Veterans Day, November 11, will be the last day of the year that visitors will be able to enter National Park Service sites for free. However, this year visitors will have to take into account park closures caused by the government shutdown.
While the free entry applies to any of the 433 sites managed by the Park Service, the ongoing shutdown will require that visitors do some research ahead of time to ensure that their chosen park, monument, seashore, or battleground is operational. Some sites have shut down completely as staff have been furloughed, while others are partially open and operating with skeleton crews. Some parks have been able to maintain normal operations due to funding from outside sources.
While some parks have updated their websites with information related to closures, others have not made updates due to the lack of staff available to do so. For visitors hoping to make a trip to a national park on Veterans Day, it’s best to check both the website and also to call the park to see if any information is available.
As a general rule, parks that would normally lock up at night, such as Carlsbad Caverns, are supposed to remain closed during the duration of the shutdown. Larger parks, such as Yellowstone and Yosemite, have entrances open, but staff have been greatly reduced. Other parks, such as Great Smoky Mountains National Park, are currently fully operational thanks to funding from outside partnerships and nonprofits.
On Veterans Day, many of the nation’s historic battlefields, such as those at Vicksburg National Military Park and Gettysburg National Military Park, are popular destinations. Both are currently open.
Park visitors will also still be able to find a couple of special Veterans Day events. Saint Paul’s Church National Historic Site in New York, which played a role in the American Revolution, will host its annual Veterans Day Commemoration. The site will hold a brief ceremony in the church, followed by a walking tour of the historic cemetery, recalling the lives of some of the soldiers and sailors buried at St. Paul’s.
At Indian Dunes National Park, visitors will be able to view Flying for Freedom: Untold Stories of the Tuskegee Airmen, a documentary honoring the African-American pilots who broke barriers and served heroically in World War II.
The Annual Luminary Program at Poplar Grove National Cemetery at Petersburg National Battlefield will also still be held, though it will take place on Saturday, November 8. Beyond the 6,000 luminaries, the event offers an opportunity to learn about the known burials at the cemetery. During the program, Park Rangers will be available throughout the cemetery to share the stories of those laid to rest at the site.
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