Joshua Tree National Park reopens after shutdown

Joshua Tree National Park is now fully staffed with all rangers returning to work Monday as the government re-opens. It comes weeks after the park functioned a skeleton crews, sparking concerns of maintenance and vandalism.

Nearly all of the park’s rangers and staff were furloughed at the start of the government shutdown, leaving a skeleton crew of law enforcement rangers. The park remained open but entrance fees were not collected.

Chris Clarke with the National Park Conservation Association estimates the park is losing $20,000 a day with no entrance fees, which are used to help maintain the park. Volunteers from the community also took it upon themselves to clean campgrounds and bathrooms and buying things like toilet paper out of their own pockets. Eventually, the park announced they found further funding to bring some maintenance staff back.

While local businesses were glad visitors were still coming, they were concerned over reports of vandalism, and say it’s not sustainable to have the park partially staffed.

It remains to be seen if the park will remain fully staffed as the government is only funded through February 15th.