Visitors Explore Grand Canyon Amid Government Shutdown
Despite the federal government shutdown, the Grand Canyon National Park remains accessible to tourists. On Wednesday morning, the park’s south entrance lanes were open to visitors, though the kiosks were not staffed.
In Grand Canyon Village, numerous tourists were seen capturing the scenic views and enjoying a walk along the Rim Trail. Jeff Sexton, a veteran from Wisconsin, expressed his concerns about the lack of staff at the entrance during his first visit to the park. “When we see staffing being reduced where we come in this morning and there’s nobody there, that’s alarming because of the fact that we’re losing this natural resource by people just coming and going without bringing money and funds to help support the parks. Because this is one beautiful place, and it’s something that needs staff,” Sexton stated.
While Sexton is worried about reduced staffing, he is more concerned about cuts to social services by the Trump administration. However, John Roney from Chicago had a different opinion during his family’s first visit to the canyon. He remarked, “We love a government shutdown, so it’s all good by us. The government spends too much money, so I mean, if you can keep this place open, that’s fine. But taxing people less would be a good thing.”
Meanwhile, John Olynyk from Australia, visiting for the third time, emphasized that their visit would not be affected by American political scenarios. “Irrespective of what’s going on in the world, it’s a magical place to come and see,” he commented.
Though the visitor center is closed, tourists can still access gift shops, restaurants, and other contracted services. Park shuttles are also operational, which is crucial as some areas are only reachable by shuttle bus for significant parts of the year. Essential services such as park law enforcement and emergency response continue to operate.
Historically, the Grand Canyon has remained open during past shutdowns, with partial state funding supporting operations. This approach was adopted during the shutdowns in late 2018, early 2019, and 2013. However, a representative for Governor Katie Hobbs indicated that Arizona cannot sustain this model, stating, “Arizona taxpayers cannot and should not continue bearing the cost of dysfunctional politicians in Washington, D.C. who would rather shut down the government than reach across the aisle and work together.”
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