This raises all kinds of entertaining questions. Such as, if my livestock are grazing on federal land, do I have to leave them? Do they have to leave, too?
Q1 answer: No. Q2 answer: No, unless you want to herd them up!
If no federal employees are working, who is going to throw/keep you out? If they are working, why would they?
Q1 answer: Federal law enforcement...they are exempt from "shutting down." Q2 answer: When you work for the federal government, you follow orders just as if you were in the military.
And what about the park concessions? No federal employees there, but they are shut down, too? All those employees who live in the Parks? They have to leave? But they can't go to work? I think I'l book a room at Ahwahnee . . .
Yosemite National Park (YNP) concessions are owned and operated by Delaware North Company (DNC), under contract with the federal government. DNC owns and operates many of the concessions in our national parks including hotels. Case in point, the grill at Tuolumne is run and operated by DNC. Those who live there, can stay there, but it would be in their best interest to leave since there are no tourists. Booking a room at the Ahwahnee is impossible. Reservations fill up way in advance. You can probably camp on the main entrance. Caveat: Refusing to "leave" is considered "trespass" and you can be arrested and charged, imprisoned and fined.
Of course, it may all be academic. If you have 48 hours to leave, as of midnight tomorrow, could the shut-down really last that long?
Yes. If Congress cannot agree to a budget, the shut down could last weeks.
Can I feed the bears? I live about 5 minutes from a NP. I think I'll take a hike Saturday.
Go take the hike, but don't feed the bears...it's not their fault.
