Acadia National Park closing up as shutdown enters new week

BAR HARBOR, Maine – Acadia National Park is drawing down operations in the midst of a federal government shutdown.

Park spokeswoman Christie Anastasia says Monday that all but 15 of the park’s 94 staff members will be furloughed. She says most of the workers who aren’t scheduled for furlough are law enforcement personnel.

Acadia is located mostly on Mount Desert Island in Down East Maine, just south of Bar Harbor. It’s home to the highest elevation along the U.S.’s East Coast shoreline. The park’s forests, peaks and rocky shores are popular winter destinations for snowshoers.

Anastasia says the park will remain accessible for visitors, but parts of it will be closed, including bathrooms. She says visitors should exercise caution and be aware of spotty cellphone service in the event of an emergency.