The federal shutdown meant that Joshua Tree National Park’s services such as restrooms and campgrounds were not maintained, and rangers were not present. Vehicles park in a fire lane at the Ryan Mountain trailhead on Dec. 29 in Joshua Tree National Park. Government shutdown contingency plans adopted by the National Park Service last year have allowed many national parks to remain accessible, but without staffing. The result is that “closed” parks are essentially wide open, and in some cases that gives them a Wild West vibe. At Yellowstone National Park, access this time of year depends on grooming of snow-covered roads — but the National Park Service’s shutdown plan does not consider such activity to be essential.

Source: Washington Post January 01, 2019 20:09 UTC