Yosemite Photos, Video and News

"Do we say the visitors center is closed? Or do we shut the gates to the park and nobody comes in? And then it gets even more complicated," said Yosemite National Park spokesman Scott Gediman.

This issue is especially complex for a place like Yosemite, where a private company owns and operates the hotels within the park. Yosemite employees were accepting lodging reservations Wednesday but advised patrons that if the government shuts down, guests would be asked to leave Saturday morning.

At Yosemite National Park in California, students on spring break flock to the majestic mountains this time of year to see waterfalls swollen by winter rains, park spokesman Scott Gediman said.

Any shutdown, he said, would be done in phases.

"It's such a complicated place with campgrounds, trails, hotels, tour buses," Gediman said. "It's not as simple as we close the gate and everybody goes home."

About 1,000 workers employed by a company that runs park services as well as about 800 park workers would be affected. Business outside the gates would also suffer.

"We really don't have a whole lot of industry other than tourism," said Lester Bridges, president of the Mariposa County Chamber of Commerce.