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National Park Crowds: What The Readers Think

Dec 13th - 13:09pm | Greg Anderson

The National Park Service established by the Act "shall promote and regulate the use of the Federal areas known as national parks, monuments, and reservations hereinafter specified by such means and measures as conform to the fundamental purpose of the said parks, monuments, and reservations, which purpose is to conserve the scenery and the nat

Dec 9th - 13:33pm | chris...

While working in the parks I would often hear the comment of "its so crowded!"... While all I could think to myself was- but are YOU considering yourself part of the crowding issue?

Should Horses And Cattle Be Removed From Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Dec 13th - 12:07pm | Jenny

Remove the cattle entirely. As for horses, with that small number, either remove or end their breeding. I think it would be kinder to remove them to a free ranging sanctuary on private land so they would be among a larger herd. Horses would not thrive if down to 1 to 3.

RVing In The Parks | Winter Can Be A Great Season To Explore The Parks

Dec 13th - 10:49am | chris...

In future generations American will marvel at how the boomers afforded and justified such gargantuan camping rigs for the sole purpose of taking the kitchen sink, heaters, toilet, shower etc with them will enjoying "wilderness" camping.   As a mere milleniall..just saying

Dec 12th - 16:37pm | A. Johnson

No problem. Would you mind providing more details about where you've winter camped before?     I recall one spring break trip to Canyonlands, camping just outside the park (up Indian Creek on BLM land?) when 5-6" of sloshy snow arrived ovenight.  Just magical.  I had a 4WD so I didn't mind much.

Dec 12th - 14:18pm | Lost in Utah

CO is right. CO2 is carbon dioxide and not a problem in this context. Thanks for the correction.

Dec 12th - 11:51am | A. Johnson

The author made one BIG mistake by not mentioning having CO2 and propane monitors.   CO2 is fine. CO, not so much.

Dec 12th - 10:00am | Lost in Utah

In many places, you'd be totally delusional to think you can have a tank of water and your sewer system working when winter camping - it will freeze solid, even with heat tape, and how are you going to run heat tape if no electricity? You won't want your solar going for that, as if it's a gray day you may not even have enough solar for the basics.

Dec 11th - 15:27pm | A. Johnson

Do most RVs have a water tank heater? How does one ensure that the water tank itself does not freeze?

Abraham Lincoln's Overcoat Returns to Public Display at Ford's Theatre

Dec 13th - 03:11am | Barbara Kelton

Is there any way to find out the shoulder width of Lincoln's overcoat?  

The Challenges Of Recreation.gov

Dec 12th - 13:27pm | David Goodwyn

What did you find out when you called?

House Committee Hears Differing Opinions On How To Solve Park Crowding

Dec 12th - 11:56am | A. Johnson

When asked why Zion doesn't yet have a visitor use management plan despite launching the effort in 2016, Bradybaugh said engaging all the stakeholders and understanding visitor behavior takes time.   Give me a break.  6 YEARS is 5 too many.   These people are incompetent.

Dec 11th - 18:30pm | Anonymous

Thanks for the comment giving more perspective Ed.  I was a five year seasonal for the NPS and a year for the BLM.   Mostly trail work. 

Dec 11th - 15:28pm | Ed_1

This is a little off-topic for this thread, but in response to Chris's comment...in my 2 decades working for NPS there was a half-hearted attempt to specialize staffing at parks especially in the sciences and interpretation.

Dec 8th - 20:44pm | chris...

An NPS "Ranger" really does not exist anymore.. There is LEO (law enforcement) who acts as the police in the parks.  There are "interprative" rangers who give education speeches, "wilderness" rangers who moniter permits and such, and other "rangers" along with a lot of others without the "ranger' title who are doing the work a "ranger" 40 years ago would have. 

Dec 7th - 17:58pm | Anonymously

No question leadership is a problem, but funding is the biggest one. 

Dec 7th - 16:44pm | Loui

So crowding in the national parks can be solved by more funding Superintendent Bradybaugh said.  Of course he did.  No proposed solutions, just give me more money.

Dec 6th - 19:18pm | chris...

the superintendant of Zion appered on a Zoom call.  Chuck Sams could have as well.  He choose to ignore the committee 

Dec 6th - 18:11pm | chris...

