Volunteers pick up trash during shutdown at Hot Springs park

HOT SPRINGS — Anonymous volunteers have kept Hot Springs National Park from feeling the full impact of the partial federal government shutdown, the head of a park volunteer group said.

With the shutdown in its second week, national parks — particularly those in western parts of the country — have been overwhelmed by visitors taking advantage of free access and little to no supervision, according to The Associated Press.

Hundreds of thousands of federal government employees have been forced to go on furlough, leaving many parks without most of the rangers and others who staff campgrounds and otherwise keep parks running.

Human feces, overflowing garbage, illegal off-roading and other damaging behavior in fragile areas are creating problems in some of the nation’s most iconic national parks, according to reports.

Hot Springs National Park, however, has fared well, according to Roxanne Butterfield, president of Friends of Hot Springs National Park.

“It was not as bad as I’d expected. About the only people working are law enforcement,” she said. “Arlington Lawn was mostly picked up, and the trash was not overflowing. I did talk with one law enforcement officer who said some volunteers had come through and picked up, taken the trash. He was not sure who the volunteers were, but that any help is appreciated.”

Butterfield said the trash cans outside the Libby Bath House were overflowing. However, trash cans on North Mountain were not as full. Volunteers emptied trash cans at both locations.

“We went out to the campground, and there were only two campers out there, one of which is the camp host,” she said. “He said an unmarked truck had come through and taken the trash, but again, he was not sure who they were.

“I think overall, considering what we’re hearing on the news about what’s happening in other parks, our park looks pretty darn good. We don’t know who these volunteers are and law enforcement didn’t know.”

Butterfield said she encourages people who visit the park and take to the trails during the shutdown to continue good stewardship and pick up what they can while enjoying the park. She plans to go to different areas today that she was not able to visit Wednesday and clean up whatever is necessary.

Steve Arrison, CEO of Visit Hot Springs, said the visitors center at Hill Wheatley Plaza is stocked with the same maps and guides that park visitors would pick up at the Fordyce Bath House.

“I’ve not heard any complaints or problems other than a lot of disappointed visitors,” he said. “I was downtown this weekend and there were a lot of folks walking up and down Bathhouse Row checking door handles, disappointed that the park was not open, but I don’t know how anyone could not know the park is shut down.”

Arrison said he does have to thank park superintendent Laura Miller for allowing visitors to still walk through Arlington Lawn while downtown.

“Last time we had a shut down, the superintendent put a barrier up around Arlington Lawn, which was disappointing,” he said.