What means the closure of the government for AT, PCT and CDT

TOS of midnight on October 1, 2025, the United States government was officially closed due to lack of appropriations. This marks the first complete closure of the Federal Government since 2019, on which the closure lasted 35 days before reaching a financing agreement.

The AT remains open, but expects delays, and there is no voluntary work

No general closure of trails: The path on the path will remain open. The facilities on the path, such as campsites, shelters, private and trails without being legal, will continue to be accessible. According to the National Parks Service (NPS) contingency plan«Park roads, viewpoints, paths and outdoor memorials will generally remain accessible to visitors.»

Possible closure of some federal facilities: However, some federal facilities along the path, including visiting centers and camps in national parks and national forests, could be closed or operated at a reduced capacity.

Possible emergency response delays: In addition, due to the possible lack of personnel, emergency response services can be limited or not available. Hikers must be prepared to self -state in case of emergency and are advised to plan in advance and prepare thoroughly before entering the field.

There is no maintenance of volunteer paths: «Volunteers cannot do their usual work on the way due to a period of compensation and protection of federal workers, «according to the Apalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC).

ATC will remain open: The Appalachian Trail is a designated national scenic path and is administered jointly by two federal agencies: the National Parks Service (NPS) and the United States Forest Service (USFS). The path is also administered by the non -profit organization ATC, which will remain operational throughout the closure.

On October 1, the ATC published an update reminding visitors who, as a non -governmental agency, remains open. The ATC visiting centers in Harpers Ferry, WV, Damascus, VA and Monson are currently operational. The hours of the ATC Visitors Center can be found in the Contact page with ATC.

The ATC has Detailed information on your site about the effects of the off the path.

What about the PCT?

The perspective of the PCT is largely the same as in the AT. The path itself will remain open, but volunteer projects will be stopped, some closed access points for the path on federal lands can remain blocked (it is not clear which ones), and certain federal permits of land use will not be issued during closing.

However, PCTA assured the public that requests for 2026 long -distance permits will normally proceed. As in the AT, the emergency response can be delayed.

The PCTA said that the closure will affect the maintenance and protection projects of the Earth, delay the defense efforts of the organization in Washington and will delay the general dissemination of information on the conditions and closures of trails.

«The PCT exists thanks to a deep association between multiple federal agencies», the organization wrote about the closure. «These dedicated public servants face uncertainty while continuing to serve the nation of limited ways, and we wish them the best that this interruption resists.»

What the CDTC says

Photo: Katie Jackson

The continental coalition Divide Trail (CDTC) has declared that federal lands throughout the path of the path will remain open; However, the organization is encouraging hikers to monitor their Closures and alerts Page for updates.

In mail On the closure, CDTC said that the US Army. UU. Does not anticipate the closure that causes delays with processing permits to access the New Mexico National Defense Area, which hikers must now ensure to access the southern end.

All voluntary projects in federal lands have been discontinued during the closure duration.

Thinking about the future

The initial financing impasse occurred on Tuesday, September 29 and led to the closing from midnight on Wednesday, October 1. The next vote of the Senate on government financing is scheduled for Friday, October 3.

Refer to updates on the state of closing and their continuous effects in AT, PCT and CDT and the organizations that support them.

This website contains affiliate links, which means that the walk can receive a percentage of any product or service that you buy using the links in the items or ads. The buyer pays the same price that would do it differently, and his purchase helps to support the continuous objective of the walk to address his quality backpack advice and information. Thanks for your support!

For more information, visit the page about this site.