Great Smoky Mountains National Park Rescued By Unexpected Heroes During The Government Shutdown

As the government shutdown rages on, national parks across the U.S. continue to strive to remain open, according to the National Park Service Contingency Plan , while a majority of staff is furloughed and the entire federal site functions without funding.

While the majority of national parks are open to some capacity , very few are fully operational. Great Smoky Mountains National Park, however, is proving to be the exception, with all roads and facilities reopened over the weekend, in spite of the continued government shutdown.

The hero that swooped in to save America's most visited national park? A group of local and state non-profits that are paying the tab for the massive interstate national park site.

Local Groups Are Paying To Keep Great Smoky Mountains National Park Open

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