Saratoga NHP Shutdown

Yesterday, I spent three hours at my favorite place in the area, Saratoga National Historical Park. The effect of the federal government shutdown on national parks, including Saratoga, is complicated. I've read the public web page at the Department of the Interior (which links to itself), the listed contingency plan for the National Park Service, social media accounts of Saratoga NHP and the email I received as a park volunteer. I will summarize where things stand as I interpret them with my lawyer brain.

Parks are not closed but things are generally shut down. Buildings, like the Visitor Center, Schuyler House and Neilson House are closed and interpretive staff are furloughed. The contingency plan from the DOI for the NPS states that: "Park roads, lookouts, trails, and open-air memorials will generally remain accessible to visitors." So, generally.

Here is where the tour road at Saratoga comes in: "As a general rule, if a facility or area is locked or secured during non-business hours (buildings, gated parking lots, etc.) it should be locked or secured for the duration of the shutdown." Again, generally. The tour road is closed and a gate locked except from 9AM to 5PM each day. So, it is "locked or secured for the duration of the shutdown." I watched a car drive up to the gate yesterday and the driver get out and try to open the gate themselves. That's what locks are for.

And: "Park websites and social media will not be maintained, except for emergency communications." The park has signs in storage indicating that the park is closed but the park isn't closed so you can't use those. And, I understand signage at national parks is a whole thing in itself.

My main wish is that the closure of the auto tour road were more obvious. People walking around the Visitor Center yesterday (the parking lot was almost full) still planned to drive the tour road - until they couldn't. A person who had a knee replacement in the not to distant past had walked down to the British Light Infantry Redoubt (tour stop 6) and was waiting for a car to pick them up when I came up to them. They ended up having to slowly walk back up to the Visitor Center, which they successfully accomplished.

I plan to spend time at the park this week. Tomorrow is the anniversary of the second battle on October 7, 1777. It's a great time of year to experience this solemn place.

Some scenes from yesterday:

Breymann's Fortified Camp

Foliage above the Wilkinson Trail

British Headquarters Field

Along the Wilkinson Trail

Along the Wilkinson Trail