| Page 1121 | National Parks Traveler

Nope. Not if you can shoehorn into the remaining 5% the Postal Service, FAA, Medicaid, Air Force, CPSC, Social Security, Amtrak, EPA, Department of Labor, Coast Guard, OSHA, garbage collection, CDC, Navy, FDA, Department of Motor Vehicles, 911 Emergency, court system, Fire Department, Interstate Highway System, FDIC, snow plowing, National Mint, SEC, Department of Health, Police, EPA, Marines,

Apr 6th - 20:48pm | ecbuck

"95% of government would shut down" Is that a bad thing?

Apr 6th - 20:02pm | Bruce

Does Low Visitation Justify [Closing] A National Park? No. Not ever. Let me give you an example from Bob's quiz: (Q). The largest natural open space in America's most populous city is in a national park. Identify the national park and the natural open space.

Apr 6th - 18:38pm | rdm24

Do you actually have to step foot into a park for a visit to count? If you drive up Highway 1 to enjoy the scenery north of San Francisco, aren't you essentially "visiting" Point Reyes National Seashore? What about the millions of people in New York and New Jersey catch a glimpse of the Statue of Liberty every single day?

National Parks' Closure Being Highlighted In Congressional Budget Impasse

Apr 7th - 20:29pm | Jim Burnett

re: comment from Reality Check: "The Democratic Pres., Senate and the House were supposed to present a budget before the last election..." Not so many years ago, the federal fiscal year began on July 1st. That fiscal calendar was shifted to an October 1st start because Congress was often failing to do its job and pass the required budget bills by the deadline.

Apr 7th - 19:09pm | Jonathan Hoyt

Please save the parks for the people. Before you cut the parks make sure to visit the majestic sights that are inspiring and majestic.

Apr 7th - 18:02pm | Reality Check

Re: Rick B Sounds to me like a very selfish concern. You are all being played, along with the military and others to make it as painful as possible. The Democratic Pres., Senate and the House were supposed to present a budget before the last election but were afraid that it wouldn't be politically wise. NO substance only deception and ...okay lies!

Apr 7th - 13:53pm | Reality Check

Interesting and widely successful PR campaign. That's all that counts. No reality needed. Respectfully

Apr 7th - 13:01pm | Rick B.

I'm sorry, but I just can't reconcile the term 'reality check' with tea party rhetoric, and really don't like having such oxymorons associated with the national parks.

Apr 7th - 12:53pm | Anonymous

Until the military, social security, Medicare and prior tax cuts for billionaires are part of the discussion there's no point in even talking. But all those entitlements are part of the untouchable reality of most conservatives. No wonder the country is going broke: don't tax but spend anyway.

Apr 7th - 12:37pm | justinh

It would be a shame if the parks close because budget negotiations have, at this late hour, turned into a pretext for fighting the culture wars.

Apr 7th - 11:50am | Ryan

Way to make it all about CAHA again samsdad1 - unreal. To my English friend, if you need some help finding places to go, regardless of the shutdown, I would love to help, please do not let a few angry people deter you from visiting this country, or you could just visit Canada, they have some lovely parks I believe are still open for business.

Apr 7th - 11:10am | Anonymous

In response to the question of "why dont they work and keep the park open, they will get paid anyway...." There is actually a federal law that makes it illegal for nonessential federal workers to voluntarily come to work during a shutdown. It is true that federal employees were retroactively paid after the 1995-1996 shutdowns, but that repyment was not automatic; it required legislation.

Apr 7th - 10:42am | Ron Saunders

Anon April 7 1:22 AM Levin, Limbaugh, Drudge, Fox News ? Nope. They don't control our government. The Silent Majority is speaking. The Fiscally Responsible are speaking. Time to listen Up.

Apr 7th - 08:03am | Reality Check

"Gas prices, get used to it," says our President. How will that effect visitation and the need for volunteers and paid employees with the decline in the economy in every sector. It would appear his voter base wants it that way. They may get their way.

Apr 7th - 08:01am | Danny Bernstein

The last time the government shut down was on our first trip to Hawaii. We managed to find trails in the back of the park (with the help from hiking locals) but most people just skipped the National Parks. What a shame!

Apr 7th - 07:53am | samsdad1

"I'm travelling from England next week to view some of the desert national parks in the southwest. If the parks were closed it would ruin all of my vacation plans and leave me with unease at ever visting the US again."

