"With the government shutdown it's been free to get in so we have actually had more tourists coming in and locals from down the hill, they are almost taking advantage of that. They are enjoying the park, they are coming down and they are enjoying meals at local restaurants here," says Maritza Konnaris, owner of Tony's Taverna.
The owners of Tony's Taverna say the extra business has been a welcome surprise, especially since they opened just after the shutdown began.
But they're reminding visitors to stay safe, with park resources limited.
"They need to be very careful especially with the snow because there are no emergency responders up there, so someone has to go from down here and take a long time," expresses Antonis Konnaris, Owner Tony's Taverna.
Locals are also urging visitors to keep the parks clean.
"We need to take care of our forest a lot more than we do. They throw trash, that is our forest, that is our future," mentions Lisa Brown, who lives near the foothill community.
Lisa visits Three Rivers often and says she hasn't noticed big changes.
But the shutdown is casting a shadow over her home-buying process with resources to help with necessary paperwork, limited.
Lisa says, "I actually worry because I am packing my house up thinking that escrow is gonna close, but is it or isn't it?"
In the meantime, local businesses say they will continue operating as usual, staying optimistic and hoping for the best.
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