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Scotty's Castle Storage Costs Near $5 Million

The closed Death Valley National Park landmark has drawn scrutiny over taxpayer-funded artifact maintenance while remaining off-limits to visitors.

Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in National Parks

Wide view of a Mediterranean-style desert mansion with terracotta roofs and arched windows standing against a pale basin and distant dark mountains in Death Valley.
Scotty's Castle in Death Valley National Park has stayed closed to visitors since 2015, while nearly $5 million in taxpayer funds has gone toward storing and maintaining its collection. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Should taxpayers keep funding costly maintenance for closed national historic sites?

Scotty's Castle in Death Valley National Park has been closed to the public since October 2015, and nearly $5 million in taxpayer funds has gone toward storing and maintaining its collection. The National Park Service plans to resume construction next year, with a full reopening tentatively set for November 2028.

Why it matters

The closure and rising costs highlight funding and staffing strains at the National Park Service, which must also comply with laws protecting the castle's historic features. For California readers, the state's iconic desert park remains inaccessible while its landmark sits idle.

The National Park Service reports nearly $5 million in artifact maintenance costs and $350,000 in annual storage expenses for more than 12,400 artifacts. The majority of the $5 million has paid rent for the storage facility, and the full cost of ongoing staffing and construction remains unspecified.

The players

National Park Service

The federal agency that manages Death Valley National Park and purchased Scotty's Castle in 1970 after the death of the Johnsons, and is now resuming construction on the estate.

Death Valley National Park

A protected desert park in California that contains Scotty's Castle, a historic villa known for its Spanish Mission-style architecture.

The details

Scotty's Castle was closed after a 2015 flash flood devastated the property, and a 2021 fire in an outbuilding further delayed its reopening. Visitors can learn about the restoration on tours offered Saturdays and Sundays until April 17, 2027.

Timeline

  1. October 2015: Castle closed to the public following a flash flood.

  2. 2021: A fire in an outbuilding further delayed reopening.

  3. October 2026: Castle projects appeared on a leaked list of low-priority projects.

  4. April 17, 2027: Weekend tours offered at the castle end.

  5. November 2028: Full reopening tentatively set.

Big Picture

Scotty's Castle's extended closure reflects the compliance obligations of the National Historic Preservation Act, which requires federal agencies to protect historic properties during repairs. The estate's prolonged timeline illustrates how preservation mandates can slow reopenings at federally managed landmarks.

Visitors hoping to tour the castle have limited access until a full reopening, with weekend tours running only until April 17, 2027. Travelers planning a Death Valley trip should check National Park Service updates before booking, since construction timelines may shift.

The takeaway

Preservation funding and staffing decisions directly determine how quickly historic landmarks can welcome visitors again. Readers planning park visits should track official timelines rather than assume reopening dates will hold.

What happens next

Construction on the castle is set to resume next year, and a full reopening is tentatively set for November 2028.

Further reading

Explore more about National Parks across California and how the state's desert landmarks are managed.

Source note: This article includes information reported by New York Post.

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Should taxpayers keep funding costly maintenance for closed national historic sites?