Now, though, we’re almost three weeks into a national ordeal that doesn’t seem to have an end in sight — and it’s going to end up costing more than if the government was operating normally.

Thousands of federal workers already living paycheck to paycheck are worried about making rent and feeding their families.

Many national parks that were hanging on with the help of volunteers who picked up trash or helped clean bathrooms are closing to the public. (Joshua Tree was also set to shut down but avoided a temporary closure.)

Still, Casey Schreiner said permanent damage was most likely already done.

“There’s an element of a lot of dismissal on the internet, like, ‘Oh, you can clean up bathrooms for a couple weeks, that’s fine,'” he said. “That oversimplifies how complex these places are.”

Schreiner is the founder and editor-in-chief of the website Modern Hiker, which aims to promote the responsible enjoyment of the West Coast’s parks and hiking trails.

While we didn’t make it into the park itself, the vastness of the desert landscape, even in populated areas, can feel overwhelming.

That’s part of the beauty of the outdoors, of course. It can make you feel small, like your problems and your actions are a little less consequential.

But Schreiner said that feeling can be a double-edged sword.

“If you’re not a desert person, you don’t understand how fragile these environments are,” he said. “They look like they’re built to take a beating.”

During the shutdown, these environments are more at risk.

Desert flora rely on a fine layer of cryptobiotic soil, which Schreiner said, “can take literally thousands of years to form and can be crushed with a single footprint.”

Animals, like desert bighorn sheep, are susceptible to the unfamiliar pathogens that dogs can carry, which is why many trails don’t allow them.

The issues raised by the shutdown have just heightened broader philosophical discussions about the reasons we protect public lands, as social media draws more and more visitors.

“The issue is, how many people is too many people?” Schreiner said. “The parks service mission is to preserve these places for future generations; it’s not so that everyone can visit them.”

Schreiner said that regardless of whether national parks are officially open, he’s recommending that people just stay away for now.

Fortunately for Californians, there are tons of state and county parks with incredible options for a stunning hike. In Southern California, he said, this is the best time of year to go.

Want to see some Joshua trees and moonlike desert? Head to Saddleback Butte State Park: “If you’re jonesing to see some weird crooked trees, that’s the place.”

It’s too early for the kinds of blooms that have made headlines in years past, but Schreiner said Anza-Borrego State Park is always a great option for camping, plus it’s free.

If you’re looking for breathtaking coastline and redwoods, you can’t do better than the Big Sur area state parks, like Limekiln or Julia Pfeiffer Burns.