National park closures

[drj52]

A government shutdown on Sunday at 12:01am would cause closure of all National Parks with admission gates or fee booths. There will also be no updates on road or trail conditions.

[Drew Wiley]

Depends on the specific roads. Some are thru highways with conditions monitored by State agencies as well. Here in CA there was so much storm and flashflood damage already in past months that not all routes have even been repaired yet, and many of them would close down this next month anyway due to impending snowfall. Some emergency staffing will be around in terms of search and rescue, because a lot of backpackers are currently in the backcountry already.

[BrianShaw]

That could be the least of the inconvenience, as we have learned from past government shutdowns.

[Willie]

If employees are furloughed for the duration and once over are given pay for the time off - why not just keep them on? Nothing political, just does not make sense.

[Tin Can]

NYC

8 inches rain

more today

[Thad Gerheim]

The state of Utah was planning on keeping their big 5 parks open with state money and then hopefully be reimbursed for it. But now they found out that they wouldn't be reimbursed, so we will have to see what the do.

[Alan Klein]

The state of Utah was planning on keeping their big 5 parks open with state money and then hopefully be reimbursed for it. But now they found out that they wouldn't be reimbursed, so we will have to see what the do.

Why go to Utah if the parks are closed? Well, there is Dead Horse Point State Park, really magnificent. Can't you get into Canyonlands a National Park without the gate from Dead Horse?

[drj52]

The state of Utah was planning on keeping their big 5 parks open with state money and then hopefully be reimbursed for it. But now they found out that they wouldn't be reimbursed, so we will have to see what the do.

We just returned a few days ago from doing the 5-park loop. How would it work for the state to keep them open? Would they write checks to the Park Service? Could the Park Service accept them?

Edit: Apparently they can: “the U.S. Department of Interior announced national parks nationwide would close. However, the agency said "parks may enter into non-reimbursable arrangements with state, local or Tribal governments, cooperating associations, and/or other third parties for donations to fund the full operation of an individual park site or of specified services that clearly benefit the park and public by providing enhanced visitor health, protection and safety."

Keeping a place like Zion open, with the shuttle system, etc., may get quite expensive.

[drj52]

That could be the least of the inconvenience, as we have learned from past government shutdowns.

Clearly there are much more serious consequences, but they wouldn’t be relevant to this subforum.

[Thad Gerheim]

How would it work for the state to keep them open? Would they write checks to the Park Service? Could the Park Service accept them?[/QUOTE]

That was a big problem when they tried to keep the parks open during the last shutdown. They are trying to somehow get the checks more directly to the employees.