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What will happen to the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore during the government shutdown?
After Congress and the President failed to come to an agreement on any short-term funding bill, the United States government ground to a halt at 12:01 a.m. Eastern time on October 1st. This is the 22nd government shutdown since 1976. Those government lapses have varied from short one-day closures which took place several times in the 1980’s, to 35-days in 2018-2019, the longest shutdown in U.S. history.
As always, there is a tangle of questions about what happens across the federal government in times of a shutdown, not the least of which is the question of what will occur in our national parks in general and to our own Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. The answers are not always clear.
Paddlers on the beach – Jeff Rennicke photo
The only guidance issued so far comes in the form of a Department of Interior “Contingency Plan” issued late yesterday just hours before the government shutdown. That overarching guidance states that the National Park Service will be “conducting no park operations and providing no visitor services,” during the shutdown yet calls for keeping “Park roads, lookouts, trails … accessible to visitors.”
Here in the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, no specific closures due to the shutdown have yet been announced. As of October first, the Lakeshore website now includes an advisory at the top: “National parks remain as accessible as possible during the federal government shutdown. However, some services may be limited or unavailable.”
Screenshot of shutdown alert notice on the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore website
The Visitor Center at Park Headquarters in Bayfield was already closed for the season, as was the Visitor Center at Little Sand Bay. Those closures followed the regular seasonal schedule and are unrelated to the government shutdown.
Park headquarters in Bayfield, closed for the season from September 3 to May 25
Meyers Beach parking area and trailhead are still open to the public. The island docks and campgrounds are open as usual with the usual camping permits required (although Recreation.gov notes that reservations may be more difficult “depending on agency operations.”)
Notice about government shutdown on recreation.gov
Nose of National Park Service kayak – Jeff Rennicke photo
“There simply are no answers to any number of questions yet,” says Friends Executive Director Jeff Rennicke. If you are visiting the park, whether on the mainland or on the islands, Friends urges you to follow the directions of any National Park Service signage that may be available on site. As always, follow Leave No Trace practices to reduce your impact and limit strain on the already reduced maintenance staff. Use extra caution in light of what could be slow response times for Search and Rescue and Emergency Service staff.
“We are in uncharted territory,” Rennicke says. “We as the public who love this place can do our part by helping to keep the park clean, safe, and protected by following the rules, treading lightly, and being very careful on our trips. Our National Park system in general and the Apostle Islands in particular, have weathered many storms, political and otherwise. Together, we can get through this one as well.”
Friends of the Apostle Islands will update this story and provide more information as it becomes available.
Additional topics related to this article | Little Sand Bay | Meyers Beach | Park Service Headquarters
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