The park posted a notice March 23 stating that no ranger-led tours or self-guided permits would be issued “until further notice.” Spokesperson Karen Henker said they plan to resume those services once enough seasonal employees are in place to support normal spring operations.
“Seasonal hiring is happening, and when those seasonals arrive, we do look forward to returning to normal spring operations,” Henker said.
The delays trace back to actions taken by the Trump administration in February, when approximately 1,000 National Park Service employees were laid off and a federal hiring freeze was implemented. That freeze also resulted in the rescission of around 5,000 seasonal job offers across the agency.
Following public backlash, the administration reversed course, reinstating those offers and authorizing the addition of more than 2,000 new seasonal positions. But the pause in hiring pushed back start dates and disrupted the usual onboarding timeline at Arches — leaving the park without sufficient seasonal staff in place by spring and prompting the temporary closure of the Fiery Furnace area, according to Henker.
She said she could not provide a specific timeline for when tours or permits will resume.
Other national parks have also reported disruptions tied to the freeze and workforce reductions. Yosemite delayed some campsite reservations due to limited staffing. Sequoia and Kings Canyon canceled ranger programs and reduced visitor center hours. Visitor services have also been scaled back at some parks nationwide.
Read the full report at moabtimes.com.
This article is published through the Utah News Collaborative, a partnership of news organizations in Utah that aims to inform readers across the state.