Apr 7th - 06:24am | DStaniforth

I'm travelling from England next week to view some of the desert national parks in the southwest. If the parks were closed it would ruin all of my vacation plans and leave me with unease at ever visting the US again.

Apr 7th - 03:28am | unhappy volunteer

As a volunteer at a National Monument, I am less than happy I may be told Saturday morning my services are no longer needed. I am even more unhappy about what will happen to the park during any shutdown of services and the cost of restoring the damage which is likely to occur. Why can't our 536 children get it together?

Apr 7th - 02:22am | Anonymous

The GOP is run by the tantrums of Mark Levin, as spoken by Rush Limbaugh, and as reported on the Drudge Report and Fox News. As such, the GOP is happy to close the government, as it is their enemy. Nevermind that they only control one half of one third of the government, they are determined to get their shutdown so nobody will call them RINOs. The GOP is focused on cutting government service

Apr 7th - 00:38am | urbanmountainman

The NPS and non essentials received checks because congress can vote and have them retroactively paid. There's not a snowballs chance in hell that would happen this time around. Anti-government/ anti public service is really en vogue these days.

Apr 6th - 21:22pm | Reality Check

So who was responsible to submit and pass a budget the last two years? The Dem. President, Senate and House. People are wising up to the Liberal BS that got us into this mess. Oh ya, it's Bush's fault. The Republicans want to starve kids and kill old people, Oh my!

Apr 6th - 20:56pm | Anonymous

Did you know that after the last closure ALL the NPS employees got back pay and will again if the park closes? So why dont they work and keep the park open, they will get paid anyway....

Apr 6th - 18:41pm | rdm24

And maybe kids will teach themselves if we close the schools.

Apr 6th - 18:35pm | rdm24

You assume that park closure goes along with park maintenance. Park closure means serious deterioration of facilities, poaching, vandalism, and lots of other unsupervised activities by people undaunted (even encouraged by) a "No Tresspassing" sign. The parks they close today are sure to be in better shape than the parks they reopen tomorrow.

Apr 6th - 17:52pm | urbanmountainman

...and how would the Parks be better if the NPS wasn't involved?

Apr 6th - 17:40pm | ParkLover

Although I would hate to see them close, if it's necessary to help balance the budget, go for it. Even if the gates are closed, the trails should still be accessible and may actually be better since the government is not involved.

Latest Studies On Yellowstone National Park's Wolf Packs Shows Stable Population

Apr 7th - 20:11pm | Anonymous

Dr. Smith doesn't "claim" anything. He is an experienced scientist and he reports the numbers that are accumulated by his team and others who know their jobs. He's not sitting on a couch sniping at the people who actually are making a difference. If you think you can do better, go out there and do the hard work.

Apr 7th - 18:59pm | Anonymous

At least this year he didn't try to claim the elk were "down to 10,000" like he did last year in Ntional Geographic. In fact they evidently were careful not to count in March this year since there were only 4000 by counting into Montana last fall, and we have had a very hard winter. Interestingly the elk in areas all around Yellowstone, including Rocky Mountain National Park are increasing in

The World's Top Ten National Parks

Apr 7th - 18:28pm | Rick Smith

Is that you, Alejandro? Rick

Apr 7th - 16:44pm | Alex

Hello,, I think you guys have been close by but still missing Torres del Paine NP in the Chilean Patagonia , the Juan Fernandes archipielago (where Robinson Cruseo story was originated)which holds the second most important place in endemic species in the world after Hawai, and so Chiloe NP which preserves plenty of red wood trees dating form 2000 years or more along with native people on the pa

Mammoth Cave Testing New Route to "Snowball Room"

Apr 7th - 14:32pm | Rick Martz

Last week (3/30/11) I took my 2 grandkids on the Snowball tour. This was perfect for us because our four-year-old could easily walk it and he was free! We were pleasantly surprised how good and inexpensive the food was and appreciated the restroom break.

Apostle Islands National Lakeshore Proposing to Preserve Five Light Stations

Apr 7th - 12:44pm | Superintendent,...

Lee,

Apr 7th - 11:50am | Kurt Repanshek

Lee, when I talked to the superintendent back in 2009 about the lighthouses and their restoration, he said B&Bs were not in the mix. Things might change, but that's what he said at the time.

Apr 7th - 11:45am | Lee Dalton

There are other places where lighthouses, fire lookouts, and similar places have become very popular places for people to spend a night or a few while visiting. Is there a chance this could happen here? Could some kind of agreement be arranged with a concessionaire to turn these into a kind of bed and do-it-yourself breakfast?

