Government Shutdown Forces Closure of Devils Tower National Monument

Date: October 1, 2013
Contact: Nancy Stimson, 307 467 5283

Government Shutdown Forces Closure of Devils Tower National Monument

Devils Tower, WY – Because of the shutdown of the federal government caused by the lapse in appropriations, the National Park Service (NPS) has closed all 401 national parks, including Devils Tower National Monument.  All visitor facilities including Devils Tower Visitor Center, campground and roads are closed.  The park will remain closed until the government reopens.

Superintendent Reed Robinson said the Belle Fourche River Campground and all hiking trails are clear of visitors. In addition, all park interpretive programs and special events have been canceled.

Devils Tower National Monument hosts an estimated 500 visitors on average each day in October; nationally, more than 715,000 visitors a day frequent the National Park System. Nationwide the NPS stands to lose approximately $450,000 per day in lost revenue from fees collected at entry stations and fees paid for in-park activities such as cave tours, boat rides and camping. Gateway communities across the country see about $76 million per day in total sales from visitor spending that is lost during a government shutdown.

In Devils Tower National Monument, 18 employees are on furlough because of the shutdown. Rangers remain on duty, providing security and emergency services. The Devils Tower Natural History Association is also closed due to the shutdown.

Nationwide the shutdown has also furloughed more than 20,000 National Park Service employees; approximately 3,000 employees remain on duty to ensure essential health, safety, and security functions at parks and facilities. About 12,000 park concessions employees are also affected. 

Because it will not be maintained, the National Park Service website will be down for the duration of the shutdown. NPS.gov has more than 750,000 pages and 91 million unique visitors each year.

 For updates on the federal government shutdown, please visit www.doi.gov/shutdown.

 National Park Service employees care for America's 401 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. 

  www.nps.gov/deto