Bob Sihler wrote: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.
If the road is a public road (such as Newfound Gap at Great Smoky Mountains NP) you can still get through; otherwise generally not. They will simply lock all of the gates, so if there is a gate you won't be going through. Some of us can still get in our local park on the fire roads, though.
Any official closure of the trails would require an administrative act and they aren't authorized to spend the money to do that, so unless it is in their basic regulations (which I doubt) the trails can't actually be officially closed.