What federal shutdown would mean for Sleeping Bear, other national parks in Michigan

Kayakers at Lover’s Leap arch formation at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in Munising, Mich. on Wednesday, July 2, 2025. Joel Bissell | Jbissell@mlive.comAs the clock ticks down to an impending federal government shutdown, workers at the National Park Service are revisiting the department’s contingency plan for lapsed funding. Here’s what the current plan outlines for Michigan’s national parks: Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Isle Royale National Park, Keweenaw National Historical Park and River Raisin National Battlefield Park. Representatives from Sleeping Bear, Pictured Rocks and Isle Royale did not respond to MLive’s requests for specifics on their park operations. During a “short lapse” in funding, a maximum of five days, the NPS staff expected to be furloughed will be 12,972 employees.