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Which National Parks Are Open During the Government Shutdown?
How-To's & Resources, National Parks, News & Events
While you can count on the majority of our National Parks to be open most of the year, it is always a good idea to double-check which National Parks are open during the shutdown both while planning your trip and right before you arrive. Natural hazards like winter storms, flash floods, and wildfires can occur at any time, resulting in precautions ranging from road closures to full closures of the park. And yes, government shutdowns are always something to look out for.
The aftermath of the government shutdown
After the partial government shutdown that ended Friday, Jan 25, Mike Litterst, chief spokesman for the National Park Service, said the nation’s more than 400 parks are reopening on a rolling schedule. Some of the parks that were partially open and accessible during the shutdown are expected to get back to full operations more quickly.
The following statement was up on the National Parks Service website on 1/29/19:
With the enactment of the continuing resolution, the National Park Service is preparing to resume regular operations though the schedule for individual parks may vary depending on staff size and complexity of operations. Many parks which have been accessible throughout the lapse in appropriations remain accessible with basic services. Visitors should contact individual parks or visit park websites for the latest information opening schedules and accessibility and visitor services. Some parks which have been closed throughout the lapse in appropriations may not reopen immediately. [As of 1/29/19]
Book your trip worry-free with our flexible cancellation policy!
We realize that our National Parks are some of the most popular destinations for our renters. That’s why we like to be flexible when it comes to unexpected events like government shutdowns or closures. If you need to cancel your trip due to one of these reasons, please contact our reservations department at reservations@escapecampervans.com or +1 310 672 9909 (option 1) to speak with our team. As long as you give us 3 days’ notice prior to your pickup date, we will allow you to keep your $200 deposit on file with us for a future trip!
We’re also providing a regularly-updated list below of which National Parks are open during the shutdown. There are quite a few, so we’re narrowing it down to the top 20 most-visited parks. For a full list of park closures and alerts, visit the National Parks Service website.
Always check with each individual park for the most accurate information
While we update the list below before, during, and after a government shutdown, it may not have the most up-to-date information. The best way to check the status of the National Park(s) you want to visit is to check their individual websites and/or call them. These are the 3 main places to get this information are:
- Active Alerts in Parks
- Find a Park by State
- Certain parks frequently update their Twitter accounts, although most are not monitored or updated during a government shutdown
Current statuses and major alerts from the most-visited National Parks
Last updated February 27, 2019, 2:10 PM MST
| National Park | Status |
| Acadia | Normal operations have resumed. More info: https://www.nps.gov/acad/planyourvisit/conditions.htm https://twitter.com/AcadiaNPS |
| Arches | Normal operations have resumed. More info: https://www.nps.gov/arch/planyourvisit/conditions.htm https://twitter.com/ArchesNPS |
| Badlands | Normal operations have resumed. More info: https://www.nps.gov/badl/planyourvisit/conditions.htm https://twitter.com/BadlandsNPS |
| Bryce Canyon | Normal operations have resumed. More info: https://www.nps.gov/brca/planyourvisit/conditions.htm https://twitter.com/BryceCanyonNPS |
| Canyonlands | Normal operations have resumed. More info: https://www.nps.gov/cany/index.htm https://twitter.com/CanyonlandsNPS |
| Death Valley | Normal operations have resumed. More info: https://www.nps.gov/deva/index.htm https://twitter.com/DeathValleyNPS |
| Glacier | Normal operations have resumed. More info: https://www.nps.gov/glac/planyourvisit/conditions.htm https://twitter.com/GlacierNPS |
| Grand Canyon | Normal operations have resumed. More info: https://www.nps.gov/grca/index.htm https://twitter.com/GrandCanyonNPS |
| Grand Teton | Normal operations have resumed. More info: https://www.nps.gov/grte/planyourvisit/conditions.htm https://twitter.com/GrandTetonNPS |
| Great Sand Dunes | Normal operations have resumed. More info: https://www.nps.gov/grsa/planyourvisit/conditions.htm |
| Great Smoky Mountains | Normal operations have resumed. More info: https://www.nps.gov/grsm/index.htm |
| Joshua Tree | Normal operations have resumed. More info: https://www.nps.gov/jotr/index.htm https://twitter.com/JoshuaTreeNPS |
| Mount Rainier | Normal operations have resumed. More info: https://www.nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/conditions.htm https://twitter.com/MountRainierNPS |
| Olympic | Normal operations have resumed. More info: https://www.nps.gov/olym/index.htm |
| Rocky Mountain | Normal operations have resumed. More info: https://www.nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/conditions.htm https://twitter.com/RockyNPS |
| Sequoia & Kings Canyon | Normal operations have resumed. More info: https://www.nps.gov/seki/index.htm |
| Shenandoah | Normal operations have resumed. More info: https://www.nps.gov/grsa/planyourvisit/conditions.htm https://twitter.com/ShenandoahNPS |
| Yellowstone | Normal operations have resumed. More info: https://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/conditions.htm https://twitter.com/YellowstoneNPS |
| Yosemite | Normal operations have resumed. More info: https://www.nps.gov/yose/index.htm https://twitter.com/YosemiteNPS |
| Zion | Normal operations have resumed. More info: https://www.nps.gov/zion/index.htm https://twitter.com/ZionNPS |
How you can help the US National Parks after a shutdown
Stay informed
Be aware of alerts and continuing closures at each individual National Park. These are often in effect for your own safety as well as to protect and preserve our parks.
Donate
The National Park Foundation (NPF), the official umbrella nonprofit for the whole parks system, has established a fund that they will dole out to the various parks according to need. People can donate now to the Parks Restoration Fund to create a pool of money the individual parks can draw from as soon as they can begin restoration.
Volunteer
Sign up to be alerted for volunteer opportunities once parks staff are back online and able to coordinate requests to help. Each of the parks also has a more local nonprofit partner that helps upkeep them, and NPF is coordinating with those entities directly to manage donations and volunteer requests.