5 Facts To Get You Thru the Gov’t Shutdown

With the federal government having shut down all “nonessential” services effective Tuesday until further notice, gates to national parks across the country have been indefinitely shut.

One way for outdoor enthusiasts to show their support for the national park system is to use this opportunity to shore up our support of our state- and city-run park systems, while they are still open

Here’s a list of facts about state- and city-operated wild spaces that will no doubt impress you and, as a result, motivate you to get out and enjoy your locally managed park systems:

• There are over 6,000 state park sites nationwide (compared to ~60 national park sites)
• There are over 1.5 million acres of urban real estate devoted to wild spaces
• 720 million people visit state parks every year, in addition to the 200 million+ who visit national parks each year
• over $6 billion in local tax revenue are allocated to city parks across the country each year
• In the nation’s largest cities, 9 out of 10 residents live within a half-mile walk from a city park

That last fact is definitely the most impressive, and the most motivational for getting out this weekend and enjoying some green space… despite our national parks shutting down.

Need some inspiration? Our partners, Menasha Ridge Press and Wilderness Press make it their mission to find wild spaces hidden in the corners of all regions across the country.