| Page 1531 | National Parks Traveler

I agree most people with conceal carry permits are less likely to pull or use their weapon, because they know that pulling that weapon can in most cases cause them to wind up with feloney charges. I as a gun carrying American hope and prey I never have to use my gun on another person but with our world today I will not think twice about using it to protect or defend myself or my family.

Jan 13th - 11:36am | Linda

Oh yes, I'd feel safe camped next to a confused gun-loaded holder. NOT! A loaded gun at your side may makes you feel brave in a national park where wildlife has the right-of-way, especially when you stumble into the path of a bear because you're not paying attention - feeling brave. What about poachers; the people that will have "license" to kill whatever they want?

Jan 12th - 06:43am | Bill R.

Sensible response, however, Yosemite has it's own jail because the crime rate is so high. I'm in favor of packing a gun not for animal, but for human predators. On the back roads of Death Valley and Big Bend, you won't see a ranger for weeks. I might carry a gun and if so it would be loaded. What are you going to do with an empty gun?

Jan 11th - 21:47pm | Barky

Well, I'm not going to get into the gun debate itself, but this part of the quoted portion of the original post intrigued me: Information gathered by State and Federal wildlife management organizations throughout the country overwhelmingly indicates that both people and wildlife are safer when guns are not the first choice when people feel threatened.

Jan 11th - 21:14pm | Merryland

You have the right to protect your homes armed to the teeth. So stay at home where it's safe. Anyone can decide to cross that double yellow line at anytime and take out your entire family packed into the station wagon -- so do we need anti-SUV devices to protect ourselves from a possible lane-changer? The list of silly protections we could carry around with ourselves could be endless.

Jan 11th - 16:22pm | T-Fly

Yes, freak out, gun fans. Use LOTS OF CAPS and EXCLAMATION POINTS!!!! That way EVERYONE will SEE that you are TOTALLY CALM AND REASONABLE!!! And that you should be TRUSTED to CARRY YOUR GUNS around YELLOWSTONE, in case YOGI TRIES ANYTHING!!!!!!!

Jan 11th - 15:37pm | Fred Miller, Mi...

We have the same discussion every time this issue comes up. I will repeat myself only because I'm hoping I will eventually reach someone who has not thought this through to the logical conclusion. I am continually amazed by the naivety of informed, intelligent Americans. Mr. Anonymous "feels safer" knowing that "some fool" is not carrying a gun in a National Park. How does he know this?

Jan 11th - 11:42am | RD

The tax code is confusing to most, should we stop paying taxes? sounds good to me.

Jan 11th - 11:38am | Anonymous

If the New York Times is so smart (and all of us "hick" gun owners are so dumb) then why don't they show a nice uniform website, flyer, or periodical that displays what the differing state laws are for carrying a concealed weapon? The only sites I'm aware of are privately run and have a disclaimer about them not being responsible if their information isn't correct.

Jan 11th - 11:30am | Anonymous

I definitely agree with the Coalition that the current gun regulations should not be changed. I feel safer when I visit a National Park knowing that some fool is not carrying a gun that could endanger my life or anyone else's life. And just as important, wildlife is safer and can do there own thing in their habitat, not the humans habitat. Please do not change this law!!!!!!!

Do Professional Hockey And Yosemite National Park Belong Together?

Jan 12th - 17:30pm | KSJEn91

First of all, I did read that it is in the rink..thank you for adding your excess "hot air," and secondly you overlooked answering any of the questions I posted in said "hot air" message.

Jan 11th - 17:49pm | Glenn Scofield ...

Ok. Hope this is succinct enough for you. National Parks are not like everywhere else. They are as lands considered too unique for common use, but instead they are mandated by law to be preserved and protected for the enjoyment of future generations.

Jan 11th - 16:14pm | KSJEn91

I do not believe that any of the natural resources should be accommodating human interests, unless humans are preserving the environment and the wildlife. Therefore, no, Hockey and any other human interests should not be allowed in, on, around, or underneath said park.

Jan 10th - 16:03pm | Merryland

Mook -- I tried roller skates at the local roller rink once -- it didn't go over too well. That being said, the two previous Blue Hens before me always wore roller skates and skated around the parking lot before football games.

Jan 10th - 15:49pm | Nick Mojave

I think the difference is clear. Unlike Alcatraz or Charlestown, you're not bringing in more than a couple dozen folks for this visit. The benefits to the team are minimal — will this honestly help them sell hundreds more tickets, and even if it did, would those ticket sales cover the costs of van rental, a couple hours on the road, gas, etc?

