Government Shutdown Impacts at Voyageurs

Jan. 23, 2018 Update From Voyageurs National Park: Following the enactment of the continuing resolution, staff at Voyageurs National Park have resumed regular operations. Please visit www.nps.gov/voya for updated information about the park.

The Rainy Lake Visitor Center will resume normal winter operational hours. The Winter Event Series will resume as scheduled and park staff have resumed monitoring and grooming of trails.

Voyageurs National Park’s employees are happy to be back at work, serving the American people and welcoming visitors to their national parks.

Government Shutdown Impacts at Voyageurs

The federal government shut down on January 20, 2018. During the shutdown, Voyageurs National Park's remains accessible to the public, but emergency and rescue services are limited. The Rainy Lake Visitor Center is closed and most park staff will be on furlough until the shutdown ends.

There will be no National Park Service-provided visitor services at Voyageurs, including public information, restrooms, trash collection, and facilities and roads maintenance, including plowing and trail grooming. Please use extreme caution when using trails and ice roads.

Because of the federal government shutdown, NPS social media and websites are not being monitored or updated and may not reflect current conditions. All park programs have been canceled, including: the Winter Event Series, at this time.

Voyageurs National Park Association will provide updated information as able.

The Department of the Interior is directing staff to “keep national parks as accessible as possible while still following all applicable laws and procedures.”  Therefore, many sites will remain open for people to enter, but there will be very few staff on hand to protect visitors or park resources. A partial closure puts people and places at risk. We urge Congress to find quick solutions.

More about shutdown impacts from our partner, the National Parks Conservation Association.