Legislation Would Add Official Wilderness To Olympic National Park, Transfer Acreage to Quileute Tribe

Apr 7th - 09:25am | Anonymous

Seems like a gift of 785 acres to the tribe. The land on the north side of Lake Croissant is already national park (non-wilderness). And it has lovely views of all the clearcuts to the north when you hike up to the ridge crest. Boulder Creek cmpgrnd is also already NP. It seems implied that there is a swap, that the tribe is giving up something in exchange for 785 acres. But what?

April Fool's Story On Cape Hatteras Not Funny To All Readers

Apr 7th - 09:00am | samsdad1

SS! Great post and I agree but for a few areas. Please clarify the following

Apr 7th - 08:37am | SS 1

Greg I agree with some of your points. ORV users are not running wild in tricked out ORVs getting air on the National Park Beach. The beach is incredible small compared to western desert parks and is crowded with vehicles for a good part of the year at popular locations. ORV users would be the first to report this type of behavior should they observe this.

Bluffs Lodge Along The Blue Ridge Parkway Shuttered For 2011

Apr 7th - 08:58am | Anonymous

We stayed at Bluffs Lodge last fall and enjoyed it very much. I'm sad to hear they won't be opening this year. It really is a great place to stop.

Apr 7th - 07:46am | Danny Bernstein

What a shame! The Bluffs Coffee Shop is such a highlight on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The Mountains-to-Sea Trail goes right past the coffee shop and was such a welcome stop. Danny Bernstein www.hikertohiker.com

Really Getting Away From It All: The Loneliest National Parks

Apr 7th - 06:21am | Sabattis

I think one issue with First Ladies is also the lack of an NPS presence. Not to diminish the work of the wonderful people at the National First Ladies library, but when people visit a National Park, I think they expect a National Park Service presence.

Piping Plover Production Up At Cape Hatteras National Seashore

Apr 6th - 19:43pm | Crotalus

Sam There were no bird signs at the end of the 1000 meters. Only brown no ORV signs. And the truth always matters.

Apr 6th - 17:41pm | samsdad

Crot not only are you late as usual but also wrong. Please go back and read the signs (not assume but READ) again and not matter how you count or where the fact is that less than 50% is all we got!!!!

Apr 6th - 15:49pm | Crotalus

Matt, The majority of the chicks which were lost, were in one location - Ocracoke. Hatteras had 7 pair, fledged 15 chicks and lost seven chicks. Ocarcoke had 6 pair and lost 11 chicks (and four nests). Out of the six historic nesting locations, all of the productivity came from - one.

A Guide To Help You Enjoy Your Visit to the Cape Hatteras National Seashore's Lighthouse

Apr 6th - 18:48pm | Debora Mosher

I live in Norfolk, Virginia and visit the outer banks at least 3-4 times a year. My husband, John, and I enjoy the refreshing and beautiful scenery of Buxton and the surrounding areas as well as visiting the lighthouse and talking to the native families. Finally, we can refresh ourselves with the facts and features of the lighthouse with this new pamphlet. It will be the first item we buy on

Rare Motion Pictures Show Civil War Veterans at the 75th Gettysburg Battle Anniversary Reunion

Apr 6th - 18:32pm | Joan

My husband, a Vietnam veteran of three tours, has always been fascinated and moved by anything regarding the Civil War. Our trip several years ago to Gettysburg had him speechless with awe and a deep sense of discovery (something that is unusual for him!). We hope to get back there soon. Thank you to whoever posted these wonderful old films of the Civil War veterans~~~~one day, there will on

Support Journalism about National Parks!

National Parks Traveler is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

Donate Now!

The Essential RVing Guide

The National Parks RVing Guide, aka the Essential RVing Guide To The National Parks, is the definitive guide for RVers seeking information on campgrounds in the National Park System where they can park their rigs. It's available for free for both iPhones and Android models.

This app is packed with RVing specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 parks.

You'll also find stories about RVing in the parks, some tips if you've just recently turned into an RVer, and some planning suggestions. A bonus that wasn't in the previous eBook or PDF versions of this guide are feeds of Traveler content: you'll find our latest stories as well as our most recent podcasts just a click away.

So whether you have an iPhone or an Android, download this app and start exploring the campgrounds in the National Park System where you can park your rig.

National Parks Traveler

Search