Haleakala National Park visitors centers to close during partial government shutdown
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE / 2006
People crowd the summit at Haleakala National Park to watch the sunrise. Visitors can still take a hike or drive through the park, but emergency and rescue services will be limited during the partial federal government shutdown.
Hawaii visitors may access roads, trails and lookouts at Haleakala National Park, but the visitors centers will be closed to the public today due to a partial federal government shutdown.
About 16,000 National Park Service employees are being furloughed. As a result, there will be a limited number of park rangers monitoring the park, spokeswoman Nancy Stimson told the Star-Advertiser. That means park employees will not be providing services such as maintaining the park and administering cabin permits.
“Visitors in Holua, Paliku, Hosmer Grove and Kipahulu tent campgrounds will not be asked to leave unless safety concerns are required,” according to a statement.
Visitors can still take a hike or drive through the park, but emergency and rescue services will be limited during the shutdown. The entrance fee will be waived today.
The bookstore, visitors centers in the summit, Kipahulu district and Pools of Oheo in the Kipahulu district will be closed. All educational programs and park interpretive are canceled, according to a statement.
“All the services that normally the visitors would have — they will not have,” Stimson told the Star-Advertiser.
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At Pearl Harbor on Oahu, the USS Arizona Memorial visitors center will remain open during the shutdown.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
