Government Shutdown & Your National Park Trip: What We Know Now – US Park Pass

Updated: November 14, 2025 • The federal shutdown has ended. National parks are reopening services in phases. Most roads and trails remain accessible; visitor centers, campgrounds, permits, and ranger programs may take a few days to return to normal. We’ll keep this page current as parks post updates.

Latest Update – Nov 14, 2025

Parks are restoring normal operations. Expect a short lag for staffed services and online communications to catch up. A few places still have seasonal or fire-related limits (e.g., Grand Canyon North Rim, Glacier high roads). See Park-Specific Updates for what to expect and easy side trips near each park.

What’s Reopening Now (and What Might Lag)

Back first (usually within 24–72 hours)

Entrance stations and fee collection at major parks.
Basic sanitation at high-use areas (restrooms/trash), especially where fee or partner funds were already in place.
Core visitor centers on reduced hours, then normal schedules.

Parks prioritize safety, sanitation, and high-traffic sites first.

Short lag (check day-of)

Campgrounds and in-park lodging moving from limited staffing to full operations.
Permit offices and ranger programs resuming on posted schedules.
Web/social updates catching up; alerts pages refreshed.

Some concessioners stayed open; others ramp up over several days.

Expect longer lead times

Areas with seasonal closures (e.g., North Rim, certain mountain roads).
Sites with fire or infrastructure impacts that pre-dated the shutdown.
Backcountry/technical permits that require staffing and safety briefings.

These aren’t shutdown delays so much as safety/seasonality constraints.

Park-Specific Updates & Nearby Side Trips

Each card summarizes current signals for experience quality (campgrounds & lodging, trails & access, amenities & comms), then lists practical side trips from towns most visitors use as bases.

Utah – “Mighty 5” (Zion • Bryce • Arches • Canyonlands • Capitol Reef)

Now: State and partner support kept basics steady; parks are shifting to normal staffing. Roads/trails open; VC hours expanding; sanitation stabilizing.
Side trips (bases: Springdale • Bryce/Tropic • Moab • Torrey):
- Kolob Canyons 50–60m • Coral Pink Sand Dunes SP ~1h • Kanab slots 1–1.5h
- Kodachrome Basin SP 25–35m • Byway 12 pullouts 10–40m
- Dead Horse Point SP ~40m • La Sal Loop 45–75m
- Hwy 24 viewpoints 5–20m • Goblin Valley SP ~1.5h

Grand Canyon (AZ) – South Rim focus

Now: South Rim operations normalizing; facilities/services expanding daily. Phantom Ranch and Bright Angel Campground reopened Nov 1; North Rim remains largely seasonal-closed with limited day-use viewpoints when posted.
Side trips (Tusayan • GC Village • Page):
- Desert View Drive overlooks 30–60m each
- Horseshoe Bend ~2.5h • City-managed (Page)
- Antelope Canyon ~2.5h • Navajo Nation guided tours (Page)

Yosemite (CA)

Now: Park is open; staffing and comms catching up. Seasonal constraints still rule (Glacier Point/Tioga as posted). Expect variable restrooms/parking controls for a few days; lodging outside the park remains the most predictable.
Side trips (Valley/El Portal • Oakhurst • Lee Vining*):
- Valley viewpoints 5–25m • Wawona day hikes 45–70m
- Mariposa Grove 60–80m • Sierra NF trailheads 20–60m
- Tuolumne pullouts 20–45m • Mono Basin 10–25m (*only if Tioga open)

Yellowstone & Grand Teton (WY/MT)

Now: Roads as posted for shoulder season; several Yellowstone VCs have been operating with partner support and are moving to normal schedules. Plan self-reliant days; some facilities remain on winter hours.
Side trips (West Yellowstone • Gardiner • Jackson • Cody):
- Mammoth–Gardiner corridor 10–30m • Big Sky/Gallatin NF 45–75m
- Moose–Wilson overlooks 15–35m • Bridger-Teton NF 15–60m
- East Entrance overlooks 45–90m • Buffalo Bill Center (Cody)

Rocky Mountain (CO)

