Visitors Brave Closures to Access Partially Open National Parks

On October 4, 2025, national parks across the United States are operating with limited services and staffing due to the ongoing government shutdown that began on October 2. While park roads, trails, and open-air memorials remain accessible, many visitor centers are closed, and over 9,000 National Park Service employees have been furloughed.

This partial opening has led to a concerning situation, as visitors are disregarding the closed entrances and barricades to illegally access the parks on foot. At Great Falls Park in Virginia, for example, many people parked along the road and climbed over the barriers to enter the park, despite safety warnings from park advocates.

Ed Stierli, the Mid-Atlantic senior regional director for the National Parks Conservation Association, expressed grave concerns about the lack of park rangers to monitor visitors, particularly at Great Falls, where the Potomac River's strong currents pose a deadly threat. Other park advocacy groups have also criticized the decision to keep the parks partially open, calling it "dangerous" and "irresponsible."

The situation has also frustrated visitors, including a medical student from Herndon, Virginia, who found it confusing to navigate the limited access points, and an 84-year-old man from Idaho Falls, Idaho, who was disappointed to find the visitor center at Manassas National Battlefield Park closed. Some campers in Greenbelt Park, Maryland, also noticed a lack of Park Police patrols, raising safety concerns.

As the government shutdown continues, the partial openings of national parks have created a challenging situation, with visitors risking their safety to access the parks, and park advocates warning of the potential for vandalism, poaching, and other damage due to the lack of staff and services.