The leaves are just starting to get good, but will the government shutdown interfere with your leaf-peeping plans?
The good news is that National Forest Trails for the most part are still open. Same goes for Bureau of Land Management (BLM) trails. Great Basin National Park has posted a general message from all national parks at the top of their website: “National Parks remain as accessible as possible during the federal government shutdown. However, some services may be limited or unavailable.”
Key Points, Based on the Contingency Plans Posted Online:
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• Visitor’s Centers will likely be closed at Great Basin National Park and on the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest and BLM land.
• At least some, and maybe all, bathrooms will likely be closed in Great Basin National Park, on the National Forests, and on BLM land.
• You can still walk on trails in Great Basin National Park and on National Forest Land and BLM land.
• Remember that search and rescue services may be limited, so travel is at your own risk. We recommend you avoid any rough dirt roads, and don’t travel on dirt roads after a rain or snowstorm. Also, stay on established trails rather than trying to hike cross-country.
Shutdown or no shutdown, we always recommend you carry a Garmin InReach Mini 2 satellite device and get a monthly subscription. There are many places in Nevada where you can’t get cell service. We love our Garmin, and I use it to text my husband to let him know I’ve arrived at a trailhead safely or returned to the car after a hike. If your car breaks down in the middle of nowhere or you have a medical emergency, you can hit SOS.
• If vandalism occurs during the government shutdown or too much garbage or human waste exposes humans and animals to less-than-ideal conditions, Great Basin National Park or other areas could close.
• Remember to pack out anything that you pack in. This includes used toilet paper if you go to the bathroom outside in the woods. Yuck, I know. But if you bury it, chipmunks, squirrels and rodents could dig it up. You can also buy WAG bags on Amazon. These allow you to go to the bathroom in the leak-proof bags and they have a powder to eliminate smell. You can put your used toilet paper in the bag.
• Great Basin National Park website won’t be updated during the shutdown, so you might not know whether Wheeler Peak Drive is open or closed for the season until you get there
• Regardless of the shutdown, Lehman Caves will be closed from October 20 to spring 2026 to fix the lighting system in the caves.
The takeaway is that you can still visit National Forests, BLM land, and Great Basin National Park. However, visitor’s centers, bathrooms, and other services may not be available. If you feel more comfortable knowing you’ll have use of a bathroom or slow emergency services make you nervous, then we recommend visiting the following state, county, and city parks:
Cave Lake State Park
Aspens and willows provide splashes of color in Cave Lake State Park. You can also check out the fall color at the beginning of the Success Loop, which starts in the park. You can travel all the way up and over the Success Loop for spectacular fall color in the first week to 10 days of October. But keep in mind the loop is isolated and on a dirt road.
Cave Lake is a state park and therefore isn’t subject to a federal government shutdown. Since the elevation is lower than the upper Success Loop road, the fall color within the park may peak a little later.
Spooner Lake State Park, Some Trails Closed
Speaking of Nevada State Parks, Spooner Lake State Park near Lake Tahoe and Carson City puts on one of the most impressive autumn color displays in the state. However, the problem this year is that a lot of the trails where you would see fall color are closed including North Canyon Road and the Marlette Lake Trail. Peak color here usually occurs between October 12 – 18.
Dayton State Park
One of the best places to see cottonwoods turn gold, Dayton State Park is a short drive from Carson City. Trees usually change here from October 20 – November 1.
Kershaw Ryan State Park
London planetrees, Virginia creepers, and cottonwoods all put on quite a show at Kershaw Ryan State Park, about 2 hours north of Las Vegas. The color usually starts between October 12 – 20, but every year can be different.
Galena Creek Regional Park
Located on the Reno side of the Mount Rose Highway, Galena Creek Regional Park offers several fall color hikes amid the changing aspens.
Fall Color Drive Through Carson Valley and Hope Valley
Once the maples and cottonwoods start peaking in Carson Valley, a drive on Highway 88 up into the mountains and through aspen-lined Hope Valley, California is a good way to enjoy the colors. You can stop at Desolation Hotel or Hope Valley Café for a tasty lunch along the way. Hope Valley is showing color now and will probably be showing off some good color through at least the second week in October.
Floyd Lamb Park
This Las Vegas fall color hotspot is a city park, so it’s not regulated by the federal government and all facilities here should be open. Cottonwoods and Chinese pistache trees provide autumn foliage with the yellow cottonwoods reflected in several lakes. Fall foliage at Floyd Lamb usually peaks in late October through early November.
