logo
National Parks Had a Record Year. Trump Officials Appear to Want It Kept Quiet.

National Parks Had a Record Year. Trump Officials Appear to Want It Kept Quiet.

New York Times06-03-2025

America's national parks saw more than 331 million visits last year, a record. But the Trump administration does not want to call attention to those numbers, according to a National Park Service memo, amid mass firings of rangers and other employees at the Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Arches and other popular destinations.
The internal memo, issued on Wednesday, said the agency would 'not issue a press release or other proactive communications, including social media posts' regarding the numbers. Individual parks could make public visitor numbers if directly asked for them, it said. The data also was posted online.
The Trump administration fired about 1,000 National Park Service employees in February as part of a plan by President Trump and Elon Musk to reduce the size of the federal work force. More than 700 additional park employees also have submitted resignations as part of Mr. Musk's 'fork in the road' offer, and agency directors are required to report their plans for still more cuts to the White House by March 13.
'The National Park Service just reported the highest visitation in its history, as the administration conducts massive firings and threatens to close visitor centers and public safety facilities,' said Kristen Brengel, the senior vice president of government affairs for the National Parks Conservation Association, a nonpartisan group.
She said the numbers showed that Americans love national parks and warned that the cuts would mean closed campgrounds and canceled ranger programs and would curtail the ability to conduct search and rescue activities as peak travel season arrives.
'It's a slap in the face to the hundreds of millions of people who explored our parks last year and want to keep going back,' Ms. Brengel said.
The Interior Department, which oversees the National Park Service, did not respond to a request for comment.
According to the visitor data, the park system saw 331,863,358 visitors last year, the most since record-keeping began in 1904. The previous record of 330 million visits was set in 2016, when the Park Service celebrated its centennial.
The most visited were: Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina and Tennessee, with 12.1 million visits; Zion National Park in Utah, with 4.9 million visits; Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona, with 4.9 million visits; Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, Idaho and Montana, with 4.7 million visits; and Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado, with 4.1 million visits.
Just days after firing employees and imposing a hiring freeze, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum announced that the Park Service would rehire thousands of workers, albeit as temporary, summer positions.
'Go apply. Apply for a job,' Mr. Burgum said on Fox News. 'We want to make sure that we're giving a great experience for citizens at our national park system.'
Ms. Brengel noted that many of the people Mr. Burgum said the agency would hire had been offered jobs in January and then rescinded the offers when the Trump administration issued a hiring freeze.
She said agency leaders were 'kidding themselves' if they believed they could rehire those and thousands more seasonal workers in time for the busy season, adding that the agency had also reduced the human resources staff that is responsible for making new hires.
The website USA Jobs, which lists open federal government jobs, offered only 197 seasonal Park Service positions as of Thursday.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

What Are Smart Workcations? 5 Tips To Plan One This Summer
What Are Smart Workcations? 5 Tips To Plan One This Summer

