A possible government shutdown by Congress by the end of the month could completely or partially close national parks, including Yosemite. That could lead to cancellations and a major impact on tourism.
Yosemite sees about 3.5 million visitors a year, which translates to millions of tourism dollars to Tuolumne and Mariposa counties.
In 2013, a government shutdown lasted 16 days and all national parks closed completely, resulting in an estimated $500 million loss in tourist dollars.
Between 2018 and 2019, another shutdown lasted 35 days but Yosemite stayed open with many areas closed off and a skeleton staff.
Rush Creek Lodge sits on the doorstep of Yosemite in Groveland with almost 150 rooms and is a popular wedding venue. But the summer started rough with the entrance at Big Oak Flat closed until mid-June due to road repairs.
Valla Crumbly with the lodge said she’s listing alternatives for visitors who are calling.
“There are a lot of things to do around here that aren’t in the park such as Hetch Hetchy, Carlon Falls, Rainbow Pools,” Crumbly said. “What we did last time is provide a list of things people can do outside the gate.”
Wildfires and the pandemic certainly hurt Yosemite tourism, but this year optimism is up, according to Jacob Hawley with the Mariposa Visitors Center.
“We are just coming back and we finally had a good season and definitely not looking forward to a government shutdown. We need the business because we already started off with a good amount of business this year and we want to end strong as well.”
So far, the National Park Service has been tight-lipped about what actions it will take in the event of a shutdown. Government funding is set to expire Oct. 1 if Congress is not able to pass a funding plan that the president signs into law.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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