The National Park Service said it plans to keep most national parks open amid the government shutdown, which began Tuesday at midnight, but restrictions will be in place due to limited staffing.
The NPS released its contingency plans on Tuesday evening before the shutdown, saying, “Park roads, lookouts, trails, and open-air memorials will generally remain accessible to visitors.”
However, NPS will furlough at least 9,296 employees, a majority of its staff, according to the plan. The total number of employees working at the agency before the shutdown was 14,500.
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Due to limited staffing, NPS will be unable to provide comprehensive services to national parks. The parks’ “websites and social media will not be maintained, except for emergency communications,” according to the plan.
NPS said the parks
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