National Parks Open With Reduced Services Amid Shutdown

The National Park Service said most national parks will remain physically open after the federal government entered a shutdown early Tuesday, but access will come with sharply reduced services as thousands of staff are furloughed. The agency released contingency plans before the shutdown, saying roads, lookouts, trails and open-air memorials will generally be accessible, while visitor centers, programs and many facilities will be closed or unstaffed across the country.

The NPS plan says at least 9,296 employees, a majority of the agency’s roughly 14,500 staff, will be furloughed, leaving a skeleton complement to protect life and property. As a result, the agency will not be able to provide comprehensive park services. Websites and social media accounts for parks will not be maintained except for emergency communications, staff will post signs notifying visitors of limited or no services, and routine road and trail condition updates will be suspended. Basic maintenance, management activities and emergency response will be limited to what small, excepted teams can handle.

Where parks collect fees under the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act, those revenues will be used to...