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Warmer days are just around the corner, and for America’s national parks, this means a big increase in visitors but far fewer staff and a lot more uncertainty this year.
Last month, the national park service laid off about a thousand employees. This is part of a broader federal downsizing under president Donald Trump and his adviser Elon Musk. The agency was already struggling with staff reductions from budget cuts, and now, with even less help, visitors will see the effects firsthand. There won’t be as many park staff to handle trail maintenance, visitor safety, and even basic cleanup—and with fewer workers, some parks are already scaling back. Places like Saguaro National Park in Arizona have cut operating days while Yosemite has postponed reservation bookings for popular campgrounds.
This could have big implications on revenue. The NPS reported that in 2023 park tourism supported more than four hundred thousand jobs and generated twenty-six billion dollars in revenue for local and state economies. On the social media platform, x, Arizona governor Katie Hobbs warned that layoffs at the grand canyon could hurt the state’s tourism industry. Safety is another growing concern. Rangers do more than give tours—they rescue lost hikers, manage wildlife interactions and help people suffering from heat exhaustion or another medical emergency.
If you’re concerned about the future of these public parks, advocates say the most impactful action is to contact lawmakers to push back on the layoffs.
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