Former National Park Superintendents Urge Parks to Close in Event of Shutdown

WASHINGTON — A group of 40 former national park superintendents is urging the Trump administration to close parks to visitors in the event of a government shutdown. In a letter sent Thursday, the former officials warned that past shutdowns in which parks remained open led to vandalism of iconic symbols, destruction of wildlife habitats and potential endangerment of visitors, underscoring the risks for parks already strained by staffing cuts and tight budgets.

The signatories argued that a shutdown now could be considerably worse because park units have faced a roughly 24% reduction in staff and significant budget reductions that limit maintenance, safety and oversight. They cited a secretarial order from Interior Secretary Doug Burgum directing parks to remain open as a major contributing factor to the problem, saying the directive has left some units neglecting routine tasks such as trash collection and other essential maintenance. The directive, issued in April, stated that the Park Service director should ensure that all park units remain open and accessible to the public during their posted hours of operation, but the former superintendents warned that operation without adequate staffing risks safety and resource integrity.

“Leaving parks even partially open to the public during a shutdown with minimal — or no — park staffing is reckless and puts both visitors and park resources at risk,” the letter stated. “National parks don’t run themselves. It is hardworking National Park Service employees that keep them safe, clean and accessible.” The officials urged the administration to prioritize conservation and visitor safety during a potential shutdown and into the future, arguing that if sufficient staff aren’t there, visitors shouldn’t be there either.

The letter emphasizes that park staff perform a broad range of duties beyond guiding tours and hosting educational programs. They manage routine maintenance of buildings and trails, oversee safety measures to protect visitors, and conduct long-term projects and research that inform preservation strategies. In a shutdown, those activities could be halted, jeopardizing ongoing investigations, monitoring, and the ability to respond to environmental hazards.

Organized by the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks and the Association of National Park Rangers, the letter frames the issue as a matter of stewardship and public safety rather than politics. The authors describe themselves as former park leadership who have seen the consequences of insufficient staffing firsthand and who worry that a shutdown could erode public trust in the National Park System’s ability to protect resources and people.

The Interior Department and the National Park Service did not immediately respond to requests for comment.