SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Only one of Utah’s five national parks will be staffed after the new year as the state pulls back funding during the partial U.S. government shutdown.
Utah Office of Tourism managing director Vicki Varela said Friday that a nonprofit will pay about $2,000-$2,500 a day to keep Zion National Park open Jan. 1-5 with skeleton staffing and services such as public restrooms, clean bathrooms and trash collection.
The other four parks — Bryce Canyon, Arches, Canyonlands and Capitol Reef — will remain open but without those services. Varela says those parks are expected to have fewer visitors than Zion.
The state is paying about up to $7,500 a day to keep Zion, Arches and Bryce staffed through Dec. 31. Varela called it frustrating that visitors aren’t getting the full national park experience during the shutdown.
