69% of Americans Oppose the Biggest National Park Cuts Ever

A New Poll Shows Bipartisan Pushback

The Trump administration wants to cut $1 billion from the National Park Service in 2026. That would be the largest budget cut in the agency’s 109-year history.

A new poll released on November 12, 2025, found that 69% of Americans oppose the plan, and the opposition crosses party lines. The poll landed the same day the longest government shutdown in U.S. history finally ended.

For 43 days, America’s parks stayed open with almost no one watching over them. What happened during those six weeks explains why people are paying attention now.

The Shutdown Lasted 43 Days

The federal government shut down on October 1, 2025, and stayed closed until November 12. That made it the longest shutdown in American history, beating the 35-day shutdown in 2018-2019.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum decided to keep parks open during the closure, even though most staff were furloughed. The National Parks Conservation Association and other groups warned this was dangerous.

Parks stayed accessible, but visitor centers closed, websites went without updates, and rangers were nowhere to be found.

Vandals Damaged Parks With No Rangers Around

Without staff on duty, damage piled up. A historic wall toppled at Gettysburg National Military Park.

Graffiti appeared on the Devil’s Garden Trail at Arches National Park just three days before the government reopened. At Yosemite, illegal camping, unauthorized hiking, and BASE jumping increased during the shutdown.

These problems echoed what happened in 2018-2019, when vandals cut down Joshua trees and dug illegal roads at Joshua Tree National Park.

Parks Lost Millions in Uncollected Fees

The National Park Service collects entrance and recreation fees that fund future projects. During the 43-day shutdown, no one was there to collect.

The NPCA estimates parks lost about $41 million in fees. Acadia National Park alone typically brings in $1.5 million in October, one of its busiest months.

Utah spent $337,000 of state money to keep visitor centers open at Arches, Canyonlands, and other parks, and the federal government will not reimburse that cost.

The Park Service Already Lost 25% of Staff

The budget fight did not start with the shutdown. Since January 2025, the National Park Service has lost more than 25% of its permanent workforce.

A hiring freeze prevented the agency from filling key positions. Rangers were pulled from the field.

Visitor centers reduced hours or closed. Maintenance and research fell behind.

By the time the shutdown hit, the Park Service was already stretched thin. The NPCA says the agency has lost about 4,000 staff members this year.

The 2026 Budget Would Cut 35% of Funding

The Trump administration’s proposed 2026 budget calls for more than $1 billion in cuts to the National Park Service.

That includes $900 million in cuts to park operations, $73 million from construction, and $77 million from recreation and preservation.

The Center for American Progress calculated that the total cuts to all public land agencies would reach nearly $4 billion, a 35% drop from 2024 funding levels. Staff levels would fall 30% compared to 2024.

350 Park Sites Could Lose All Funding

The NPCA ran the numbers on what a $900 million operations cut would mean.

According to their analysis, roughly 350 of America’s 433 national park sites could lose all funding and staffing.

The budget also proposes turning some park sites over to state governments and removing them from the National Park System entirely.

NPCA President Theresa Pierno called it the most extreme and destructive Park Service budget ever proposed.

Only 12% of Americans Back the Cuts

The NPCA commissioned YouGov to poll 3,000 adults between October 27 and November 2, 2025. The results showed 69% oppose the proposed $1 billion budget cut.

Only 12% support it. When asked about further staff reductions, 62% opposed and only 16% supported.

The opposition was bipartisan.

Pierno said the poll should be a wake-up call for Secretary Burgum, adding that nobody asked for these cuts and nobody wants them.

78% Want Park History Left Alone

The poll also asked about the administration’s efforts to remove historical materials from parks.

Across the political spectrum, 78% of respondents said national parks should not take down photos, signs, or educational materials that tell factual aspects of American history.

The administration has pushed to limit certain historical content in parks, but the poll showed Americans want that history preserved regardless of their party affiliation.

60% Oppose Drilling Near Parks

Another finding from the poll showed that 60% of Americans oppose opening lands in or near national parks for mining and drilling.

The administration has signaled interest in expanding industrial activity on public lands, but the survey suggests most voters reject that approach.

The poll also found that 77% of Americans support presidents designating more national monuments to protect heritage sites for future generations.

Congress Is Split on What Happens Next

Three different budget proposals are now on the table. The Trump administration wants the $1 billion cut.

The House Appropriations Committee rejected the most extreme parts of that plan but still proposed cutting $176 million from Park Service operations.

The Senate Appropriations Committee passed a bill with flat funding, keeping the budget steady and rejecting cuts from both the administration and the House. The Senate bill passed with bipartisan support.

The Clock Runs Out January 30

The funding deal that ended the shutdown only lasts until January 30, 2026. Congress has about ten weeks to reach a long-term agreement.

If lawmakers fail, another shutdown could hit the parks all over again.

The current bill includes provisions blocking mass staff terminations through January, but those protections expire too. For now, rangers are back at work assessing damage and trying to catch up.

The next fight over their future is already on the calendar.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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