One National Park is staying open during the government shutdown

Heavy traffic greets visitors at the entrance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park on October 18, 2016 near Cherokee, North Carolina. — Great Smoky Mountains National Park will stay open through the government shutdown. George Rose/Getty Images

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is not closed during the government shutdown.
Local governments in North Carolina and Tennessee raised money to keep it staffed during the shutdown.
Before the shutdown, the National Park Service said two-thirds of its staff could be furloughed.

One national park is staying open through the government shutdown — Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

The park, located in the Appalachian Mountains between North Carolina and Tennessee, will be fully staffed through the period, NPR reported.

According to Visit North Carolina, most roads, trails, campgrounds, and restrooms at Great Smoky Mountains National Park remained open as of 5:50 p.m. Thursday, and trash collection continues despite the shutdown. Oconaluftee and Kuwohi visitor centers also remain open at least for the short term

The National Park Service listed three sections and roads in the park closed on Friday morning.

The outlet reported that seven local governments in the area were paying the park's 275 full time employees to keep the park operating during the shutdown. Local governments have raised nearly $2 million to keep the park running, per NPR.

Sevier County's vice mayor, Bryan McCarter, told NPR that tourism from the park boosted the local economy, so the park must be kept open. The county is footing much of the bill to keep the park going, NPR reported.

Sevier County is located in the foothills of the mountain range.

The US government shut down on October 1 after Republican and Democratic lawmakers failed to agree on the government budget.

The shutdown has affected everything from the postal service to flights and airports.

Per a nine-page National Park Service Contingency Plan from September 2025, the National Park Service planned to furlough 9,296 of its employees, or about two-thirds of its workforce, if the government shut down.

It said in the plan that park roads, lookouts, trails, and open-air memorials would generally remain accessible to visitors.

However, it added that if a park facility was regularly locked during non-business hours, it should remain closed for the duration of the shutdown.

National parks' social media accounts and websites would also not be maintained during the shutdown, the service said, except in emergencies.

Representatives for the park did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.