Yosemite and other national parks across California and the rest of the United States remained open Wednesday, the first day of the federal government shutdown, but with limited services, staff and programs.
Under a contingency plan released by the Trump administration for national parks, 64% of the roughly 14,500 employees at America’s 433 national parks were sent home without pay.
Law enforcement rangers, firefighters, people who operate power stations and sewage treatment plants were kept on as essential. Many other rangers, planners, maintenance staff, people who run educational programs and others were furloughed.
Nearly every public affairs official at national parks was furloughed, leaving the public in the dark as people struggled with vacation plans, wedding plans, and other ev