It would be a similar story for National Forests and other federal public lands...

http://www.parkadvocate.org/how-would-a ... nal-parks/

So when they are closed... are they gated and shut in? I mean... can you still do something like drive over Tioga Pass in Yosemite?

If you could, then closure wouldn't be so bad. Just the facilities would be closed but you could still do whatever you wanted. There wouldn't be a way to stop folks from hiking into the parks where such things applied either.

Don't know if anyone remembers those kinds of details from the last closure. I don't think it will happen though.

They won't close the government. This is being played out too much in the media (Congress has been passing debt cieling levels since the 1700's and no one cared much --- it's just recently that the measures have ben used as a media tool). I presume the media needs something to talk about now that we aren't going to war with Syria.

Politicians lose far more than we do (as citizens) with a government shutdown. The Repuplicans lit this media fire and are having trouble putting it out...

mrchad9 wrote:So when they are closed... are they gated and shut in? I mean... can you still do something like drive over Tioga Pass in Yosemite?

During the 96 shutdown, all gates at Shenandoah NP entrances were shut. Trails were officially closed, but there was no one enforcing that to the best of my knowledge. But if there's a shutdown, forget about vehicular travel through most parks.

toxo wrote:

Fletch wrote:They won't close the government.

^This. It's not even a re-run of the soap opera we watched in Spring 2011. Plot's really thin in this one.

I'm not sure about that. There is a large faction that wants this to happen and is being egged on by outside groups and mouthpieces. And it's going to take the House leadership being willing to forsake a long-followed operating procedure in order to get past this. I'd get into particulars that make this a little different this time but don't want to be the one to get this sent to Off-Route.

Extremely lame --- something's UP when you hear politicians reading books from the Good Doctor ...


"I am Sam

I am Sam
Sam I am

That Sam-I-am
That Sam-I-am!
I do not like
that Sam-I-am

Do you like
green eggs and ham

I do not like them,
Sam-I-am.
I do not like
green eggs and ham.

Would you like them
Here or there ... ?

If a real shutdown does happen, you can bet the government employees will lock those gates as they exit the parks. If they don't get paid, nobody will get to play in the parks.

It's hard to imagine our local parks and USFS people doing less for access to the outdoors. If they close the Red Rock Canyon loop, I'll just climb the mountains from places outside the loop. All the heavy lifting is done by volunteers and contractors, but the parks people control the keys to the gates, where gates exist. When there are state roads through the park (as at Death Valley), I'm not sure what they will do with trips that start on those roads. The DV rangers seem to require that you register at the visitor center, and get a printed pass, even if you have the "America the Beautiful" pass; yet the "America the Beautiful Pass" comes with a hanger to place on the windshield, which is supposed to be adequate.

Don't misunderstand. The local parks people work hard; but 90% of the work consists of filling out forms and writing reports that are mandated, but no one reads.

I think the govt WILL shut down, the question is "for how long?"

If/when it shuts down, they will kick everybody out of the national parks, and only a bare-bones law enforcement staff will remain. I doubt they will go into Tehipite Valley, but if you are in a campground, you will be asked to leave.

willytinawin wrote:I think the govt WILL shut down, the question is "for how long?"

If/when it shuts down, they will kick everybody out of the national parks, and only a bare-bones law enforcement staff will remain. I doubt they will go into Tehipite Valley, but if you are in a campground, you will be asked to leave.

If the gov't truly "shut down", there would be no law enforcement at all in the parks. The military would lock everything up and be done. Congress would not be getting paid. Obama would have no place to live, no secret service, no Air Force 1. The "shut down" will only affect high visibility things that will upset the public, since this is all about politics and not about budgets.

I stand corrected... from BBC...

National parks - from Yosemite to Alcatraz and the Statue of Liberty - would be shut down with 3,266 essential staff out of 24,645 remaining on duty. These would include some fire management, law enforcement and emergency responders.

Day-use visitors would be instructed to leave the park immediately and visitors using overnight facilities would be asked to make alternative arrangements and leave.

Where possible, park roads would be closed and access denied.

Had to delete a few post.

Please keep on the topic "How a Govt Shutdown would affect National Parks?" since in this sense the question has to do with climbing.

Please move other off topic post to Off Route which is what the forum is for.

The North Cascades National Park, which I have long felt should be the model for other parks, would be essentially unaffected by the closure. There are no gates to lock, no visitors centers to close, no amenities to with hold.

Sounds like a trip to SEKI might be blown for this weekend.

Trying to think of a national park in CA that might be exploited if they close tonight. Yosemite, SEKI, and Joshua Tree are pretty much out. Redwoods NP and Mojave NP are pretty much unaffected. I wonder if they would close roads to Death Valley.

The biggest opportunity might be Lassen... just a short walk from the boundary to the trailheads near the south entrance. There are also lesser used entrances to the east that are in a similar state. Hmmmmmmm....