Utah’s national parks are more than just beautiful places, they are the heart of local communities, sacred to Indigenous nations, and critical to the state’s economy. But right now, these lands are suffering.

Because Congress failed to pass a budget, the federal government shut down on October 1. While Utah’s national parks technically remain open, key services like trash removal, staffing, and trail maintenance have stopped.

 With fewer rangers and no one to enforce rules, these fragile ecosystems are being damaged.

Wildlife is disturbed.

Trash is piling up.

Sacred sites are being put at risk.

At the same time, President Trump has signaled plans to again shrink Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments, a move that would open these iconic lands to mining and drilling. These actions threaten ancient Indigenous sites, fragile desert ecosystems, and the tourism industry that keeps many Utah towns alive.

Short-term resource extraction might benefit a few, but the long-term costs are enormous: lost history, permanent damage to the land, and economic harm to gateway communities that depend on tourism.

We can’t let Utah’s most treasured places become political casualties. We’re calling on the Department of the Interior and Utah’s congressional leaders to do two things:

• Fully fund and staff national parks during and after the shutdown.
• Oppose any effort to shrink Bears Ears or Grand Staircase for industry use.

These lands belong to all of us. Once damaged, they can’t be restored.

Sign to protect Utah’s parks, its people, and its future.

Photo: Deseret News