PARKSTATUS
1247 open 257 partially closed 50 closed 91 no data updated Oct 14 · view map →
Home / Government shutdown

Are the national parks open during a government shutdown?

No shutdown

There is no federal government shutdown right now. National parks are operating normally under the National Park Service.

Last checked Wed, 14 Oct 2026 13:00:56 GMT · source: NPS operating-status page

NPS operating status ↗ Check a specific park →

What happens to national parks during a shutdown

When federal appropriations lapse, the National Park Service furloughs most of its staff. There is no single rule for what happens to the parks: some close entirely and barricade their entrances and roads; many stay physically accessible but completely unstaffed — no visitor centers, no rangers, no road plowing or maintenance, restrooms locked, trash left to pile up; a handful keep running because a state or a gateway community steps in to fund operations. New permits, reservations, and special-use approvals stop being processed.

This page checks the NPS operating-status page every hour, so if a lapse begins it will say so here first.

State parks, national forests, and beaches are not affected

A federal government shutdown does not close state park systems — New York, California, Texas, Minnesota, Florida, and Washington run and fund their own parks. National Forests are federal and also furlough staff, but their roads and trails generally stay physically open. New York's public beaches are monitored by state and county health departments, not the NPS. See what's open near you on the live map →

Full explainer

For the history, the contingency-plan mechanics, and how to prepare for a trip during a funding fight, see what a government shutdown means for the national parks.