The government might be shut down, but national parks, forests and other public lands generally remain open. And being able to go outside — whether you want to hike, hunt elk or deer, camp or just admire the fall colors — can offer much-needed relief, especially during a time of political strife.
But national parks left their gates open the last time the government shut down and sent park rangers home in late 2018, and national parks paid a high price.
People vandalized ancient petroglyphs in Texas’ Big Bend National Park, while in California, they cut down Joshua trees in Joshua Tree National Park and used the fragile Death Valley ecosystem as a toilet when the official bathrooms were closed, said Allison Michalski, the Northern Rockies program manager with the National Parks Conservation Association. Sanitation and trash issues became so bad at California’s Sequoia and Kings Canyon that both parks were forced to close.
Fast forward almost seven years, and Michalski and others fear that we’ll see a repeat, or even worse.
“We’re already facing a reduction in force across all kinds of federal agencies, and now to not have key staff from all these agencies working on behalf of the American public, it’s a very big deal,” said Matt Cuzzocreo, senior wildlife conservation associate for the Greater Yellowstone Coalition.
But while Congress remains gridlocked, Cuzzocreo and Michalski have some advice for those interested in doing something to help public lands. You can still go outside, but you need to stay on the trails and out of closed areas. If an area is closed, Cuzzocreo said, it is closed for a reason.
Download maps before you leave home and bring anything you might need with you. Don’t take chances and keep your distance from wildlife. Emergency services in many parks will be limited, and rangers will not be collecting fees at the entrance or answering questions and educating visitors on safety. Stay away from wildlife, especially bison, elk and grizzly bears.
Learn as much as you can about local conditions before heading out. Call local authorities; they may have more details. Obey signs and remember: Visitors enjoy the outdoors “at their own risk,” according to the BLM’s contingency plan recommendations.
Some parks have already confirmed that they will be open, but not whether their restrooms will be working. High Country News was able to confirm that toilets will be pumped and maintained at Wyoming’s Grant Teton National Park, for example, but things may be different at other parks. And the facilities on land managed by the Forest Service or Bureau of Land Management may be shuttered. So be prepared, not only to cart out your own garbage, but to dispose of human waste properly — even carry it out. Consider bringing WAG bags, particularly in heavily used or sensitive ecosystems.
The shutdown coincides with the start of many big game hunting seasons in the West, which means that more people will be out on public lands with fewer emergency services or federal workers available to help, said Cuzzocreo.
Campers should be prepared to find new campsites, even if they’ve reserved a spot ahead of time. Reservations made on the government’s own site, recreation.gov, may not be honored, the BLM warned. A reserved campsite may well be occupied by someone else.
If you’re tempted to scold another visitor for improper behavior, remember: A friendly conversation is often more effective than a stern lecture. And sharing knowledge about a place and its flora and fauna can be a powerful way to connect people to a place — especially since federal experts won’t be there to do so.
Both Cuzzocreo and Michalski urged recreationists to call their congressional leaders and advocate for a quick end to the shutdown, along with enough money to cover the damage that’s likely to occur the longer public lands go understaffed. Contact Interior Secretary Doug Burgum’s office to ask him to fully staff and fund land-management agencies, which have seen steep cuts under the current administration, they said. Many agencies have been understaffed for decades.
“We can all be responsible stewards of these lands,” Michalski said. “And now is the time for us to give back to those resources.”
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to correct Matt Cuzzocreo’s name and title.
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
