Tourists overlook the Grand Canyon at sunrise on Feb. 22, 2025 in Grand Canyon, Arizona.
Robert F. Bukaty/AP
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Robert F. Bukaty/AP
As the deadlock in Congress continues, many national parks face closures or reduced operations due to the lack of federal funding. This has left visitors uncertain about which parks are open, and has forced some locations to rely on external support to maintain operations.
The situation has led to a patchwork approach, with each park handling the shutdown differently. While some have closed entirely, others operate with minimal staff or seek assistance from state governments and private donors.
“National parks remain as accessible as possible during the federal government shutdown,” states a notice on the NPS website. However, the notice also warns that services might be limited or unavailable. Visitors are encouraged to check the contingency plans for more details.
According to these plans, park roads, lookouts, and trails will generally stay open, but updates on conditions may not be available. In cases where parks collect fees, essential services like restroom maintenance and trash collection can continue, but other locations might see a complete halt in such services.
States and Donations Step In
In light of the federal funding issues, some states are stepping up to keep their parks open. Through a combination of state funding and third-party donations, parks in states such as West Virginia, Utah, and Hawaii have managed to sustain operations temporarily, as reported by National Parks Traveler.
Unfortunately, not all visitors are fortunate. Kathy Ten Eyck, who traveled from Utica, New York, to New Mexico, was disappointed to find White Sands National Park closed. “I just couldn’t wait — could not wait to — get here,” she lamented.
Similarly, Kathy Theriot drove over five hours with her children from Taos to visit the park, only to be met with closure notices. “I’ve been waiting 10 years to show my kids White Sands and the day we come it’s closed, which is very disappointing,” she said.
Concerns Over Vandalism and Safety
Safety concerns have been raised as parks remain open with reduced staff, which can lead to vandalism and other issues. Some parks in Texas, like Big Bend and Padre Island National Seashore, are staying open but with limited staffing, as reported by Texas Public Radio. During a previous shutdown, vandalism occurred at Big Bend due to the lack of oversight.
Advocates, including the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA), are urging for parks to be closed entirely during the shutdown to prevent such incidents. “The government has shut down, and the administration is once again putting our national parks and visitors at risk,” said NPCA President Theresa Pierno in a statement. “It’s not just irresponsible, it’s dangerous.”
During the previous shutdown in 2018, significant damage was reported at several parks, including the illegal cutting of trees in California’s Joshua Tree National Park. The Center for Biological Diversity and other organizations have expressed concerns over the potential for similar damage during the current shutdown.
NPR’s Ava Pukatch contributed to this report.
