Government shutdown closes S. Indiana Forest Service offices

BEDFORD, Ind. – The partial federal government shutdown has closed U.S. Forest Service offices in southern Indiana and limited access to some federal properties.

The Forest Service closed its Bedford and Tell City offices when the shutdown began Dec. 22. Those offices are part of the Hoosier National Forest, which spans 204,000 acres (82,556 hectares) from the Bloomington area to the Ohio River.

The Herald-Times reports that the Hardin Ridge Recreation Area at Lake Monroe is empty and gates to all but one campground area were closed Wednesday.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Bloomington office is closed. The Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge remains open, but its Seymour visitor’s centre and office are closed.

Muscatatuck’s website says that during the shutdown, any entry onto refuge property is “at the visitor’s sole risk.”