What the National Park Service plan for a government shutdown means for the Indiana Dunes
A potential federal government shutdown that could start this weekend will mean the closure of or limited access to resources at National Park Service sites, which includes the Indiana Dunes.
But even if a shutdown does happen this weekend, visitors will still have access to the Indiana Dunes State Park.
A spokesperson for the Indiana Department of Natural Resources said Friday that the state park is prepared for any uptick in visitors that could come from a government shutdown impacting the national park.
The Indiana Dunes National Park, made up of 15,000 acres in northwest Indiana, became the country’s 61st national park in February 2019, just after the last federal government shutdown.
How the shutdown would impact national parks
A new government shutdown will start at midnight Sunday, Oct. 1, unless Congress passes federal agency funding for the 2024 fiscal year or approves a continuing resolution to extend deadlines for lawmakers.
If no funding measures are approved, the majority of National Park Service locations will be completely closed to public access and visitors at sites that are "physically accessible" will see reduced services as a result of the shutdown, according to materials from the park service.
The National Park Service is encouraging people not to visit sites during a shutdown to ensure safety and protect park resources. Thousands of park rangers across the country are expected to be furloughed if a shutdown begins this weekend, meaning they will be unable to work and get paid. Staffing levels to help in emergencies and maintain trash, restrooms, campgrounds and roads are not guaranteed, according to the National Park Service.
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Indiana Dunes visitor center, state park remain open
While visitor centers at national parks around the country might close during a shutdown, the Indiana Dunes official visitor center is owned by Porter County government and will remain open, said Lorelei Weimer, president and CEO of Indiana Dunes Tourism. But staff at the visitor center will not be able to sell national park entry passes, which can be purchased online, Weimer said.
The details of past shutdowns at the Indiana Dunes depended on the presidential administration at the time, and details about this shutdown, if it goes forward, should be clearer Monday, Weimer said. But she emphasized that no matter what happens people can still access the Indiana Dunes State Park.
"Our fall colors haven't started and we're going to have a lot of people that like to travel here for the fall colors, so we just want to make sure that they know we're still open," Weimer said. "You can still experience all of this."
During the 34-day shutdown under President Donald Trump, which lasted from December 2018 until January 2019, there were reports of trash piling up at national park sites and the organization relied on nonprofits and volunteers to keep up certain services.
The Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore was open during the 2018-2019 shutdown, but federal park rangers were not working and programs were canceled.
How to visit Indiana Dunes State Park
Indiana Dunes State Park is located at 1600 N. 25 E. in Chesterton. The phone number for the park is 219-926-1952. You can find more information at www.in.gov/dnr
Contact IndyStar's state government and politics reporter Brittany Carloni at brittany.carloni@indystar.com or 317-779-4468. Follow her on Twitter/X @CarloniBrittany.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana Dunes could be impacted by government shutdown. Here's How
