Planning a mountain hike to see fall colors? One last Pacific beach ramble before rain settles in? Washington’s three main national parks remain open, but don’t expect to ask a ranger about trail conditions — or to receive a timely response if you get hurt.

That’s the state of affairs amid a partial federal government shutdown. National parks remain open in Washington and across the country despite pleas from former national park superintendents to close the system while it’s unstaffed. (The government shutdown came after congressional Democrats refused to give enough votes to bypass a filibuster of a Republican spending bill.)

The impasse has led to the furlough of two-thirds of national park employees nationwide so far, according to the National Parks Conservation Association, which ha

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