A biker and his dog make their way to the Maroon Bells Scenic Area on Thursday morning. A federal shutdown has threatened visitation at the Maroon Bells just as the landscape is seeing peak fall colors. Jason Charme/Aspen Daily News

Officials hope to keep the Maroon Bells Scenic Area staffed and open despite a federal shutdown, according to Pitkin County.

The U.S. Forest Service believes it can keep the area open for at least another week, potentially through Oct. 10, according to Pitkin County Public Works Director Brian Pettet.

“The forest service has said it looks like we’ve got some time,” Pettet said.

He cautioned that the USFS has not committed to a hard timeline for how long the area will stay open if the shutdown continues. If it forces the forest service to stop staffing vis

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