The Department of Interior on Tuesday ordered Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks to remain partly open as the federal government shut down at midnight over a budget impasse in Congress.
“Park roads, lookouts, trails, and open-air memorials will generally remain accessible to visitors,” according to the “lapse plan.” But visitor centers and other facilities that are usually locked after business hours will be closed, according to the agency’s September 2025 contingency plan posted Tuesday evening.
Staffing will be reduced “based on the assumption that the NPS is conducting no park operations and providing no visitor services,” the plan states.
Parks will begin notifying the public today regarding operations, services and which facilities are open or closed. Those notifications could clarify some elements of the plan that may appear confusing, including what visitor services will or will not be provided.
Whether “accessible areas” will have basic services appears to depend on whether fees are collected there.
“Past shutdowns in which gates remained open with limited staff have hurt our parks.”
The Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks
“Basic visitor services” to maintain restrooms, sanitation, trash collection, road maintenance, campgrounds, law enforcement, emergency personnel and access through entrance gates will be provided at sites that collect fees under the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act, the plan states.
At Yellowstone, campgrounds will be open, WyoFile has learned. Emergency services parkwide, however, will be limited.
Hotels operated by concessionaires can remain open with the blessing of a park’s superintendent and approval by the Interior Department’s assistant secretary for fish, wildlife and parks.
The Park Service will not provide road or trail conditions and will not maintain websites or social media except for emergencies, the plan states. The Park Service will not open parks that don’t have “accessible areas,” according to the plan.
Former supervisors protest
The plan was put in place over the objections of 42 former park superintendents, including former Yellowstone Superintendent Mike Finley. They wrote Interior Secretary Doug Burgum on Thursday under The Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks’ letterhead.
“[W]e write to you with an urgent appeal to protect our parks and public lands by closing them if a government shutdown occurs,” the letter reads. “Past shutdowns in which gates remained open with limited staff have hurt our parks: Iconic symbols cut down and vandalized, trash piled up, habitats destroyed, and visitor safety jeopardized.”
The Park Service plan allows closure of areas with sensitive natural, cultural, historic or archaeological resources that can’t be protected — if the closure is approved by the assistant secretary.
The plan expects 9,296 of 14,500 employees to be furloughed,leaving 5,204 workers — about 36% — to run the parks.
In addition to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, the agency operates Devil’s Tower National Monument, Fossil Butte National Monument, the Fort Laramie National Historic Site, the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway and Bighorn Canyon National Recreational Area in Wyoming.
One wildlife tour operator on Thursday shared a letter to Wyoming’s congressional delegation saying uncertainty over a shutdown was plaguing his business.
“Our work, and the experience we provide to travelers from all over the world, relies deeply on the operation, maintenance, and stewardship of our public lands and the National Park Service,” wrote Taylor Phillips, owner of Jackson Hole EcoTour Adventures. “We have already seen the impacts of workforce cuts,” he wrote, worrying about “further reductions that would only weaken the guest experience.
“And when that experience suffers, visitors go elsewhere.”
In 2024, national park sites in Wyoming drew 8.1 million visitors, who spent $1.2 billion in the state, the agency reported Monday. That included $710 million in visitor spending for Yellowstone, $808 million for Grand Teton, $41.7 million for Devils Tower, $1.3 million for Fossil Butte and $1.4 million for Fort Laramie.
A glorious time
Some Yellowstone facilities were scheduled to remain open through Oct. 31, although many shut down for the season before that date due to weather. Whether that schedule changes with limited operations under the shutdown plan remains uncertain.
Plowing roads, for example, will not generally be allowed, according to the plan. Meantime, Yellowstone remains a magical place in the fall, a seasonal ranger said.
Bugling elk and fall colors draw crowds to Grand Teton and Yellowstone this time of year.
“It’s just a glorious time to be here,” said John Kerr, who works in the summer in Lamar Valley. Now off duty, Kerr spoke for himself and not in any official capacity. “This is a time when bears are in hyperphagia — they are eating as much as possible to prepare themselves for a winter of hibernation. They are more visible.”
Congress has not passed an appropriations bill on time since 1996. They fail to do their job and yet, during a government shutdown, they still receive pay. That needs to be changed. And for those of you who think it’s no big deal to work without being paid, try it some time. Those employees still incur the same daily expenses with no pay. These are people with families that are working because they need the money. Sure, they’ll get back pay, but when? Next week, two weeks, a month? and when they do, it’ll be a lump sum, which guarantees that more taxes are taken out. People should never be used as pawns in politicians power plays. Why do we allow Congress to act like children fighting over who plays with what in the sand box. Totally reprehensible.
It’s no big deal people seem to be able to tour just fine without any Federal guide, this isn’t a COVID 19-25 drill just inabilities Congress to function.
No one seemed concerned with the Covid shutdowns and YNP experienced it’s highest visitation ever. It survived just fine. No unusual damage or problems were experienced despite comments from a Superintendent from 25 years ago. Long term projects will be delayed but short term will be just fine. All employees not being paid(wether essential or furloughed). Will get back pay. Ironically, those furloughed and not working will get the same back pay as those essential employees continuing to work with out pay. In the long run I don’t see Parks, museums, or historic sites being “essential” for public Heath and safety but rather part of an emotional reaction to fuel anger. The public has never suffered because they couldn’t hike a trail or visit a museum. Between my father and myself we have almost 70 years of experience working for the NPS across the country.
Glad to see that the Feds arent shutting out the public from these areas like they did a decade plus ago.
People were ticketed for simply stepping foot of “sacred” federal lands we are supposed to own as they are PUBLIC.
You left out the real cause: trumples and his gang of delinquents and know-nothings.
Well, I’m headed to YNP tomorrow for four nights. This will be interesting along with being a devastating blow to tourism and the experience for people inside the park and its surrounding businesses and vendors. Sadly I will not be spending money in the park since visitor services sound like they will be closed. Shame on congress. Our politics need to be better than this.
I live just outside YNP and just came back from two days in the Park. Don’t believe all the speculative (disastrous) comments about the Park. All roads are open, all normally accessible outside areas are open Most visitor services are privately run including campgrounds and are open or, if closed, they are shutting down for the season. Park Service visitor centers, programs, and some restrooms will be closed and some shut down because the season is ending. Ranger Law Enforcement, fire, and EMS services will continue to operate until. Have a wonderful trip.