Now: Services returning; seasonal road changes continue. Town support is strong; easy alternates if lots/restrooms are full while staffing ramps.
Side trips (Estes Park • Grand Lake):
- Bear Lake corridor 15–40m • Roosevelt NF trailheads 5–45m
- Kawuneeche turnouts 10–30m • State Forest SP 1–1.5h

Glacier (MT)

Now: Seasonal more than shutdown: Going-to-the-Sun Road reopened park-wide in early Oct but is highly weather-sensitive in late fall; services are limited. Always verify road status day-of.
Side trips (West Glacier • St. Mary):
- Lake McDonald pullouts 5–25m • Apgar loops 5–15m
- Sunrift Gorge/Siyeh Bend 10–25m • Many Glacier 30–60m (road-dependent)

Joshua Tree (CA)

Now: Open-air access is strong; sanitation/resource protection will improve as staffing returns, but expect a brief lag for campgrounds and routine maintenance.
Side trips (Joshua Tree • Yucca Valley • Twentynine Palms):
- Hidden Valley/Barker Dam 15–35m • Keys View 35–50m
- Cholla Cactus Garden 35–50m • Cottonwood area 50–70m

Sequoia & Kings Canyon (CA)

Now: Groves/overlooks accessible when roads are open; seasonal closures common. Expect a staggered return for services; lodging outside the park is most predictable.
Side trips (Three Rivers • Grant Grove • Visalia):
- General Grant/General Sherman areas 30–75m (road-dependent)
- Sierra NF trailheads 20–60m • Kaweah River corridor 10–40m

San Francisco Bay Area – GGNRA & Muir Woods (CA)

Now: Donor-supported openings bridged the shutdown; areas are reverting to normal NPS/Trust operations. Expect interiors (e.g., Fort Point) to post hours as staffing resets; Presidio remains the most “normal” experience.
Side trips (Mill Valley/Sausalito • SF/Presidio):
- Mt. Tamalpais SP trailheads 10–25m • Marin Headlands vistas 10–20m
- Presidio trails/overlooks 5–20m • Alcatraz (concession boat ops)

Olympic (WA)

Now: Broad access; lodges/concessions at Lake Quinault/Lake Crescent/Sol Duc provide reliable anchors while NPS staffing normalizes. Restrooms improving but still variable in remote spots.
Side trips (Port Angeles • Forks • Quinault):
- Hurricane Ridge 20–35m (road-dependent) • Lake Crescent 30–50m
- Rialto/Second Beach 20–40m • Hoh Rain Forest 60–90m
- Quinault Valley loops 10–40m • Nearby NF trailheads 15–60m

Mount Rainier (WA)

Now: Paradise access often good; Sunrise typically closes early Oct. Services and comms are returning, but weather can change plans quickly.
Side trips (Ashford • Enumclaw/Greenwater):
- Nisqually–Paradise 45–70m • Longmire trails 30–45m
- Sunrise viewpoints 60–90m • Chinook/White Pass corridors 60–120m (seasonal)

North Cascades (WA)

Now: Open but services thin in late fall; SR-20/VC hours are highly seasonal. Plan for self-reliance; check pass status before driving.
Side trips (Marblemount • Winthrop/Mazama):
- Diablo Lake overlooks 30–60m • SR-20 passes (status-dependent)
- Washington Pass overlooks 30–50m • Methow Valley USFS trails 10–45m

Great Smoky Mountains (TN/NC)

Now: Solid experience profile: roads/trails widely open; town services robust; NPS amenities returning as staff resets schedules.
Side trips (Gatlinburg • Townsend • Cherokee):
- Cades Cove Loop 30–50m • Little River Rd pullouts 15–40m
- Newfound Gap/Clingmans Dome 45–70m • Blue Ridge Pkwy access 10–25m

Acadia (ME)

Now: Fall operations continue with seasonal campground closures; services are returning but limited. Cadillac and some facilities shift to off-season patterns—have backups.
Side trips (Bar Harbor • Winter Harbor/Schoodic):
- Park Loop pullouts 5–30m • Carriage Roads 10