When the government shuts down, much of American public life grinds to a halt. Federal offices close, workers are furloughed, and national parks have limited services and staffing. Trail runners may feel like they’re caught in a Catch-22: This existential angst begs to be worked out from the trail. But visiting said trails may be contributing to the problem.
We come with (relatively good) news: just because the government has shut down doesn’t mean your legs have to.
Trail runners looking to keep active during the uncertainty of a shutdown simply need to have a little foresight about what this might mean for the land they run on. In order to ensure a smooth experience on bumpy terrain, we checked in with Kathleen Turner, the executive director of Runners for Public Lands, to glean a few useful tips.
Here’s what you need to know about the government shutdown:
Exercise Caution
Access to most trails on federal lands will remain open. Still, the typical support services offered by the National Park Service and the Bureau of Land Management will not be available. This includes limited emergency services, so response times will likely be slower if one requires medical attention or rescue.
For those reasons, Turner advises using common sense and being a good partner to agencies when it comes to making decisions about where to run and what risks to take. “Be self-sufficient, run within your abilities, and have a plan for communications and safety protocol,” Turner explains. “Go beyond Leave No Trace—pack out your own trash, and if you see trash left by others (safely, with proper PPE) pack that out too.”
Maybe don’t hurtle down that sketchy-looking descent but instead take a slower approach, and pause to help pick up trash, since others who normally do that work can’t right now.
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