The National Park Service will cut $130 million from its $2.6 billion budget under sequestration measures that are set to begin at the end of March.

Information about the cuts was recently leaked to the Coalition of National Park Service Retirees who posted detailed information on their website: http://www.npsretirees.org

The Great Smoky Mountains and the nearby Blue Ridge Parkway would be two of the hardest hit with the Smokies losing $944,000 and the BRP losing $784,000.

NPSRetirees.org states,  “the Great Smoky Mountains  will close five campgrounds and picnic areas affecting over 54,000 visitors. Additionally, the reduction in staff will result in reduced road maintenance and increased time for emergency responses to activities such as accidents, rockslides, ice, and hazardous tree removal for more than 35,000 vehicles per day on several heavily travelled routes in the Cades Cove District as well as the thoroughfares between Gatlinburg, TN and Pigeon Forge, TN and between Gatlinburg, TN and Cherokee, NC.”

Nationwide, the cuts will greatly reduce the ranks of Park Rangers and also result in deep cuts in park hours and many other important services that park visitors have come to expect.