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40 Former Park Superintendents Urge Burgum To Close National Parks If Shutdown Begins

They warn steep staffing cuts plus an April directive to keep sites open would leave visitors and resources at risk.

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Visitors gather near the Valley Store in Yosemite National Park in May 2025. More than three dozen former park superintendents are urging President Trump to close Yosemite and all 433 national park sites if the government shuts down next week.
A Yosemite National Park sign is seen in El Portal. More than three dozen former park superintendents are urging President Trump to close Yosemite and all 433 national park sites if the government shuts down next week.

Overview

  • Organized by the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks and the Association of National Park Rangers, the letter calls leaving parks open with minimal staff “reckless.”
  • Current NPS contingency guidance says sites will generally close during a lapse, with only activities necessary to protect life and property continuing.
  • The Interior Department and the National Park Service have not publicly detailed updated shutdown procedures and did not respond to requests for comment.
  • Past lapses caused documented damage, including felled Joshua trees, off-road scarring in Death Valley, and trash and human waste piling up in Yosemite.
  • NPCA estimates closures could affect up to 433 sites and nearly 1 million daily visitors, costing local communities about $77 million and parks up to $1 million in daily fee revenue, as states weigh whether they can help keep key parks open.