What a Federal Government Shutdown Means for National Parks

A government shutdown would put the National Park Service in the unfortunate but necessary position of having to close its parks — putting family vacations, school trips, park protection and local economies in jeopardy.

Here are 10 frequently asked questions.

What does a government shutdown over federal spending have to do with national parks?

All 400-plus national park sites are federally managed, and every year, the U.S. Congress must develop and approve a federal budget for all government agencies and programs, including the National Park Service. That is its responsibility to the American people.

If Congress ever fails in its duty to pass a new funding bill that includes the National Park Service, the majority of national park units are at risk of closing. That’s because these spaces aren’t permitted to operate on funds other than those approved by Congress when there is a lapse in appropriations. A shutdown could affect sites in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories such as Puerto Rico, Guam and American Samoa.

Based on Park Service data, national parks could lose more than $500,000 in fee revenue every day they are closed. Thousands of park staff could soon be put in the scary position of not knowing when their next paycheck will arrive, while park concessioners and partners also would face the prospect of lost revenue and further economic hardship.

How will this affect my visit to a national park?

In the event of a government shutdown, the Park Service’s contingency plan calls for most parks to be closed until an agreement can be reached to fund the federal government. Such closure affects national park amenities, including visitor centers, campgrounds, research facilities, museums and other facilities. Educational programs, ranger hikes and service events would be canceled. Everything from family vacations to school field trips to weddings would be affected. As a general matter, doors would be locked and gates closed.

People across the country and from around the world have been making travel plans for months expecting our parks to be open. Instead, they face the possibility of disruption and disappointment when they arrive at parks only to find gates locked and facilities shuttered.

Therefore, NPCA and the Park Service highly recommend visitors reschedule their park trips and wait until parks are open and fully staffed.

How long would a government shutdown last?

It is the job of Congress to fund the federal government, and the length of a shutdown depends on legislators’ ability to come to a budget agreement to fund federal agencies, including the Park Service, so that parks can be adequately staffed to keep visitors safe and irreplaceable resources protected.

The most recent government shutdown was also the longest: 35 days from December 2018 to January 2019. This followed a three-day shutdown in January 2018. An October 2013 shutdown lasted 16 days. A shutdown in November 1995 lasted five days, with another shutdown a month later lasting 21 days.

Can I go into a park even if it’s closed because of a government shutdown?

The Park Service’s contingency plan in the event of a government shutdown calls for most parks to be closed until an agreement can be reached to fund the federal government. National parks without gates or that are accessible during non-business hours would remain open, but the National Park Service discourages people from entering these parks during a shutdown. NPCA strongly supports this decision because, as unfortunate as closures are, it is the only way to protect the health and safety of park visitors and wildlife and the integrity of our most precious natural and cultural resources.

As much as the Park Service wants to welcome visitors, parks will have few, if any, staff on hand to protect visitors and park resources. If a shutdown occurs, we need park lovers everywhere to help protect our parks by rescheduling their trips and not putting any extra pressure on our most treasured places during this time.

If parks close, what happens to park rangers and other employees?

During the 2013 shutdown, more than 21,300 Park Service staff were furloughed (86%). Only a skeleton crew of the most essential staff remained, including law enforcement, disaster assistance and some emergency medical care.

Similarly, in 2018-19, the majority of Park Service employees were furloughed. Only “essential staff” continued reporting to work for those 35 days — just 3,298 employees tasked with managing 80 million acres of national park lands.

How much revenue could the Park Service lose?

During the 2013 shutdown, all national park sites were closed, education programs and special events canceled, permits issued for special events repealed, park hotels, visitor centers and campgrounds vacated, and entrances locked. The Park Service found that the 16-day shutdown resulted in an estimated 8 million lost recreation visits and $414 million in lost visitor spending.

In 2018-19, NPCA estimated the Park Service lost $400,000 per day from missed entrance fee revenue. On an average day in January 2019, about 425,000 park visitors would typically spend $20 million a day in nearby communities. Additional costs to the Park Service could include the opportunity cost of lost labor, maintenance challenges and cleanup after the shutdown, in addition to the impact on the morale of park rangers and other staff.

A government shutdown would make a bad situation even worse because national parks have been chronically underfunded and understaffed. They are more popular than ever before, but many lawmakers continue to shortchange the parks’ already strained budgets and resources.

How badly are parks already underfunded and understaffed?

This budget impasse is part of a broader funding crisis facing parks. Park staffing has eroded by 23% since 2010, at the same time that parks have experienced a 16% increase in visitation. Just a few days ago, Congress introduced a bipartisan funding bill to fund the government until mid-March and bring vital disaster aid to communities and national parks that were devastated by hurricanes, floods and other disasters. The bill would have provided $2.3 billion to address damage to numerous parks, including Acadia, Blue Ridge Parkway and Yosemite, from disasters over the last year and a half. These parks and surrounding communities have already waited months for relief, and it’s once again unclear if or when these parks will be able to fully recover and rebuild. Congress must support parks and communities by passing disaster relief and a continuing resolution quickly to keep parks open and adequately staffed and help communities recover from recent disasters.

Our parks also suffer from more than $23 billion in repair needs due to years of underfunding. A shutdown would worsen this situation as limited park staff are unable to perform the daily maintenance that can prevent the backlog of maintenance needs from growing.

Would a shutdown affect local businesses?

Yes. Local businesses and park concessioners serve thousands of park visitors every day and face the prospect of lost revenue and further economic hardship when a shutdown occurs. Each day national parks are closed in December, an estimated 525,000 visitors would be turned away.

National parks are economic engines, generating more than $55.6 billion and supporting more than 415,400 jobs annually, according to the Park Service. America’s outdoor recreation economy supports 5 million American jobs and contributes $1.2 trillion in annual economic output, which constitutes 2.3% of the gross domestic product.

Local governments would feel an impact, too, because of the lost tax revenue associated with this economic activity. Additionally, many parks’ bookstores and visitor centers are run by nonprofits, which use those revenues to support the parks.

With park visitation up in recent years, wouldn’t it be helpful for natural spaces to have a break from people?

No. Staff biologists, ecologists and other resource professionals work to rid our parks of invasive species and to protect the threatened and endangered species that call our national parks home. Other staff members monitor grounds to prevent vandalism, illegal dumping and other detrimental activities.

While a shutdown might allow some staff to remain, much of the daily work to keep a park protected would be severely hampered. Many parks suffer from deferred maintenance issues, and any reduced staffing and postponed work would exacerbate these problems.

What can national park supporters do to help?

Congress must pass a funding bill that values our national parks and surrounding communities for their economic and intrinsic values. American families, the economy and millions of people who love and cherish our national parks and public lands are counting on it.

We understand the frustration that visitors feel when they lose access to their national parks. We urge park supporters to direct any frustration over the shutdown toward those who caused this untenable situation in the first place — the decision-makers who have been unable to agree on a budget that keeps parks open.

This is an updated version of a previously published story.