I said we COULD implement a litmust test..  I did not say we should.  The price we pay for freedom is the fact that we let anyone and everyone into our parks no questions asked.  As such- they are crowded.  

Yosemite National Park Setting Out To Develop Visitor Use Management Plan

Dec 11th - 12:48pm | chris...

Exactly what cultural resources were damaged by the visitation?  All this is left are few artifacts long buried and the grinding stones.  None of which would be impacted by visitation.  In years of digging in Yosemite I found one arrowhead.  One

Dec 11th - 07:27am | Chris...

Recreation gov has been in the works since 2001.  The lie that COVID caused the use of it is why so many are skeptical of the so called pandemic 

Staffing Woes Limit Winter Access At Mount Rainier National Park

Dec 11th - 04:52am | tahoma

'Nice little park you got there, be a shame if you couldn't access it'.  Please sign this petition if you are concerned about this bureaucratic extortion:https://www.change.org/p/restore-mount-rainier-weekday-winter-access/

Dec 5th - 21:51pm | Kurt Repanshek

The article does not mention either Jarvis, and Jon Jarvis did not resign due to the ethics investigation. He left at the end of the Obama administration.

Dec 5th - 20:41pm | A. Johnson

Your article mentions Jonathan Jarvis, NPS director at the time.  Later, Jarvis resigned after his own ethics questions arose.  Now the Jarvises are advocating for an independent NPS!  Gee, I wonder why?

Dec 5th - 18:32pm | ecbuck

Anon - Budget is not the issue.  Congressional funding of the NPS was nearly 50% higher in 2022 than 2012 and that doesnt include the massive increase in fees that to a large extent never leave the parks. Fees of which I have still not yet been able to find an accounting.    

Dec 5th - 15:15pm | Anonymously

The issue is the budget. The nps workforce has shrunken dramatically in the past decade due to static budgets and pay that is far lower than most of the federal government. It's axiomatic in federal government circles that land management employees are paid far less than "normal feds". Not sure why that is except for maybe really inept and exploitative leadership

Dec 5th - 09:07am | chris...

Former NPS worker- the reason the road crew is understaffed?  Marijuana.   You have to be sober to be a CDL operater working for the govt plowing the roads and doing the heavy equipment work.  And the simple fact that you can make far more in the private sector working the jobs.  Seasonal workers typically do not do the snow removal operations in the winter as they are generally full time emplo

Dec 4th - 23:01pm | tahoma

Thanks for sharing, Debra; sorry about the NP$ ripoff!

Dec 4th - 20:41pm | Debra Barnia

Would have been nice if the kind gentleman who sold me a lifetime pass today at the Nisqually Entrance to the park had mentioned this little detail. Will you be reducing your taxpayer-funded budget since you're so significantly reducing the taxpayer's access to the park? Rhetorical question, of course.

Hurricane Ridge Day Lodge To Undergo Major Rehabilitation With GAOA Funding

Dec 9th - 07:23am | tahoma

Whoa, Tonto!  Only 300,000 visits to Hurricane Ridge per year when Olympic National Park claims over 3 million annually?https://www.nationalparkstraveler.org/2020/03/musings-parks-about-those-...

Debate Waged Over Whether To Rename Delaware Water Gap

Dec 8th - 13:06pm | Bob Muska

Those opposed to the redesignation of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area to a national park and preserve often  quote the Delaware Riverkeepers Network. The Delaware River National Park and Lenape Preserve Alliance, which is advocating for the  proposal, strongly disagrees with the opinion of the RiverKeepers.

Dec 7th - 08:16am | Chris White

It used to be that the title "National Park" Was reserved for the Crown Jewels in the National Park system.  Using economic reason to rename lesser park area seem disingenuou.

Dec 6th - 09:03am | Lou

I live in the area and am personally pro-national park because of the potential funding (despite the large backlog).  The Gap really does need additiona monetary support to keep up with maintenance.  I absolutely love it there too.

