Just in time to add it to your fall colors bike ride, the Chittenden Locks in Ballard have reopened.

This is the first time the key biking and walking route across the ship canal has been open since the partial government shutdown went into effect October 1. The Locks are a government facility, and the Republican-led shutdown in the other Washington furloughed the staff required to keep the park grounds open.

Details from the Army Corps of Engineers:

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reopened the park grounds at the Chittenden Locks in Ballard Oct. 17 at 6:30 a.m.

The grounds had been closed since Oct. 1 when federal funding for Corps parks became unavailable.  With funding now restored, the grounds will be open again for visitors and commuters daily from 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Both large and small lock chambers are available for vessel traffic 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Visitor Center hours in the fall are Thursday-Monday 10 a.m.-4 p.m. with one daily tour at 2 p.m. Come on down and enjoy a walk through the fall leaves.