"We've Never Seen Anything Like This": How Did The Longest U.S. Shutdown Impact U.S. National Parks?

The longest shutdown in U.S. history has finally come to an end . Yet, the consequences of this for the National Park Service (NPS) will be felt for months, if not years, to come.

Despite the formal request of hundreds of former NPS employees to close parks, national parks across the country stayed open. Because of this, several of these protected areas have been vandalized, visitors have been injured, and some have even lost their lives.

Critical safety procedures haven’t been carried out, and millions of dollars in revenue fees have been lost. Here is a detailed breakdown of how the shutdown has affected U.S. national parks.

Accidents & Injuries

Starting from the most tragic events, at least two people have unfortunately lost their lives during the shutdown. A young climber died wh