(updated) State Parks, Forests, Historic Sites, and Recreation Areas will be closed for a bit

As of Midnight, July 1st 2017, the state government has been shutdown. Please read the following statement from the NJ State Park System:

Due to the government shutdown in the State of New Jersey, all State Parks, Forests, Historic Sites, and Recreation Areas will be closed until further notice.

All public events happening at these venues have been canceled.

All camping reservations have also been canceled. If you are currently in one of our camping areas, you will need to leave your site by 11:00 am on Saturday July 1st.

Swimming is not permitted while the parks are closed.

New Jersey State Park Police will be enforcing the closure and patrolling the parks grounds during this time.

If you notice any suspicious activity near a State Park, State Forest, Historic Site, or Recreation Area during this time please call 1-877-WARN-DEP (1-877-927-6337).

Please visit the New Jersey State Park & Forestry website http://www.nj.gov/dep/parksandforests/ for any updated information.

We are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause over your holiday weekend.

Sorry for any inconvenience? Though I fully understand that the state park system had nothing to do with this, it is a bit bigger than an inconvenience. It affects so much, far beyond a "few" people that want to visit a park this weekend. The shops that sell fishing licenses or bait near Round Valley Recreation Area will feel it. The non-profit that runs the Historic Allaire Village is not going to make what they need to make this weekend. And places like theUACNJ Observatory at Jenny Jump will not get folks stopping that are there camping. Same goes for people selling wood for extra cash near campgrounds are going to be hurt. And hell... all the employees are getting the short end as well. Very Very frustrating.

Once we hear updates of the next voting session today (Saturday), we will update this post.