The current partial government shutdown is the longest shutdown in more than 20 years. With only skeleton crews on duty, one of the most visible affects are on the Nation’s National Parks. The National Park Service and Department of the Interior issued instructions earlier this week that the park could use previously-collected entrance and campground fees to conduct major cleanup, repair, and maintenance of overflowing toilets and trash barrels, fouled campgrounds, and damaged roads. Managing editor Tami Roleff explains what’s open and what’s not…
Park Superintendent David Smith told Z107.7 News that park staff came in Wednesday and were able to complete the necessary repairs to the park, meaning that the planned park closure, which was announced Tuesday, will not take effect. Areas that had been closed, and are now re-opened, include all campgrounds, Stirrup Tank Road, Lost Horse Mine Road and trail, Key’s View Road, and Rattlesnake Canyon picnic area and road. However, the park’s visitor centers at Cottonwood and Twentynine Palms, and the Black Rock Nature Center will remain closed, and entrance and campground fees will not be collected. The Joshua Tree Visitors Center, operated by a private non-profit organization, will be open.
To recap, here is the current status of Joshua Tree National Park for this weekend as per park officials:
· The park is open and will remain open until resource damage or health and safety
concerns force an administrative closure.
· All park-staffed visitor centers are closed and will remain closed, the Joshua Tree Visitor’s Center, privately run, remains open.
· Back-country camping is open and free to the public.
· A limited number of law enforcement staff have been exempted and are currently on
duty in the park to provide for visitor safety and resource protection.
