The Little River Canyon National Preserve visitor center is one of nearly 34 National Park Service locations that may lose funding due to actions by the Trump administration aimed at reducing government waste and fraud. These closures could affect visitor centers, law enforcement offices, museums, and other vital park services.

The Little River Canyon Center in Fort Payne is particularly popular, providing permits and education on safe recreation in the area. The National Parks Conservation Association is urging the administration to halt these lease cancellations, warning that it threatens to dismantle the National Park Service significantly.

Opened in 2009, the Little River Canyon Center, affiliated with Jacksonville State University, includes a variety of educational spaces and offers community programs, workshops, and events. NPCA President Theresa Pierno criticized the administration’s actions as reckless and shortsighted, stressing that closures would jeopardize park safety and artifact preservation. The National Park Service has already lost 9% of its staff, and further cuts may cripple its operations. Pierno concludes that these actions betray over a century of public commitment to national parks.

Jacksonville State University has indicated that they will continue to operate their facility at the canyon despite any cuts from the federal government.