Cuyahoga Valley National Park To Lease Land For Farming

Dec 7th - 21:39pm | Jim Fry

Question. Are there any farms available in the park, for lease? Is there land or a building within the park for the establishment for a Native American center? If so for either, where and how many acres?   Jim Fry. Stone Garden Farm & Village. Richfield, Ohio. [email protected]

Journey To The Badlands Of Grasslands National Park

Dec 7th - 19:37pm | Jason

Yeah those homesteaders and ranchers didn't come to take care of the land, they came to exploit it. They're called colonizers, and they stole the land from indigenous tribes. It's good to acknowledge our history and the issues with it. 

Congaree National Park Boosting Camping Fees To Cover Reservation Costs

Dec 7th - 16:23pm | T Burt

Couldn't say it better myself.

Dec 6th - 16:37pm | WaltD

Obviously some commenters expect a free ride in our national parks.  The fact is that for decades Congress refused to provide enough funding for the Interior Department to maintain the parks, resulting in huge backlogs of much needed repair and improvements.  Only recently did Congress provide extra funding to the NPS even though it's still inadequate.

Dec 4th - 23:00pm | Rick B.

Rape is a fairly lurid and loaded word to use in that context. 

Input Sought For Solutions To Crowding At Laurel Falls In Great Smoky Mountains

Dec 7th - 16:21pm | T Burt

Amen brother!!

Musings About The Parks: Are Crowds Damaging The Park Brand?

Dec 6th - 19:51pm | Steve M

My apologies Chris. I got distracted by your silly North Korea comment.

Dec 6th - 19:16pm | ecbuck

Steve, I think you misinterpreted his comment.  He doesn't want a litmus test.  He wants open parks.   

Dec 6th - 18:06pm | chris...

Steve M.. I never said that.... Read my comment more carefully

Dec 6th - 16:49pm | Steve M

I just have to ask - what kind of "litmus test" do you think the NPS should institute to limit entry, Chris?  Since you mention this alongside banning foreigners completely I take it that the "litmus test" you have in mind is something completely different .  Based on your other "solutions" I have no doubt this will be a good one.

Dec 6th - 16:03pm | chris...

the hearings were a joke.  The plan is recreation gov on all federal lands by 2023.  And it was made clear that they also plan on the concessions running the day to day operations of the parks.... as apparently that is already happinging with campgrounds in the tetons.    

Dec 6th - 13:39pm | Person

The mission of the NPS is to preserve and protect our national treasures unimpaired for future generations. That means visitation that damages resources is out of line with the mission. It isn't "the price of freedom" whatever that empty cliche means.

Dec 6th - 08:52am | chris..

recreation gov damaged the brand.  the crowds are the price you pay for freedom.. we COULD ban foreign visitation.  We COULD implement a litmus test for entry.  We dont.  Because its OUR land.  I will never be a millionaire.  But I have camped on lands that a millonaire couldnt even imagine in their gilded coffin (house).  

Rush To The Outdoors Has Challenged Recreation.Gov

Dec 6th - 12:48pm | Kurt Repanshek

No, it's a good number.https://federalnewsnetwork.com/technology-main/2017/02/amid-bid-battle-r...

Dec 6th - 12:42pm | Ben Hiller

Think you got the $182M wrong. Booz Allen built it for free and gets some of the addon fees, accoring their own website. https://www.boozallen.com/s/insight/thought-leadership/reinventing-the-r...

Site Of Sir Francis Drake's Ship Grounding Honored At Point Reyes National Seashore

Dec 6th - 08:29am | Garry Gitzen

Those who accept Pt. Reyes have never compared the theorized sites with "The World Encompassed" journal of the circumnavigation and 1579 5-week summer anchorage.  Nehalem Bay compares with EVERY item, event, flora & fauna in the journal.  It also has a Civil Engineering Thesis documenting an old survey displaying everything pointing to a navigational survey performed by Francis Drake.

"Narrows" Trip Leaves One Dead At Zion National Park

Dec 5th - 12:02pm | Sreekanth

I hiked Narrows twice in the last 3 years . I always hiked during summer where the day time temps are above 90 . The water would still be in 50s as it's coming from melting ice . I never even thought Its open during winters .. Also , it took  around 8 hrs for a hike till the wall st..

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