Glacier will remain open if federal government shuts down

Glacier National Park will remain open even if the government shuts down this weekend.

The park plans on keeping roads open and vault toilets would remain open, according to park spokeswoman Lauren Alley.

“In the event of a shutdown, national parks will remain as accessible as possible while still following all applicable laws and procedures,” Alley said in an email to the Hungry Horse News.

Open roads would be maintained to the extent necessary for emergency access and ingress/egress of park residents, Alley added.

The park would, however, cancel free snowshoe tours that were slated for the weekend.

Glacier has several vault toilets that are open in the winter. The only roads that are currently open to vehicles are Going-to-the-Sun Road to Lake McDonald Lodge and a short section near St. Mary that runs to the St. Mary auto campground. The rest are gated and full of snow.

In the past, when the federal government has shut down, the Department of Interior closed national parks as well.

The last government shutdown was in October of 2013. At that time, Glacier put up temporary barriers on the road and posted trails entering the park as closed.

At that time, more park services were open and campers and other visitors had 48 hours to leave.

That shutdown lasted a little more than two weeks.