Joshua Tree National Park was supposed to close. But it's open and some visitors are confused

It was just before 8:30 a.m. Thursday when Melissa Russo slowly inched her way past Joshua Tree National Park's front gate in an SUV with a trailer attached.

A full and indefinite park closure was set to begin 30 minutes prior to her arrival, but Russo had grown cautiously optimistic she could visit Joshua Tree after hearing word that the closure was suddenly called off Wednesday night. And once it became clear the park was open, Russo let out a "woo hoo."

"I'm super excited to be here," said Russo, who was on a cross-country road trip from Scranton, Pennsylvania.

Her sentiments were echoed by other visitors, but there still remained an underlying sense of confusion over whether the park would or should be open during the partial government shutdown that is affecting other national parks across the country. 

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Despite concerns about vandalism, trespassing and sanitation, Joshua Tree remained open after the government shutdown began on Dec. 22 and park officials finally announced Tuesday morning that a closure was on tap so crews could address matters.

About 32 hours later, they announced the closure was cancelled, Federal Land and Recreation Enhancement funds would be used to address sanitation issues and closed areas would reopen, including all campgrounds; Stirrup Tank Road; Lost Horse Mine Road and Trail; Key’s View Road; and the Rattlesnake Canyon Picnic Area and Road.

The partial federal shutdown came at a time when the park was reporting a surge in popularity. Before the partial shutdown, officials announced the park hosted 2.8 million visitors in 2017. And during this past Thanksgiving weekend the park had more than 22,000 visitors.

This surge in popularity has provided positive economic growth for the small towns that line the park’s northern and western boundaries. A report by the National Park Service in 2017 found that the park’s 2.5 million visitors in 2016 spent more than $123 million in the communities near the park, spending that created more than 1,700 jobs in the region.

As the clock hovered around 8 a.m. Thursday, visitors gradually approached the park entrance, often stopping to look for any posted signs advising them of the park's status. One driver shouted out his window to someone ahead of him, asking if it was OK for them to proceed.

Park maintenance had previously fallen on the shoulders of volunteers and a skeleton crew of rangers. A full closure almost seemed inevitable. So when Thursday's closure was suddenly lifted, visitors were left even more surprised.

"I was already in the middle of changing my plans when I heard the park would be open after all," said Santa Ana resident Scott Finch, 23, who showed up Thursday morning for rock climbing. "To be honest, I still wasn't totally sure what was going on and part of me expected I'd still be turned away at the gate."

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James Kalman, a bartender at Joshua Tree Saloon, said customers have been asking him a lot about the park's status even though the restaurant's staff members aren't totally sure, either. 

A park closure would have meant fewer customers for the saloon, which is on Highway 62 at Park Boulevard, the main road into Joshua Tree National Park. Nonetheless, Kalman said he wouldn't have complained if the park had shut down.

"For the health of the park, it was a good idea," he said of the planned closure.

Joshua Tree resident Brian Jernigan has lived in the area for 17 years and he praised volunteers and staff for "busting their butts" maintaining the park, where he frequently hikes and goes horseback riding.

He said he thinks the park should be closed until the government shutdown ends and he chastised visitors who've caused problems in the park.

"It breaks my heart to see how disrespectfully they treat it," Jernigan said.

Desert Sun reporter Colin Atagi covers crime, public safety and road and highway safety. He can be reached at Colin.Atagi@desertsun.com or follow him at @tdscolinatagi.