USVI-On-Line

I was watching the news earlier and I heard that if the government shuts down National Parks will close. Does anyone remember 1995 when this happened? Did VINP shut down?

seems to me it would be pretty hard to close down the VINP. Maybe the Admin bldg and the guided trails. But you could no doubt get into Trunk without paying a fee.

i have no idea about VINP--but will put out there that every national monument /park in new york (and thi includes ellis island and the statue of liberty) will be shuttered if the govt shuts down. So I imagine that all parks will shut. Sure that that doesn't mean that no beaches that are in park territory wil be unaccessible, but perhaps that certain park programs will be discontinued.

There's no way for them to block access to the actual park itself unlike some national parks. So you will be able to get to beaches.

However, you can probably expect all other amenities to be locked up tight (snack bar, rentals, perhaps even bathrooms at Trunk and Cinnamon -- since no one will be around to clean them).

You can probably do your part to carry out garbage rather than depositing in cans since no one will be collecting it there.

And don't count on any tours led by the park rangers.

Pretty much sucks. Happy Spring Break everyone!

I could see the local VI cops closing the parking lot for safety reasons

Perhaps... but there will still be walk on and water access to the beach.

from a news headline

Recreation: National parks around the country would be gated. The National Zoo and Smithsonian in Washington, too. The White House says a shutdown would cancel the popular National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade in the nation's capital this weekend, though organizers are still hoping to go ahead.