Jan 10th - 15:10pm | repanshek

Nick, You're probably right, the physical aspect of the park won't be harmed. But does that make it OK to stage this sort of event in a national park, whether it's Yosemite or Golden Gate NRA? Were the parks designed to be backdrops for promotional events? Should Yosemite Valley be a backdrop for a semi-pro hockey team?

Jan 10th - 12:56pm | Nick Mojave

TZ - You're not answering my question, just talking about a bunch of roadblocks you think should be put up before this happens. How is the park harmed by two or three TV news trucks and two vans full of hockey players showing up at Curry Village for a few hours in the dead of winter?

Jan 10th - 12:08pm | TZ

Will the for-profit hockey team pay royalties for their use (on TV) of the National Park? What rights do they have to re-broadcast images of NPS employees? What other for-profit enterprises can 'use' the National Park in this media-friendly way? Would my high-school hockey team be equally able to commandeer this piece of public property for an evening?

Jan 10th - 08:35am | Mookie

Merryland, I'm guessing the Blue Hen never put skates on during your time in Newark.

Jan 10th - 00:49am | Nick Mojave

What is so egregious about this? A bunch of minor league hockey players skating in circles at Curry Village while the Fresno TV stations do live shots with their satellite trucks. We're not talking about thousands of fans, or even referees keeping things even... just a promotional appearance in the community. How, exactly, is the park harmed?

Jan 9th - 21:36pm | Merryland

Wow, that's a scary picture. Especially since I was the Fightin' Blue Hen mascot in college at the University of Delaware. Freddy looks a bit deranged. I wonder if they gave him a background check before they let him get near the kids!?

Tar Sands Development Could Impact Canyonlands National Park, Dinosaur National Monument, Glen Canyon NRA

Jan 12th - 16:13pm | Bob Janiskee

You can't blame Big Oil for casting covetous eyes on the heavy oil out there in the western mountains and prairies. The bitumen in the tar sands and the kerogen in the oil shale contain so much oil that the you think "can't possibly be true" when you first see the statistics.

Jan 11th - 21:20pm | Merryland

The first sign to look for is a bill in Congress to change the name of the park to Canyonlands National Park & Preserve. And they'll try to pass it off as this wonderful thing to expand the park's boundaries and help citizens take full advantage of the many splendors of the Canyonlands landscape...

Jan 11th - 17:54pm | Glenn Scofield ...

I used to wonder what the BLM stood for, but now I know: If there's a buck to be made, rape it, mine it, destroy it and let our kids clean it up when we're gone.

Tiny Lizard That Calls Death Valley National Park Home Could Be Added to ESA List

Jan 11th - 21:23pm | Anonymous

Well, let's hope the Bush administration keeps it's cotton picken hands out of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service field of responsibility of enforcing the ESA. Also, keep the Sec. of Interior (and this present administration) from meddling into the affairs of the U.S.

Park History: Wind Cave National Park

Jan 10th - 20:13pm | Barky

I think that tiny little Wind Cave NP is my favorite National Park of the whole system (that I've seen so far, that is). It's not so much the caves as it is, as Paul says above, for the wildlife of the park.

Jan 10th - 08:39am | Mookie

I also think there are elk in Wind Cave NP. When my wife and I were there in 2006, we climbed to the top of a fire tower atop Rankin Ridge. A ranger was in the tower with one of those radio/antenna jobs, trying to figure out where some radio-collared elk were at.

Jan 10th - 08:14am | wonderly00

Just a quick correction: the formation in the cave is called "boxwork" and probably 90 percent of the world's boxwork is found at Wind Cave. But I agree with Barky here, part of the park that many visitors miss, I think, is the wildlife on the surface. For a small park, it's got quite an abundance of easy-to-see wildlife.

Jan 9th - 21:41pm | Merryland

Beautiful cave, beautful landscape... I was disappointed that I didn't feel any wind when touring the cave though. I got the story about the little blowhole and was somewhat let down. But I'll definitely be back again sometime. Last summer it was Jewel Cave's turn -- another park gem (haha heehee).

Jan 9th - 12:45pm | Paul

I lived near Wind Cave National Park for years and have not only been on may cave tours there and camped, but actually worked for the Construction Co. that built most of the current buildings.

Jan 9th - 10:26am | jersu

I think the stories that accompany cave discoveries are usually pretty funny. It is so typical that the caves find their discoverers. Thanks for the writeup Chance. Your contributions are a great addition to the site.

Do Cougars Roam Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore?

Jan 9th - 22:25pm | Merryland

I've seen cougar footprints in the Everglades in '86 and the north unit of Teddy Roosevelt NP in '99 -- and that was exciting enough! As an aside -- we had a strange unidentified creature caught on film in Baltimore a few years back -- it was dubbed the "Hyote". Turns out it was a fox that had lost most of its hair. Talk about embarassing...

