Hiker friends – some sad news today. Due to the U.S. government shutdown, all U.S. national parks are closed and will be closed indefinitely until the government can come to an agreement about the budget.

What exactly does this mean?

Hopefully you did not have a trip to a National Park planned this week. All visitor centers, bathrooms, and facilities are closed. All educational programs and events are expected to be cancelled. Even campgrounds will be closed.

It means that if you were planning to visit a national park or national monument today, you will need to change your plans.

Let’s hope that this gets resolved soon! The U.S. National Parks are our nation’s treasure, and they are wonderful places to go hiking, enjoy the outdoors, and spend quality time with family and friends.