How National Park Layoffs Will Impact Visitors in 2025
By
Lynn Celek
on
The staffing situation in U.S. national parks is constantly changing. Here’s what we know so far about recent layoffs, seasonal hiring, and how it will impact park visitors this year.
Angels Landing in Zion National Park. Photo taken by Kyle Celek.
National Park Staff Layoff and Rehiring Efforts
Staff Numbers
Normally, the NPS workforce is around 20,000, including seasonal, temporary, and permanent employees. Each year, the parks typically hire about 6,350 seasonal workers to handle peak visitor seasons.
February 14, 2025: Over 1,000 staff members were cut from the National Park Service (NPS), according to the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA).
Late February: The Trump administration announced plans to restore some of those jobs, with at least 50 positions confirmed to be reinstated. Additionally, NPS plans to hire between 3,000 and 7,700 seasonal workers this year.
Mid March: Federal judge ordered the Trump administration to rehire NPS workers who were fired last month.
Complications with rehiring staff
Despite the new hiring efforts, critics argue that the February cuts have already created lasting problems:
Delays in Seasonal Hiring: Employees in human resources responsible for hiring and training seasonal workers were laid off, slowing the hiring process.
Experienced Staff Are Hard to Replace: Things run efficiently with experts in charge. Seasonal workers cannot replace the expertise of experienced permanent staff.
Some workers may not want to return: Despite the latest court order, some NPS staff may choose not to return. Why? The Department of the Interior (which oversees NPS) is expecting more layoffs in the coming months. Many workers are hesitant to return if it means they'll likely be let go again.
Photo taken by Kyle Celek in Yellowstone National Park
How Will Staffing Shortages Impact National Parks?
In 2024, U.S. national parks saw a record 331.9 million visitors. To put that in perspective, the entire U.S. population in 2024 was 340.1 million people.
Many parks were already struggling with understaffing, and these cuts could make it worse.
Key concerns include:
Environmental Damage: With fewer rangers, there could be more litter, damage to natural habitats, and increased visitor-wildlife conflicts.
Visitor Center Closures: Some parks have reduced hours or closed their visitor centers 2-3 days per week.
Trail Maintenance Issues: Fewer staff means trails may not be as well maintained, increasing safety risks.
Search and Rescue Delays: About 250 people die annually on NPS-managed lands. With fewer rangers, emergency response times may increase.
Canceled Education Programs: Ranger-led activities and educational programs may be reduced or canceled.
Fire Risks: Fewer staff means slower responses to wildfires, increasing the risk of small fires spreading.
Photo taken by Kyle Celek in Joshua Tree.
Examples of Parks Most Affected by Layoffs
Grand Teton National Park
16 out of 17 supervisory positions were eliminated.
Just one person remains to handle seasonal hiring.
Shenandoah National Park
At least a dozen positions were cut, mostly in maintenance and fee collection.
Trail accessibility could be impacted due to fewer maintence workers.
Yosemite National Park
The park halted reservations for 577 camping spots.
Service hours were reduced, and some visitor centers may face closures.
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks
Visitor Centers Have Reduced Hours:
Foothills Visitor Center: Open Wednesday-Sunday 9:30a-4p.
Giant Forest Museum: Open Friday-Tuesday, 9:30a-4p.
Kings Canyon Visitor Center: Open, Thrusday-Sunday, 9:30a-4p.
All were previously open 7 days a week.
Florissant Fossil Bed National Monument
Two-day closures per week due to staffing shortages.
The park receives about 70,000 visitors per year.
Other Impacted Parks
Great Smoky Mountain National Park: This is the most visited national park–over 12 million people visited in 2024. They lost 6% of their staff or 12 employees.
Rocky Mountain National Park and Zion National Park each lost 12 employees.
Photo taken by Kyle Celek in Yellowstone National Park.
What this means for Park Visitors in 2025
Here's how to prepare if you're planning on visiting a national park this year:
Check current conditions: Visit the official NPS website (www.nps.gov) for the latest park updates.
Don't rely on visitor centers: Many visitors plan their trip once they arrive at the visitor center. Since centers may be short staffed or close unexpectedly, plan your trip in advance. Check the NPS website to view park maps and sites you want to see.
Avoid peak times: Weekdays and shoulder season (spring/fall) will be less crowded than summer.
Bring extra supplies: With fewer services available, pack more food, water, and emergency essentials.
Be flexible: Expect reduced hours and closures for visitor centers, restrooms, and trails. Always check the latest information on the NPS website.
Carry a trash bag: It is important more than ever to pick up your trash and other litter you come across.
Stick to trails, follow the rules: While visitors should always follow park safety guidelines, rescue response times may be slower. It's important you stick to the trails and don't take unnecessary risks.
Make reservations in advance: Some parks require permits, entry reservations, or hiking time slots. Depending on the park, you may need to book your reservation weeks or months in advance. As soon as you know you want to visit a park, check the NPS website.
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Blog post references
Alvarez, Alayna and Alex Fitzpatrick. “Rocky Mountain National Park among hardest hit by firings.” Axios, March 5, 2025. Website link.
Daly, Matthew. “National Park Service restores some jobs of fired employees, pledges to hire 7,700 season workers.” AP News, February 21, 2025. Website link.
Fitzpatrick, Alex and Anna Spiegel. “Which D.C.–area national parks lost the most workers. Axios D.C., March 10, 2025. Website link.
Fitzpatrick, Alex. “These national parks have been hit hardest by firings.” Axios, March 5, 2025. Website link.
Harden, Olivia.“Ranger programs canceled, visitor center hours reduced at Calif. national parks.” SFGATE, March 12, 2025. Website link.
Hebert, Olivia. “‘Today, we celebrate’: Judge says National Park Service must reinstate all fired employees.” SFGATE, March 13, 2025. Website link.
National Park Service website.
Wayne, Jenna. “Budget cuts impact national parks: What visitors need to know.” WFMZ News, March 13, 2025. Website link.
