National Parks Partially Open During Government Shutdown: What to Know

More than 9,000 park employees were furloughed at the start of the shutdown, and the effects vary depending on the national park site.

In an aerial view, park employees prepare to exit from the closed entrance of the Everglades National Park Shark Valley following the government shutdown in Everglades National Park, Fla., on Oct. 1, 2025. Joe Raedle/Getty Images

In an aerial view, park employees prepare to exit from the closed entrance of the Everglades National Park Shark Valley following the government shutdown in Everglades National Park, Fla., on Oct. 1, 2025. Joe Raedle/Getty Images

The National Park Service’s 474 national monuments, memorials, and parks remain reliant on skeleton crews in the wake of the federal government shutdown.

Operational capacity of each site’s staff was reduced to an absolute minimum after thousands of employees were furloughed.

Information centers remained shuttered, the issuing of permits was suspended, and even trash pickup and restroom maintenance were put on hold.

In a published contingency plan in case of a government shutdown, the National Park Service outlined how it intended to optimize whatever funds it had left to push through what it called a lapse in appropriations to ensure that protection of wildlife and property continues.

“The purpose of the NPS is to ‘conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wildlife’ and ’to provide for [their] enjoyment … in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations,’” the park service stated.

“The director has responsibility for execution of this plan, including adjustments to the plan to respond to the length of the lapse in appropriations and changes in external circumstances.”

It also explained how the change would affect the visitor’s experience.

Here’s what to know.

More Than 9,000 Furloughed

Since the government shutdown began on Oct. 1, more than 9,000 employees of the National Park Service (NPS) were expected to be furloughed to optimize whatever funds remain to continue as close to normal operation as possible.

Only 2,500–3,100 employees were deemed necessary to “protect life and property,” with the exact number depending on the season.

The park service noted that the dramatic downsizing would have a different effect on each site due to individual staffing requirements.

“Excepted staffing will be held to the amount needed for the protection of life, property, and public health and safety, and will be based on the assumption that the NPS is conducting no park operations and providing no visitor services,” the plan stated.

While it goes on to say that generally park trails, roads, lookouts, and open-air memorials would remain accessible to visitors, parks without accessible areas would not be operated during the shutdown.

This includes suspending issuing permits, educational programs, trash collection, restroom operation, or providing visitor information.

“As a general rule, if a facility or area is locked or secured during non-business hours (buildings, gated parking lots), it should be locked or secured for the duration of the shutdown,” the contingency plan stated.

Limited or No Park Access

But the exact effects the shutdown has on each park site remain unclear.

The contingency instructs that all park websites and social media accounts cannot be updated for anything but emergency communications.

That includes suspension of regular updates on road and trail conditions, as well as any signs posted to notify visitors that basic or no services, maintenance, or management activities would be conducted.

The visitor experience has begun to vary.

While some tourists did not notice any changes, others had their trips completely disrupted.

Access to the caves and the evening bat flight at Carlsbad Caverns in southern New Mexico was closed.

Vicksburg National Military Park in Mississippi was shuttered, and a family of would-be hikers thought twice about going up Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park in Maine after failing to find a trail map and a park ranger.

“It’s frustrating that they’re playing politics in D.C.,” one of the would-be hikers told the Associated Press. “Their job is to pass a budget.”

Now, the contingency plan said that special events and activities could be permitted by the park superintendents so long as the events and activities do not require any additional park service personnel to ensure the protection of resources, government property, or matters of public health and safety.

A nonprofit was working with the National Park Service to reopen Vicksburg.

The furloughed employees were asked to monitor public broadcasts and internet sources like the Department of the Interior’s website for any appropriation or continuing resolution from Washington.

They are expected to return to work the next workday following the end of this lapse in funding.