Some Local Rec, Parks Closed Due to Government Shutdown

The Cabrillo National Monument and recreational facilities in the Cleveland National Forest were closed Tuesday due to the shutdown of the federal government.

All visitor facilities at the monument at the tip of Point Loma, including the Visitor Center, lighthouse, military history exhibit, tidepools, bayside trail, bookstore and all of the park grounds, will remain closed until the government reopens, spokeswoman Bonnie Phillips said.

Park programs and special events were canceled, which puts the facility's Oct. 12-14 centennial weekend activities in jeopardy. Field trips over the next two weeks that were to involve 400 schoolchildren will not take place, she added.

The Cabrillo National Monument, which provides sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean, San Diego Bay and Coronado, is one of 401 locations closed by the National Park Service. Phillips said it gets around 800,000 visits annually.

About 30 employees of the park have been furloughed or had their jobs affected in some way, according to Phillips. She said a few employees will remain on duty to provide security and respond to emergencies.

The U.S. Forest Service announced that recreational facilities and campgrounds in the Cleveland National Forest areas of San Diego County are closed because of the shutdown.

-City News Service