The Petrified Forest National Park has felt the impact of the Trump administration’s widespread federal workforce reductions, losing an unspecified number of employees across multiple departments last month.
When asked for comment on the situation, specifically the number of employees terminated and the potential impact to hours the park could be open, the reply from a National Park Service (NPS) spokesperson was this brief statement: “The National Park Service is hiring seasonal workers to continue enhancing the visitor experience as we embrace new opportunities for optimization and innovation in workforce management. We are focused on ensuring that every visitor has the chance to explore and connect with the incredible, iconic spaces of our national parks.”
PFNP Interpretation and Education Program Manager Sarah Herve, was able to report that there are no plans to reduce hours at the park as of press time, but the hours will not be extended for the summer months. The current park hours are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week.
As of press time, the NPS has laid off over 1,000 employees across the country in a sweep that began on Feb. 14, weeks ahead of tourist season for many of the 63 national parks, including the Petrified Forest National Park. The terminations targeted probationary workers, those employed for less than a year, as part of the Trump administration’s efforts to downsize the federal workforce.
