Arizona National Parks Survived The Government Shutdown

Above, a view of the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

During the government shutdown, Joshua Tree National Park suffered damage that would, officials say, take 300 years to heal. Trash was left uncollected, valuable Joshua Trees were cut down and other acts of vandalism took place.

In contrast, Arizona's national parks were almost unscathed in comparison.

According to AZ Big Media:

Waiting for the sun to rise, visitors to Grand Canyon National Park quietly stood at Mather Point. By 7:45, sunbeams pierced the low clouds to illuminate the red rocks and the sparkling snow. Despite the partial federal government shutdown, which ended Jan. 25, for most visitors, the closure didn’t affect their experience. 

Although Petrified Forest National Park closed during the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, Arizona’s two other national parks – Grand Canyon and Saguaro National Park – remained open with limited services. The visitor center at Grand Canyon was closed, but the Grand Canyon Conservancy bookstore, hotels and restaurants were open. It was a similar story at Saguaro. But as of Monday, both parks were fully staffed, and it was business as usual, at least for the next three weeks while the debate over funding a southern-border wall continues in Washington, D.C. 

Park officials say Saguaro and Grand Canyon are recovering from the shutdown with limited damage, and they are prepared should another shutdown happen.

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