Open and closed: Gov’t shutdown has varied impact on parks, tourists
THE HUDDLED masses are still able to visit the Statue of Liberty. The Grand Canyon is open for business. The government says other national parks “will remain as accessible as possible”.
But, while the star-spangled banner yet waves at Fort McHenry in Baltimore, the gates at the War of 1812 landmark are locked.
Tourists trekking to parks and historic sites across the United States yesterday saw a mix of impacts from the federal government’s second shutdown in less than a year.
Some attractions are staying open thanks to funding from states and charitable groups.
At some parks, you’re welcome to take a hike — but you’re largely on your own. At others, like the closed Gettysburg National Military Park in Pennsylvania, you’re out of luck.
Utah’s state government is paying to staff the visitor centres at Arches, Bryce Canyon and Zion national parks. Arizona is ponying up to keep trails, shuttles and rest rooms open at the Grand Canyon. New York is footing the bill for the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island for the third time in five years.
The George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum in College Station, Texas, is closed, but the family grave site — where the 41st president was recently buried — will stay open.
Hotels, restaurants, stores and gas stations at Yosemite National Park in California remain open and seem unaffected by the shutdown, which has cancelled some programmes, closed visitor centres and left campgrounds unstaffed.
At Pearl Harbour in Hawaii, non-profit organisations are teaming up to keep the visitor centre open at the governmentrun USS Arizona Memorial. The memorial itself is closed until March for repairs to the loading dock, but visitors are still being taken on a narrated harbour tour of Battleship Row and the surrounding area.