We are now learning one real cost of the government shutdown that paralyzed so much of the country last fall. America’s beloved national parks and their surrounding communities lost an estimated $414 million in visitor spending during October’s 16-day government shutdown, according to a new report from the National Park Service.
Last year’s stalemate between the House and Senate marked the first federal government shutdown in 17 years, sending home 800,000 federal workers and closing national parks across the nation. While the economic impact of the shutdown varies widely, tourism and local communities took some of the biggest hits. Here’s a list of the parks that lost the most in visitor spending in October 2013.
1. Great Smoky Mountains: $25.6 Million
2. Grand Canyon: $17 Million
3. Acadia: $16.2 Million
4. Yellowstone: $15.7 Million
5. Grand Teton: $14.2 Million