Forbes

time8 minutes ago

  • Forbes

What Are Smart Workcations? 5 Tips To Plan One This Summer

Find out why workcations are becoming more popular this year and how to take one that's balanced. Summer is just around the corner, and vacation plans are heating up. Many travelers are staying close to home this summer, staying in the U.S. or headed to Canada or Mexico, according to Squaremouth. Or they're staycationing at home, enjoying slow summer vacations. The tanking economy, jammed airports, travel disruptions, canceled flights and flight delays--plus lost luggage claims up 18%--are causing vacationers to rethink how they want to spend summer vacations. As a result, smart workcations are becoming more popular in the summer of 2025. Almost one year ago to the day I was writing about 'hushcations' for in which younger workers were sneaking vacations without calling off work or disclosing their location to their employers. The 'hush movement' grew among remote workers across the country as they tried to find risk-averse ploys to combine remote working with their desire for job flexibility. Now, as summer 2025 nears, Americans hit a 15-year low in travel planning, according to Fortune, explaining that job insecurity from DOGE layoffs and tariffs are shattering 2025 vacation plans. This summer vacationers are turning to a different kind of break called 'slow summer vacations,' shying away from baggage delays and loss, long lines, flight delays and disruptions and scaling back activities, cutting costs and allowing more unstructured time. A new Monster study reveals that most employees aren't getting the flexibility or support they need to enjoy the summer months. A notable 84% of U.S. workers say they aren't offered any designated summer benefits. And64% say they struggle to maintain a healthy work-life balance during the summer, When it comes to managing seasonal schedule conflicts, 42% report feeling unsupported by their managers or employers Among employees who receive summer benefits, 55% say it improves their productivity, proving that seasonal flexibility is more than just a perk--it's a performance booster. Workations are having a moment, as almost half of office workers (46%) have taken a one, with one in four doing so to obtain a better quality of life, and eight in ten claiming that a workation helps them cope with burnout. In fact, one in three workers have completed tasks on a beach or on a plane, according to a recent survey by Headway app. If you're like most people, the availability of technology and remote work make it impractical to plan a vacation totally devoid of work. White-knuckling through wondering if a work problem is going unaddressed actually raises your anxiety. Instead of planning a "cold turkey' vacation, it makes more sense to shoot for a smart workcation that balances play with work. Here are my five tips on how to have a fun and productive smart workcation: Limited communication with the office while vacationing can be less stressful than no communication at all and worrying about things piling up. Feeling that you're getting behind can make you feel out of control and make it harder to chill. Strictly enforced limits on vacations such as an hour a day to check email or make phone calls can help you relax. The breakneck speed of technology can activate your stress response, provoking a cortisol/dopamine squirt. Then you respond to the immediacy of the device as if it were a threat to extinguish. Be master instead of slave to your devices. Use custom ring tones for your family, friends or coworkers when you want to screen calls during off-hours. Ease up on instant messaging so you don't create the expectation that you're available 24/7. Avoid working right up until the moment you leave and head back to work right off the vacation. If possible, schedule an extra-day cushion before you depart and another when you return to ease back in. On vacation, alternate your time between staying active and restorative rest. A walk on the beach combined with five minutes of meditation both give you a biochemical boost. Activity raises endorphins. Quieting your mind stimulates the part of your brain that dampens the surges of adrenaline and cortisol accompanying stress. Choose a colleague you trust to manage day-to-day tasks during your absence, and make sure your coworkers know you'll be away. Designate a point person to be contacted on your voicemail and out-of-office email only on matters you want to be bothered about. Avery Morgan, workplace productivity expert and CHRO at Edubirdie, shares four easy-to-follow tips to help you stay focused, creative and one step ahead, without sacrificing the whole 'workation' vibe. "Your golden window of uninterrupted time, without Slack texts, emails and Whatnot, is while everyone else is sleeping, scrolling or sightseeing," Morgan explains. "Early mornings and late nights are your most productive window. No pings, no loud Zoom calls or zero distractions. Just you, your work and your full focus." "Besides, depending on your time zone vs. your team's, you might be able to sneak in deep work while everyone else is unavailable," she adds. 'So swap that midday hustle for some quiet early morning sessions--or whatever non-peak groove works.' "Travel time doesn't have to be downtime," Morgan says. "In fact, being on flights, trains and ferries is a perfect excuse to disconnect from meetings and dig into some much-needed big thinking." "No Wi-Fi? That can actually work in your favor!" she suggests. 'Jot down ideas, brainstorm projects, map out your goals--whatever your brain's been too busy to do lately. Pro tip: keep a tiny notebook or your Notes app handy. You'd be surprised how many good ideas hit when you're 30,000 feet in the air with no distractions in sight.' "Nothing disrupts your flow faster than bad Wi-Fi or a forgotten charger," Morgan warns. "Before you head out, test your hotspot, download offline backups of key files and make sure you've got your gear--adapters, headphones, chargers the works." "Scouting work-friendly spots at your destination is yet another way to streamline your processes," she advises. 'Know where the solid Wi-Fi is, have a backup location and steer clear of being the one scrambling for a charger in a noisy café with no signal.' "It's easy to blur the lines on a working trip," Morgan points out. 'If you don't set boundaries, work will bleed into your personal time and suck the joy out of your trip." She recommends blocking out active hours and downtime as well. "In your scheduled 'unplug' time, go sightseeing, take a nap or relax--just make sure when you're done for the day, you're really done. Protect your rest time like your productivity depends on it, because it really does." The beauty of smart workcations is that you gift yourself the freedom and to not just relax and play, but to do both. 'Try switching it up," Morgan says. "A cozy café in the morning, co-working space in the afternoon and beachside brainstorming in the evening. Different environments bring different vibes, and fresh vibes bring fresh energy.'

