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Climbers Locked out of National Parks During U.S. Lockdown

The National Park Service announced Saturday afternoon many parks across the country may be closed or have limited accessibility during the government shutdown.

Some climbers in Colorado tried to climb at Rocky Mountain National Park, but the gates were locked.

You can find what parks are open and what are closed by visiting here.

Most national parks across the country will remain open to visitors under a shutdown but most facilities — including bathrooms — will be shuttered, according to the Interior Department’s 2018 contingency plan.

That means visitors who planned to visit a national park over the holidays will still be able to do so but will have to go without guidance from any NPS officials.

”Even a shutdown for a small amount of time can set administrative and organizational productivity back for weeks, preventing the public from accessing important information and delaying lifesaving activities at the EPA,” said Elizabeth Gore, senior vice president of political affairs at the Environmental Defense Fund.

“For example, the EPA would be forced to pause hazardous waste cleanups, regulatory inspections and approvals. Without these critical services, the true victim of a government shutdown is the American public. Moving the funding bill forward is necessary to our nationwide fight against threats to our health and environment.”

Read National parks facing chaos and confused visitors as shutdown looms here.

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