If your summer plans call for visiting one of our country’s 423 national park units (and they should) plan on things being a little different than years past. At the same time national parks like Hot Springs National Park, Yellowstone National Park and Canyonlands National Park are breaking annual visitation records, they’re also struggling with a serious staffing shortage.
“Be ready for more traffic jams, longer lines and fewer services,” writes a park ranger on Reddit. Still, the trending post, titled “Please be patient and self-sufficient if you visit National Parks this year” encourages travelers not to cancel their trips. We just need to know what to expect, and that includes lowering our expectations.
What’s going on with National Park Staffing Shortages?
Great question! Imagine playing football in the playoffs, two players down. That’s essentially what’s happening. Since 2010, the National Park Service has lost 15 percent of its employees. “Over the same period, 33 units have been added to the national park system,” says Stephanie Roulett, Public Affairs Specialist for the NPS. “Visitation has also grown by more than 40 million or about 15%.”
Why are National Parks Understaffed?
For starters, there’s the pandemic which has made it harder to hire for nearly every industry. Then you have funding, or lack thereof. According to the National Parks Conservation Association, Congress is making “inadequate investments” in the places they’ve otherwise worked so hard to protect. Mandatory federal funding is $1 billion. It sounds like a lot, but it’s not nearly enough to cover every park expense plus the number of full-time employees – more than 20,000 – needed to care for more than 85 million acres. For 2022, the National Park Service requested $3.49 billion. In March, Congress approved $3.26 billion.
What you can do?
If you have an extra $230 million laying around that you’d like to donate, maybe they’ll name the next national park after you. Otherwise, below are a few simple ways you can help the NPS guarantee you’ll have a great time this summer whether you find yourself in Yellowstone or Yosemite.
1. Factor in everything taking a little longer
Instead of waiting 15 minutes in a line for food, count on waiting 20 minutes. And don’t be surprised if the employee helping you is multitasking. Now, more than ever, staff is being asked to perform duties outside of their job descriptions. It’s all hands on deck! It could look like a cook doubling as a janitor or a park ranger moonlighting in maintenance. According to Roulett, to better serve the public the FY 2023 proposed budget includes $148.3 million to support more than 1,100 additional positions.
2. Have those cards handy
Many NPS properties including Glacier National Park, Rocky Mountain National Park and Grand Canyon National Park are now cash-free. This means you should have your credit or debit cards (some parks also don’t accept personal checks) ready when it’s your time at the entrance booth. In the case of an unmanned booth – and many parks will have to do this during non-peak hours – follow the posted instructions for self-payment.
3. Make do with a little less
One of the best parts about visiting national parks are the free guided hikes and evening programs. As much as park rangers love to offer these services, they’re some of the first to go when there aren’t enough employees to go around. Instead of expecting a ranger to educate you about edible plants or to show you how to find Ursa Major in the night sky, why not treat yourself to books on these topics?
4. Clean up like you’re having company
In general, you should always try to leave a national park better than you found it. “National parks are for everyone, and we need everyone’s help to protect them for future generations,” says Roulett. Now, more than ever, it’s important to pick up after yourself. This may look like clearing your table in the visitor center café or simply taking your trash with you instead of dumping it into already overflowing garbage cans within the park.
5. Be extra careful with campfires
It probably won’t come as a shock that there’s a shortage of wildland firefighters, too. In fact, according to members of Congress who are requesting more funding, some areas may be working with 25% fewer firefighters than they’re used to. For that reason, be extra careful when it comes to your campfires. Pretend Smokey the Bear is always looking over your shoulder.
6. Come prepared
Per the CDC’s COVID-19 Community Level guidelines, some parks still require masks to be worn inside buildings. Since requirements could change mid-visit, plan on having a mask with you at all times. “Of course, visitors are always welcome to wear masks where they are not required,” says Roulett.
7. Follow park guidelines
With the exception of mask mandates and pandemic-related regulations (note: some parks now require reservations so check in advance), there aren’t too many new rules to follow. “We ask visitors to recreate responsibly by following simple guidelines such as staying on trail, keeping a safe distance from wildlife, planning trips according to their skill and ability and cleaning up after themselves,” says Roulett. ( This includes properly disposing of pet waste, and in some cases, human waste, too.)
8. Consider volunteering
Fortunately, the NPS employs different strategies, outside of staffing, to meet visitor needs. Think interns, partners and volunteers. “Staff is assisted by more than 300,000 volunteers who donate about 6.5 million hours annually,” says Roulett. The value of all those hours? About $165 million. If you’re interested in getting involved and donating your time and skills, check out the Volunteers-in-Parks program.
Katie Jackson is a writer and media specialist based in Montana’s Big Sky Country. Living and working everywhere from New York to Nicaragua, Katie is no stranger to adventure. When she’s not traveling the world (or writing about it!) she’s busy chasing after a Leonberger named Zeus. Follow Katie’s travels on Instagram @katietalkstravel.
