The U.S. government shutdown may have caused national parks nationwide to close, but Bryce Canyon isn’t giving up, yet. Park services are limited, but the State Tourism Office, Garfield County Tourism and the Bryce Canyon Natural History Association are all providing funding as well as in-kind donations to keep the park and visitor’s center open, including services for keeping the park restrooms and public spaces clean.

Since the Dec. 22, 2018, shutdown, many National Parks closed in Utah, including Zion. With the recent heavy snowfall and lack of services to keep park roads and paths clear, many of Utah’s parks had to call it quits earlier on in the shutdown. Bryce Canyon National park is a much-visited park in the area and one of the last to hang on, as it can be incredibly expensive to stay open without any funding coming in.

Bryce Canyon Natural History Association is committed to keeping the visitor center open and operating for however long the shutdown remains — given the recent talks, this could take awhile. If the shutdown does continue for much longer, the state will discuss its options.