As the US government shutdown continues, conservationists are urging visitors to steer clear of national parks, advocating for their temporary closure due to safety and resource concerns. The National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) has highlighted the risks posed by skeleton staffing, warning that visitors may find themselves without essential services or support. The National Park Service (NPS), responsible for overseeing 433 sites, has opted to keep parks partially open while furloughing over half of its workforce. This decision has drawn criticism from conservation groups and former park rangers, who argue that reduced staffing jeopardizes both visitor safety and the preservation of park resources. Kristen Brengel, NPCA’s senior vice-president of government affairs, emphasized the lack of communication staff to inform visitors about available facilities, describing the situation as unpredictable. She advised against visiting parks during the shutdown, citing the potential for vandalism, environmental damage, and limited emergency response capabilities. The Trump administration’s approach during the 2018 shutdown, which kept parks open with minimal staffing, led to widespread issues, including off-roading, looting, and littering. Many parks are already under strain due to earlier mass layoffs, raising concerns about their ability to recover from any additional damage. In a letter to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, former park superintendents warned of the risks posed by keeping parks open, citing past instances of vandalism and habitat destruction. Bill Wade, executive director of the association of national park rangers, echoed these concerns, describing the decision as ‘dangerous’ and highlighting the potential for increased resource damage. The shutdown, which began after Congress failed to agree on a new spending plan, has sparked bipartisan efforts to keep parks open, with Senator John Hickenlooper emphasizing their economic and emotional significance during stressful times.