Mount Rainier National Park is closed as a result of the federal government shutdown that began at midnight Tuesday. All national parks are closed to the public. Guests in lodging or campgrounds at the time the closures took effect are being given 48 hours to make other arrangements and leave, according to the National Park Service. The first shutdown of the government in 17 years followed an impasse in Congress over budget negotiations that left federal agencies without appropriations to fund their services. Mount Rainier National Park is well past its peak summer season for visitors. Workers have been transitioning to fall and winter operations, including preparations to close buildings for the winter. Some law enforcement rangers and other personnel will continue to be on duty during the government shutdown, which is expected to cause furloughs of most of the park's employees and hundreds of thousands of other federal workers nationally.
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