Trump military parade: Road closures, Metro disruptions, flight delays
Trump military parade: Road closures, Metro disruptions, flight delays

Axios

time22 minutes ago

  • Axios

Trump military parade: Road closures, Metro disruptions, flight delays

President Trump's military parade is triggering widespread road closures, Metro disruptions, and a Saturday evening flight stop at Reagan National Airport. The big picture: Designated a National Special Security Event, the Saturday parade, which starts around 6:30pm, is expected to draw huge crowds and protests, with heavy security — including nearly 19 miles of barricades, several checkpoints and strict rules about what items can be carried inside the perimeter. Here's how it could affect your weekend travel: 🚗 Road closures and parking Parking restrictions near the White House and National Mall are already in effect. Some roads start closing Thursday at 6am, with additional shutdowns rolling through the weekend into Monday morning (6am). Major closures Friday (midnight) to Monday (6am) include: Independence Avenue between 23rd Street and 12th Street SW 14th Street south of Pennsylvania Avenue NW Rock Creek Parkway south of Virginia Avenue NW George Washington Parkway (both directions from U.S. 50 to I-395) is closed Friday 6pm to Sunday 6am. See a full list, including parking restrictions, here. 🚇 Metro The parade runs along Constitution Avenue NW between 15th and 23rd Streets. Metrorail: Operating normal Saturday service. Riders are strongly encouraged to use it. Smithsonian Station: Mall entrance is closed for security. The Independence Avenue entrance remains open. Bus routes with detours/delays: 7A, 10A, 16A, 16C, 16E, 22A, 32, 36, 70, 79, P6 📲 Download the MetroPulse App for real-time updates. ✈️ Reagan National Airport The FAA plans

Watch: Zion National Park bridge hoisted to new home after landslide closed it 2 years ago
Watch: Zion National Park bridge hoisted to new home after landslide closed it 2 years ago

Yahoo

timean hour ago

  • Yahoo

Watch: Zion National Park bridge hoisted to new home after landslide closed it 2 years ago

SPRINGDALE, Utah – A pedestrian bridge connecting a popular trail at Zion National Park to a historic park lodge is once again accessible after a nearby landslide caused it to close for two years. The Emerald Pools Bridge, which crosses over the Virgin River to connect Zion Lodge and the Emerald Pools Trail System, shuttered in May 2023 after a landslide compromised the structural integrity of the bridge's foundation. Specifically, it destabilized the bridge's attachment to concrete supports, or abutments, and the ground beneath them, according to the National Park Service. Rather than repair the abutments at the original location, officials opted for what they consider a longer-term solution of moving the bridge upstream by about 100 feet to an area that is less geologically active. Footage of the project showed a large crane lifting the bridge from its original position and then placing it in its new resting spot. The work also included demolishing the concrete walkway and concrete abutments at the original location, along with excavating and installing supports at the new location, officials said. They noted that the new abutments are intended to provide a base for the bridge that is stable and resilient enough to withstand flash floods, landslides and other environmental conditions within the park. The bridge reopening comes as the park begins to welcome park visitors for the summer. "Reopening this bridge restores a critical connection to one of Zion's most iconic trail systems," said Jeff Bradybaugh, superintendent of the Utah national park. "We appreciate our visitors' patience and support as we worked to ensure this structure can safely serve future generations." How To Watch Fox Weather The NPS said the project was entirely funded through entrance and recreation fees made possible by the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement article source: Watch: Zion National Park bridge hoisted to new home after landslide closed it 2 years ago

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store