Utah National Parks assess damage after shutdown leaves sites unprotected

Spray paint graffiti was found on the sandstone rocks in Arches National Park during the government shutdown. Photo: NPS Photo

UTAH — With the government shutdown now in the rear-view mirror, National Park Service (NPS) employees are returning to the state’s national parks and beginning the slow process of assessing the damage left behind.

During the shutdown, the State of Utah chose to keep several national parks partially open by contributing $8,000 per day — enough to operate visitor centers and provide limited visitor safety support. But without the maintenance, oversight, and education that a full staff of rangers typically provides, many parks are now confronting the long-term consequences of unsupervised visitation.

At Arches National Park, graffiti was discovered near Landscape Arch in the Devils Garden area, according to NPS. Multiple sandstone features were painted with symbols, smiley faces, and the letters “FNAF” and “GRUG,” as first reported by Outside. NPS said the incident remains under investigation and declined to provide additional comment.

The concerns extend beyond Arches. Advocacy groups say the shutdown left parks across the country exposed.

“Despite clear warnings that keeping parks open without staff would put visitors and resources at risk, Secretary Burgum ignored calls to close them. For 43 days, many national parks were left open, vulnerable and unprotected,” Kristen Brengel, Senior Vice President of Government Affairs for the National Parks Conservation Association, said in a statement. “Furloughed park staff now face the daunting task of returning to parks to assess and address the damage, a process that could take months.”

The financial impacts are also beginning to surface. Zion National Park alone lost an estimated $1.7 million in fee revenue during October, Natalie Britt, CEO of the Zion Forever Project, told The Salt Lake Tribune. Those fees, Britt noted, fund critical park operations including shuttle service, trail maintenance, resource protection, and visitor safety.

US Congress voted to reopen the government after the longest shutdown in the nation’s history, but funding for most agencies is only secured through January 30, 2026. A new, partial shutdown is possible if Congress fails to pass a full budget before the January deadline.