Outdoor spaces will remain open
Badlands National Park in South Dakota
(jimfeng via Getty Images)
According to the plan, open-air spaces, including roads, overlooks, hiking trails, and outdoor memorials, will be accessible. The plan adds:
“If visitor access becomes a safety, health, or resource protection issue (weather, road conditions, resource damage, garbage build-up to the extent that it endangers human health or wildlife, etc.), the area must be closed.”
Denali National Park and Preserve
(Alan Musy – ADM PhotoGraphics via Getty Images)
The plan also states that parks with accessible areas that collect fees under the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (FLREA) will use the retained fees to cover basic services, including maintaining restrooms, trash pickup, road maintenance, campground operations, law enforcement, and emergency services.
Parks that operate accessible areas but don’t charge fees or have insufficient balances will have to submit cost estimates for director approval.
George Washington Carver National Monument
(zrfphoto via Getty Images)
This information is difficult to interpret since the public can’t be expected to know which parks have sufficient balances or have submitted approved plans. Therefore, the public should expect to pack out whatever they pack in. It’s reasonable to expect slower times for trash pickup, if it gets picked up at all.
Overflowing garbage cans aren’t just unsightly; they also attract wild animals. If visitors pack out their trash, parks are more likely to remain open.
Visitor Centers will close
Visitor centers will be closed
(VisualStories via Getty Images)
The plan directs visitor centers to close during the shutdown. This means the public won’t have access to indoor exhibits, gift shops, films, lectures, and passport stamping, among other amenities. If visiting the visitor center is an essential part of your trip, you might consider rescheduling until the parks are fully open.
Some bathrooms will remain open
Some bathrooms will remain open
(Douglas Rissing via Getty Images)
The plan calls for bathrooms to remain open at the parks with accessible areas that collect fees under FLREA. Parks without accessible areas will remain closed during the shutdown. This means that no restrooms will be provided at these parks. In most cases, this will affect smaller national park sites such as national monuments and BLM land, but not the official national parks.
Emergency services will be limited
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
(Sean Pavone via Getty Images)
No one plans on needing emergency response teams when visiting a national park, but be aware that such services will be limited according to the plan. This likely means slower response times.
Websites and updates won’t be maintained
Big Bend National Park
(Oleg Kovtun via Getty Images)
The park’s website will only be updated in cases of emergencies. This means there won’t be real-time information on road conditions or trail closures. If you’re heading to a national park and plan to drive specific roads or hike specific trails, it’s best to have a backup plan in case they aren’t open when you arrive.
The bottom line
Yellowstone National Park
(Mark Capps via Getty Images)
Both political parties agree on the importance of keeping America’s beautiful wild spaces accessible to the public, but services will be limited during the shutdown. Although visitor centers will be closed, most outdoor spaces remain open to the public.
Plan to pack out what you pack in to help mitigate trash buildup, allowing the public to continue to enjoy America’s national parks.