Yosemite Opened At What Cost?
Yosemite, CA — Yosemite National Park is open for business, but the financial impact of the Government shutdown is costly. The U.S. Congress voted last night to end the more than two week old government shutdown. Park officials hope to have Yosemite completely opened by tomorrow.
Ranger Scott Gediman says the damage is already done. “The economic impacts are huge on so many levels. There was revenue that we generate from entrance fees. We lost thousands of dollars on that. There were camping fees, concession dollars and businesses in the gateway communities that lost hundreds of thousands of dollar if not millions that we can’t recuperate.”
Park roads, major highways and the primary concessioner were open for business last night. Today Park visitor centers, Ranger-led programs and Valley campgrounds in Yosemite are back in business. Visitors with reservations will be able to check in by noon. First come, first serve sites are available at Camp Four, Wawona and Hodgdon. The Park has been closed since October 1st due to the government shutdown. The park could close again when the budget comes up for a vote in January.
Gediman says, “We are hopeful we don’t ever have to go through anything like this again, ever!”
