- Utah plans to keep national parks open if a federal shutdown occurs.
- The Utah Office of Tourism emphasizes the parks' $3.1 billion economic impact.
- Former park superintendents warn of risks with limited staffing during shutdowns.
SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Office of Tourism said it is "committed" to keeping the state's national parks, monuments and other outdoor recreation sites open in the event the federal government shuts down this week.
Congress has been barreling toward a shutdown for months and now faces a short timeframe to agree to a new spending bill before current funding runs out on Wednesday, the first day of the government's 2026 fiscal year. Republicans, who control both chambers of Congress, have asked Democrats to approve a short-term funding bill ahead of a meeting on Monday between lawmakers and President Donald Trump.
As a shutdown appears increasingly likely, the Utah Office of Tourism said the state is prepared to step in and fill the gaps until the government reopens, as it has done during past shutdowns.
"We are committed to keeping Utah's parks, monuments and outdoor recreation experiences protected, open and accessible," the office said in a statement. "Our priority is to do right by visitors who have planned trips of a lifetime from all over the world to experience our national parks, as well as by Utahns and communities whose livelihoods depend on a healthy visitor economy."
A closure of parks during a shutdown would cost Utahns more than just their trips to the "Mighty 5" parks. Visitors to those parks generate more than $3 billion in annual economic output in Utah, ranking third in the nation behind only California and North Carolina, according to the National Park Service.
"National parks are not only a treasure, but they generate real, measurable value with visitor spending contributing $3.1 billion to the Utah economy in 2024, underscoring why keeping parks accessible matters for travelers, families and businesses statewide," the Office of Tourism said. "If the federal government does not provide an adequate solution, Utah stands ready to offer strategic state support to keep our parks open and accessible to all."
Even if Utah steps in to backstop federal funding and keep the parks open, visitors will likely see a reduction in services, according to a 2024 contingency plan from the U.S. Department of the Interior.
Dozens of former park superintendents signed a letter last week to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum asking that parks be closed in the event of a shutdown, saying the limited staffing during a shutdown could put the landscapes and visitors at risk. Some services were unavailable during past shutdowns, during which trash was piled up and some sites were vandalized, the letter said.
"National parks don't run themselves. It is hardworking National Park Service employees that keep them safe, clean and accessible," the letter states. "National Park Service employees study, monitor and learn from our natural world through long-term projects and research — and these projects, in addition to irreplaceable resources and habitat, are in jeopardy during a shutdown."
