It's been a rough summer for the staff across America's national parks. From tourists flooding into Zion National Park without paying to Rocky Mountain National Park using QR codes to share crucial park information, rangers are spread thinner than ever amid funding cuts.

Now, with a government shutdown looming on October 1 unless Congress passes an appropriations bill, concern over national parks has reached a fever pitch. On September 25, 2025, 35 former national park superintendents published a joint letter to Secretary Doug Burgum of the Department of the Interior urging the closure of all national parks if a shutdown occurs.

In their letter, the superintendents recognize the vital role of the national parks and the common ground (literally and figuratively) that they provide fo

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