(The Center Square) – A popular hiking trail along the Snoqualmie River has been closed indefinitely amid cuts to the U.S. Forest Service Agency.
A recent social media post showed a sign at the entrance of the Franklin Falls Upper Trailhead stating that both the Franklin Falls and Denny Creek trailheads are indefinitely closed due to “large-scale termination of Forest Service employees.”
According to the Washington Trails Association, President Donald Trump’s administration began the termination of approximately 1,000 National Park Service and 3,400 U.S. Forest Service employees across the country on Feb. 13. This is the second time the Forest Service saw cuts to its staffing in the last six months.
The Washington Trails Association said that the fired Forest Service employees are in charge of essential services to keep trails and campgrounds safe. This includes building and maintaining trails, responding to emergencies, and managing campgrounds.
“Eliminating these roles will directly impact the quality and accessibility of outdoor recreation – many of these people work on wildfire crews during the height of the wildfire season,” the association said in a statement. “The loss of these individuals will be felt for years to come.”
Washington leaders are also voicing their concerns with the mass firings of forest service employees.
In social media posts, U.S. Sen. Kim Schrier, D-Wash., called Trump’s decision to fire thousands of U.S. Forest Service employees “pathetic” and pointed out that the firings lead to trailhead closures that “hurt the community.”
On Wednesday, fired employees joined U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash. in a press conference explaining how their firings are going to lead to negative impacts on the state.
Gregg Bafundo, a wilderness ranger from Okanogan County, was laid off from the Forest Service last week. Bafundo said the firings will lead to loss of lives and property.
The belief is that remaining employees will have to overwork to fill in the gaps in services left by the laid off workers.
The Trump administration has been working to downsize the federal workforce as part of its plan to get spending under control. The Department of Government Efficiency has reported that it has saved American taxpayers $55 billion so far in 2025 with cuts to federal departments.
The Center Square reached out to the U.S. Forest Service agency to confirm it placed the sign at the Franklin Falls trailhead, but did not receive a response by the time of publication.