Lynx, Long Sought in Yellowstone National Park, Is Caught on Film

Jan 9th - 22:02pm | Merryland

Kurt, thanks for the lynx links... :-)

Segways in the National Parks: Do We Really Need Them?

Jan 9th - 21:56pm | Merryland

There once was a Jetson named Judy, But modernity made her quite moody. Said she, "In Yosemite, You must use each extremity... Yes, to walk in the park is our duty!" (C) 2008, Jon T. Merryman, All rights reversed.

Jan 9th - 05:32am | Lwiseman

One of the reasons people go to National Parks is to escape the noise and hubbub of everyday life which I believe is one of the reasons the parks are becoming more and more crowded. If they add Segways, they may as well start adding carnival rides, Starbucks, shopping malls, and start tearing up beautiful land for condos and Qwik-E marts.... We need areas where we can escape this.

Jan 8th - 14:08pm | cheflovesbeer

No, A simple answer to a simple question.

Jan 7th - 20:29pm | V

I absolutely love the National Parks. Although Yosemite is amazingly beautiful, it does not rank in my top ten favorite parks as it does for many people. Why not? It was too crowded. Adding Segways would only contribute to the congestion and detract from the purpose of National Parks and the beauty that they preserve.

60 Minutes : The Age of Megafires

Jan 9th - 14:54pm | gruntsgt

I don't know if you know it BUT many of the crew members are laid off each winter. They don't make much money and rank is slow to come. A family member of mine having been with the USFS as a sawyer for about 9 years, he will not jump to a local fire station for more money because he just doesn't feel right being paid for standing around.

Considering a Hike up Half Dome?

Jan 9th - 10:44am | rock climbing tours

As late as the 1870s, Half Dome was declared "perfectly inaccessible",[1] but it may now be ascended in several different ways. Thousands of hikers reach the top each year by following a trail from the valley floor. The trailhead is only 2 mi (3.2 km) from Half Dome itself, but the circuitous route is 8.5 mi (13.7 km) long.

Zion National Park's New Backcountry Management Plan Reduces Daily Traffic in The Narrows

Jan 9th - 08:13am | Anonymous

50% increase in the subway? that's nuts. that route is already too crowded during the season when you don't need a wetsuit. i didn't read or comment on the plan, but that seems insane. i guess you can't trust the park service to really preserve an area. i say this because i've had to wait in line at certain obstacles on that route, and i've only hiked it 3 times.

Jan 8th - 16:21pm | repanshek

Good question, MRC. Some explanation:

Jan 8th - 02:04am | MRC

Does the three-day-rule for online permits mean, that no one can plan their backcountry trip in Zion more then three days ahead? This won't be popular by visitors from out of state or even international visitors.

Judge Tosses Surprise Canyon Lawsuit

Jan 8th - 16:44pm | Mike Heinz

Have you ever road a dirt bike? Do you know how much energy it takes to ride one? Do you know how healthy you have be to ride a dirt bike? Do you know this is about jeeps and not motorcycles? Do you even have a clue about what your talking about?

Jan 8th - 16:40pm | Mike Heinz

Please post a map showing the 97.5% of America that I can ride my ATV. I would like to go there. Who's makinr wild claims? Try 35% and getting smaller.

Jan 8th - 16:29pm | Michael Heinz

These people won't stop until the only place we're allowed to go is our living rooms playing video games and filing law suits. And who says" Kudos ", anymore?

Cape Lookout National Seashore Visitors Seem to Prefer Things Rustic

Jan 7th - 20:38pm | wonderly00

Hear Hear. Cape Hatteras is really developed, so if you want a developed national seashore, you can go there, and if you want a more rustic/natural seashore then Cape Lookout is the place to be. I love that there is no road access to Cape Lookout. That's what makes it so nice--and quiet.

Support Journalism about National Parks!

National Parks Traveler is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

Donate Now!

The Essential RVing Guide

The National Parks RVing Guide, aka the Essential RVing Guide To The National Parks, is the definitive guide for RVers seeking information on campgrounds in the National Park System where they can park their rigs. It's available for free for both iPhones and Android models.

This app is packed with RVing specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 parks.

You'll also find stories about RVing in the parks, some tips if you've just recently turned into an RVer, and some planning suggestions. A bonus that wasn't in the previous eBook or PDF versions of this guide are feeds of Traveler content: you'll find our latest stories as well as our most recent podcasts just a click away.

So whether you have an iPhone or an Android, download this app and start exploring the campgrounds in the National Park System where you can park your rig.

National Parks Traveler

Search