Government Shutdown Expected to Cause National Parks Closures, Staffing Cuts

As a government shutdown looms, the Trump administration plans to furlough approximately 64% of National Park Service (NPS) employees, leaving a skeletal staff to manage law enforcement, emergency services, and essential maintenance while keeping trails and open-air areas accessible. This approach echoes the 2018-2019 shutdown when parks remained open but suffered significant damage due to insufficient staffing, including vandalism, trash accumulation, and harm to sensitive habitats, prompting calls from former superintendents and advocacy groups to fully close parks during shutdowns to prevent further destruction. The administration also intends to use entrance fees for operational costs during the shutdown, despite legal concerns over this practice. Critics, including the National Parks Conservation Association and other advocates, argue that leaving parks open without proper staffing endangers natural and cultural resources and undermines visitor safety. Meanwhile, some officials are designating oil and gas permitting staff as essential, highlighting a perceived prioritization of resource exploitation over conservation during funding gaps. The situation underscores ongoing tensions between government budget impasses and the stewardship of America’s national parks amid record visitation levels and staffing shortages.