Around The Shutdown: Which National Parks Are Open Today?

Published Date

October 14, 2013

The trails through Bryce Canyon National Park are open once again thanks to funding from the state of Utah. Kurt Repanshek photo.

Wondering which national parks have been able to reopen with state funding? Here's a list, as of October 14, and the dates the parks are to remain open...barring some resolution in Washington or more funding from the states.

You'll also discover that the websites of these parks are back online.

* Arches National Park (Utah, open October 11-20)

* Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah, open October 11-20)

* Canyonlands National Park (Utah, open October 11-20)

* Capitol Reef National Park (Utah, open October 11-20)

* Cedar Breaks National Monument (Utah, open October 11-20)

* Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (Utah, open October 11-20)

* Natural Bridges National Monument (Utah, open October 11-20)

* Zion National Park (Utah, open October 11-20)

* Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado, open October 11-20)

* Statue of Liberty National Monument (New York, open October 12-17)

* Mount Rushmore National Memorial (South Dakota, open October 14-23)

* Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona, open October 12-18)

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Comments

Submitted by Rick B. on October 14, 2013 - 4:51pm.

Sad.

Submitted by Megaera on October 15, 2013 - 6:20pm.

Washington state's governor has decided not to do this for Mt. Rainier, Olympic, and North Cascades, alas, citing cash flow issues.

I wonder if I can get a partial refund or an extension for my annual pass. Not [wry g].

Submitted by Rick B. on October 15, 2013 - 7:00pm.

What I hear of Arizona is that Governor Brewer halted welfare checks in the state, as there was no guarantee that the federal funds would come through after the shutdown to pay it back. She was the ONLY state governor to do that to her poor.

Howsomever, she appeared at the reopening of the Grand Canyon, which was opened on Arizona funds. With no guarantee it would be repaid by the federal government. And she only opened it for one week.

Submitted by dahkota on October 15, 2013 - 7:07pm.

Brewer did not halt the checks, the Arizona Economic Security Office did. She restored them about a week later with funding to last through October 31.

Arizona restores TANF

Submitted by ecbuck on October 15, 2013 - 8:17pm.

Maybe she could get the welfare recipients to come work in the parks to earn their checks.

Submitted by rmackie on October 15, 2013 - 9:50pm.

EC, I know you have a point here. as in any program, abuse happens, I have seen it myself as my father was a social worker for Monterey County here in California. He used to take me often as he went all over the county, and we would turn the weekend into a camping trip. In any case I must admit I saw many more in true need than on the take. The elderly, disabled, unemployed with dire family circumstances, offspring caring for ailing parents, adoption issues, catastrophe disease, well it was an educational experience. I was reading an interesting article, "The Real Hunger Games" , Nation magazine (October 14). You might enjoy the article as the author, Trudy Lieberman, is a regular contributing editor for the Columbia Journalism Review. It is troubling to read the statistics on how many of our nations elderly people are truly in dire straits, not to mention the disabled, the sick and young children. I know we should be talking parks, but...., as we get into my age group, the middle seventies, I see more and more of it, maybe it is because I now I have the time to observe it first hand.

Submitted by Rick B. on October 15, 2013 - 11:18pm.

dahkota...

Per Wiki:

"The Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES) is a government agency of the State of Arizona, providing a variety of social support services to Arizona residents. The current director is Clarence H. Carter who reports to Arizona Governor Jan Brewer."

I've got a pretty good feeling that old Clarence H isn't going to do something like cut off all welfare in the state without having called up Jan.

Submitted by dahkota on October 16, 2013 - 7:06am.

You're probably right. But, being an eternal optimist, I like to believe that everyone has a heart, no matter how small.

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