The current shut down of the federal government has forced the closure of the National Park Service, which maintains many of southwest Virginia's natural and historical areas that local families love to visit in the fall.
The fall nature hikes and outdoor experiences planned for this weekend will have to be postponed, because the following sites are closed:
- Shenandoah National Park
- Blue Ridge Parkway - remains open to traffic, but all visitor centers, lodging, camping, interpretive services and restrooms along the parkway are closed. The Peaks of Otter Lodge will close completely at 6:00 p.m. today, October 3, 2013.
- Appalachian Trail - closed in areas (700 miles, total) maintained by the National Park Service, according to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy.
- Booker T. Washington National Monument
- Red Hill Patrick Henry National Memorial
- Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail
The National Park Service website is currently offline due to the government shut down. For more information on the parks and their closures, visit the National Park Foundation website.
All maintained areas of the Jefferson and Washington National Forests in southwest Virginia are also closed. See this article for a full list.
Virginia State Parks remain open.
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