Tourists In This National Park Are Risking Their Lives During The Government Shutdown

Yosemite National Park is experiencing an increase in dangerous and illegal activity this week in correlation with the United States government shutdown, according to reports from people visiting the park. On October 1, 2025 the government shut down for the first time in about seven years. The shutdown is due to a disagreement between Republicans and Democrats regarding funding for government services. The Democrats hope to negotiate for extending tax credits that are set to expire in order to make health insurance cheaper and reverse Medicaid cuts approved by the Trump Administration.

Until the two parties can reach an agreement, the government is shut down and over 700,000 federal employees were forced to take unpaid leave. National Park Service (NPS) employees who work at Yosemite National Park are amongst them. There are reports that the absence of park rangers has resulted in chaos at Yosemite.

In what sounds like a scene out of the Netflix series "Untamed" — a show which previously infuriated rangers, hikers, and climbers — squatters have descended on the park. Hikers are embarking on dangerous treks without permits, and people are BASE jumping illegally off of the national park's infamous rock formations. Those who are taking advantage of the government shutdown to break the rules at Yosemite are risking lives in order to do so. And it's more than just finding sneaky ways to visit the park without a reservation.

Although there are always a few people who try to break or bend the rules at Yosemite National Park, the lack of park rangers due to the government shutdown has exacerbated problems significantly. Yosemite National Park covers around 747,956 thousand acres and usually attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors a month each fall. There are usually anywhere from 500-700 NPS employees who work there. According to an anonymous park employee, there is only one volunteer park ranger who is onsite attempting to maintain order in the massive national park during the government shutdown.

The park remains open even though there are no employees to keep things running smoothly. "Yosemite National Park remains open during the current government shutdown. Park gates are open, although staff is not in place and entry fees are not being collected," the Yosemite website states. Now people are camping illegally and doing dangerous activities that are usually addressed promptly by park rangers. Trails that normally require permits for safety reasons are being overrun with hikers. There have been posts on social media depicting people illegally BASE jumping off of El Capitan. An Instagram user called @bigwalltrailrunner posted a video of one jumper with the caption, "More base jumpers! Definitely feeling some freedom to flout the rules due to the shut down. Second group today."

"These people are counting on no enforcement because of the shutdown," John DeGrazio, founder of the tour company YExplore Yosemite Adventures, told SFGate. He likened what is happening this week in Yosemite National Park to the Wild West. If you plan on visiting Yosemite National Park during the government shutdown expect limited services, large crowds and traffic on roads and trails. Do not engage in illegal behaviors, and follow Leave No Trace principles throughout your visit. Here's why you should avoid this simple, harmful mistake when visiting national parks.