After an 18\u2011day shutdown blamed on staffing shortages, Arches National Park will again issue self\u2011guided Fiery Furnace permits for visits beginning April\u202f15. Daily ranger\u2011led tours are slated to resume May\u202f4, just in time for the spring rush.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Park lovers who scrambled to adjust their itineraries can breathe easier: the labyrinth of narrow sandstone passages known as Fiery Furnace is coming back online. Officials confirmed Thursday that online and in\u2011person permit sales will reopen this week, restoring access for the roughly 100 hikers allowed in each day and averting a longer disruption at one of Utah\u2019s marquee hikes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Staffing gaps\u2014not trail damage\u2014forced the March closure, according to park superintendent Patricia Trap. Seasonal rangers who monitor the area were caught in a wider hiring backlog that traces to past federal workforce freezes. \u201cOnce those employees arrive, normal operations follow,\u201d the park\u2019s notice explained. Sound familiar? Similar shortages have temporarily closed campgrounds from Yosemite to Shenandoah in recent years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The reopening comes on the heels of Interior Secretary\u202fDoug\u202fBurgum\u2019s new directive: any future trail or campground closure now needs sign\u2011off from National Park Service headquarters and the department\u2019s assistant secretary. Conservation groups are skeptical. \u201cIt\u2019s micromanagement at its worst,\u201d said Kristen\u202fBrengel of the National Parks Conservation Association, arguing the rule adds red tape just as parks brace for peak visitation. Will local superintendents still be able to act quickly when safety is on the line?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Before you grab your day pack, check the key dates and rules below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n