Google Doodle Celebrates Yosemite National Park’s 123rd Birthday, But It Is Closed!

Did you know that today marks Yosemite National Park’s 123rd anniversary? The sad part is that Yosemite and all the USs national parks, monuments, and zoos were closed at midnight last night, after Congress failed to pass a new budget. The parks birthday, and it wont be open for its own party. The National Parks Service website was closed as of Tuesday, too. It is odd that the National Park Service web sites were closed and redirected to the U.S. Department of the Interior. Someone is being a bit too dramatic with the government shutdown!

Google is celebrating the 123rd anniversary of Yosemite National Park by hosting this Doodle on its search homepage today.

“Today in the U.S., our doodle marks the establishment 123 years ago of Yosemite National Park. About the size of Rhode Island (3,081 square kilometers), Yosemite is known worldwide for its striking granite cliffs, waterfalls, redwood groves and other natural wonders; John Muir, who was instrumental in its preservation, called it “by far the grandest of all the special temples of Nature I was ever permitted to enter.” In the wake of this year’s devastating California’s Rim Fire, our doodle celebrates Yosemite’s past and future.”

Did Google do this on purpose? A Google spokesperson said that, “The timing today is an unfortunate coincidence” and pointed to the company’s post on the Yosemite doodle.