As the Trump administration continues to reduce the size of the federal government, several of the nation’s 63 national parks have been affected. Many parks have begun closing visitor centers, canceling programs, and reducing staffing levels for critical services.
On February 14, 3,400 probationary employees from the U.S. Forest Service and the National Park Service (NPS) were dismissed without prior notice. Additionally, thousands of seasonal job offers have been withdrawn or put on hold, pending further instructions.
In the subsequent week, a number of national parks that require vehicle entry fees reported congestion at their entry gates. Visitors to the Grand Canyon in Arizona, Yosemite in California, and Zion in Utah experienced waits lasting several hours as limited staff managed the influx of cars.
In southeastern Arizona, Saguaro National Park announced on its website that its visitor center “will be closed on Mondays until further notice.” Similarly, Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument in Colorado Springs posted on Facebook that a “lack of staffing” was causing it to close for two days each week.
Kyle Groetzinger, the associate director of communications for the National Parks Conservation Association, informed local media outlet Tucson.com that over a thousand national park staff had been unexpectedly dismissed since the prior Friday. He expressed concern that this might not be the final round of staff reductions.
Yosemite National Park, one of the country’s most visited in the summer, has delayed accepting reservations for both regular entries and camping spots while awaiting additional direction from the administration.
The NPS acknowledged the importance of providing clarity on reservation systems as soon as possible to accommodate travel planning for the peak summer season. This statement currently appears on the park’s official website.
Both regular park-goers and lawmakers have warned that service cuts and delays could become more frequent as the weather warms and the peak season approaches. Parks such as Cascades, Mount Rainier, and Olympic also reported losing six staff members each. In these western locations, visitors typically decrease in the winter, and the recently dismissed employees were preparing trails and grounds for spring and summer.
A letter from 17 Democratic and Independent lawmakers to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum highlighted concerns. It warned that without seasonal workers during this peak period, visitor centers might close, facilities could deteriorate, campgrounds might shut down, guided tours could be reduced or canceled, emergency response times could lengthen, and visitor services such as safety advice and trail recommendations might not be available.
By February 21, following numerous complaints about overcrowding and increasing litter, the administration reinstated several dozen of the 5,500 employees let go.