CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WOWK) – West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey says he and West Virginia Tourism are working with the Trump Administration to keep West Virginia’s national parks open during the government shutdown.
The governor says that due to the shutdown, the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve and Harpers Ferry National Historical Park visitor centers have closed, and Harpers Ferry has stopped its public transportation.
Morrisey announced Thursday afternoon that he had signed a donation agreement in an effort to keep the national parks in the state “fully operational.” He says this will authorize resources to restore those services to the parks so they can continue to welcome visitors during the government shutdown.
How the government shutdown impacts West Virginia
“Our national parks are some of West Virginia’s greatest treasures and I’m proud to ensure they remain open during this time,” said Morrisey. “I invite folks from near and far to take advantage of West Virginia’s natural beauty and plan a trip to visit one of our national parks or nearby state parks.”
The governor says that the plan, created with help from the West Virginia Department of Tourism, will guarantee keeping the parks open and accessible to the public for two weeks. He added that if needed, they can go back and reevaluate the plan if the shutdown is still in effect at that point. He says once the parks reopen, visitors should not notice any disruptions.
“Tourism is essential to West Virginia’s economy, and we want to ensure that our national parks are able to continue welcoming folks to the Mountain State,” said West Virginia Department of Tourism Secretary Chelsea Ruby. “October is one of our busiest months for visitation, and thanks to Governor Morrisey for allowing us to use state funds, travelers can still visit our parks for stunning fall foliage.”
According to the governor’s office, the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve recorded 1,811,937 visitors in 2024, and more than 200,000 just in the month of October 2024. Harpers Ferry National Historical Park saw more than 488,000 visitors in 2024, of which 78,000 visited in October.
