Tourists from around the world were turned away from two of the country's most-visited national parks Friday because of the federal budget impasse that has caused a partial government shutdown. The National Guard and Arizona state agencies were ready to reopen the Grand Canyon National Park, which closed down most operations Thursday, but the federal government would not go for it. Before the state and Guardsmen can take over, Arizona officials must gain federal approval through the Interior Department and funding from the state's Legislature, said Phyllis Hughes, a spokeswoman for the Arizona Attorney General's Office. About 50 volunteer Guardsmen were prepared to immediately provide transportation within the park, said Maj. Robert Dunlap in Washington, D.C. If called to voluntary duty, the Guardsmen would be paid by the state to perform such duties as refueling and repairing dump trucks and transporting workers within the park. Gov. Fife Symington contacted President Clinton and Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt to allow Arizona to use its own resources to reopen the park -- which is a major source of tourist income. He wants all National Park Service employees to come under the state's employment at Grand Canyon. But the Department of the Interior told Symington in a letter Friday that volunteers cannot legally work at the park. The letter, signed by Solicitor John Leshy, read: 'The Secretary cannot delegate or allow those responsibilities to be carried out by personnel not trained or familiar with these obligations.'
However, Leshy said the state, by way of a gift, could possibly donate to the National Park Service enough money to operate the park during the partial government shutdown. He did cite liability issues. 'We are in uncharted territory here, and cannot proceed lightly,' Leshy said of the gift idea. Symington negotiated with park officials most of Friday afternoon, with no decisions reached, said Amy Rezzonico, a spokeswoman for the governor. Talks will resume Monday. It costs an estimated $14.5 million annually to operate and maintain the Grand Canyon National Park. Besides the Guardsmen, 50 others from the state's parks, public safety and transportation departments are ready to reopen the park, which brought in $4.7 million last year from entrance fees. 'We want to do whatever we can to keep the park open for visitors. It's a horrible travesty when something like this is closed to the public,' Rezzonico said. The Grand Canyon attraction, which draws an estimated 40 percent of its tourists from overseas, has an average 15,000 visitors daily. Meanwhile, in California's Yosemite National Park, visitors packed their bags, folded up tents and put away their hiking shoes Friday. A half-dozen couples who had come to the scenic park to be married, sometimes planning their ceremonies years in advance, will have to wait. The 300 park rangers and 1,300 restaurant, hotel and concession workers are off the job. By noon on Friday, campsites were scheduled to be vacated and concessions were shut down. The hiking trails and climbing routes were closed and roadblocks were erected. Park rangers circulated through campgrounds herding people out, and very few people were left in the park by midday. All national parks were due for closure by 4 p.m. Friday. A few hangers-on, however, like Long Beach resident Mike Mais and his sons, John and Chris, tried to eke out as much as possible from their abbreviated vacation in Yosemite. 'We'll stay as long as we possibly can,' said Mais, who had driven more than six hours to spend the weekend in the valley.
