best tent camping zion national park image
Luo
I've just returned from a 10-day camping trip out west. I stayed at Bryce and Zion national parks.
They were magnificent.
What I noticed while I was at these parks, however, were how few Americans I came across on the trails and in the campsites. Likely as not, when I passed someone on the trail they were German. Some French and Swiss camper were in the adjacent tent sites to us, as were some Dutch.
I'm an American living in Europe, but I don't think it's just a bias on my part. There were a lot of people from elsewhere enjoying the park, and, relatively, fewer people from the U.S.
O.K., it's 25 bucks to get in to each park for a week, but it's hard to imagine that this is much of a barrier.
I wondered if others had a similar experience.
Answer
Is because the entrance fees are completely reasonable.
Their purpose is to pay for the staff and infrastructure necessary to prevent people, particularly those whose only motivation is their own profit, from destroying the parks.
In places where visitation is sufficiently low or the area "robust" that not much money is needed to do so, the fees are low or zero.
Thus, you can enter Wrangell-Saint Elias National Park for free. Or walk through Independence Hall.
In other places where the visitation is high and the area is fragile to visitation, the money needed to prevent destruction from un-thinking hordes whose basic ideology is "Nobody can tell ME what to do!" is greater. The meadows of Yosemite are visited by far more people than the mountains of Saint Elias, and are more fragile than the floors of Independence Hall. Thus, the fee is higher.
When any intelligent person notes how un-regulated private enterprise almost completely destroyed the very essence of our national parks in their early years, the need for a restraint on these self-centered, profit-only, destroyers of our heritage becomes obvious. If you want to call that a "nanny," fine. I prefer a nanny that will allow my posterity to look over Mather Point with the same sense of awe that I had, to the private developers that would utterly destroy such essence, then brag to their share-holders how much profit they made doing so. Do you wonder what the Grand Canyon would have if we had private enterprise run it? Just go to the East Rim and its Skywalk, and you won't have to do much wondering.
The fees aren't necessarily to keep the hordes away. It's to pay for the nannies that prevent those part of the hordes, who don't know or don't care enough to act responsibly, from ruining what the parks stand for.
Is because the entrance fees are completely reasonable.
Their purpose is to pay for the staff and infrastructure necessary to prevent people, particularly those whose only motivation is their own profit, from destroying the parks.
In places where visitation is sufficiently low or the area "robust" that not much money is needed to do so, the fees are low or zero.
Thus, you can enter Wrangell-Saint Elias National Park for free. Or walk through Independence Hall.
In other places where the visitation is high and the area is fragile to visitation, the money needed to prevent destruction from un-thinking hordes whose basic ideology is "Nobody can tell ME what to do!" is greater. The meadows of Yosemite are visited by far more people than the mountains of Saint Elias, and are more fragile than the floors of Independence Hall. Thus, the fee is higher.
When any intelligent person notes how un-regulated private enterprise almost completely destroyed the very essence of our national parks in their early years, the need for a restraint on these self-centered, profit-only, destroyers of our heritage becomes obvious. If you want to call that a "nanny," fine. I prefer a nanny that will allow my posterity to look over Mather Point with the same sense of awe that I had, to the private developers that would utterly destroy such essence, then brag to their share-holders how much profit they made doing so. Do you wonder what the Grand Canyon would have if we had private enterprise run it? Just go to the East Rim and its Skywalk, and you won't have to do much wondering.
The fees aren't necessarily to keep the hordes away. It's to pay for the nannies that prevent those part of the hordes, who don't know or don't care enough to act responsibly, from ruining what the parks stand for.
What do I need to do to go on cross country trip?
Mark Coper
Ok, so my two friends and I are going on a cross country road trip. From east coast to the pacific. We want to spend as little money as possible. We all can drive and we are taking one car and we know the gas will be pricey along with food, we are aware of that. We want to visit national parks and camp there. And we do not want to be stuck on the highway seeing nothing but factories and roadkill...we are leaving from VA. What roads/ byways are the best and most scenic roads toward colorado and arizona? What should we bring? Do you have any suggestions what we should see, how we should camp? Overall we want to see the REAL America. What do you suggest doing?
Answer
I would head south to New Orleans for a night. Stay in the hostel. From there, take Interstate 10 through Texas. I-10 is a historically scenic route that will take you all the way through the southwest. If you turn off of I-10 at Fort Stockton, a 2 hr drive will take you down to Big Bend National Park. Here's a picture: http://www.wallpaperweb.org/wallpaper/nature/1600x1200/Rio_Grande_River_Big_Bend_National_Park_Texas.jpg
New Mexico has a lot more parks & forests in it, which should make finding places to camp a little easier. Before here, I would check out state and county parks and recreation sites for places to stay each night.
Continue on I-1 into Arizona. You'll soon come to Saguaro N P. It is home the saguaro cactus, which is known as the symbol of the west. From there, visit Tucson. Very cool town to stop and have a drink in and chat with the locals. That's one of my favorite parts of seeing "the real America" - learning about it through the eyes of the people who live there.
Head north towards the Grand Canyon. To camp there, reservations must be made up to 6 months in advance, so I would look into it asap before it books up.
Then head north into Utah. Utah has 5 different national parks to choose from: Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, and Zion. Here's Bryce Canyon: http://rentmyskihome.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/bryce-canyon-2.jpg
All of them are equally as beautiful, so I would choose one that works best for the route you plan. Here's a link with helpful info: http://www.utah.com/nationalparks/
From Utah, head east to Colorado. Take more scenic route 50 through CO, seeing Black Canyon of the Gunnison N P and Great Sand Dunes N P. Here's a pic of the sand dunes: http://www.nationalparkguides.com/images/great-sand-dunes/great-sand-dunes-l.jpg
Route 50 would take you out to Interstate 25. From here, head north. In Colorado Springs there is a cog train that will take you to the top of Pike's Peak. The round trip takes a little over three hours to visit the peak of a 14000ft mtn.
Colorado is also full of national forests and parks. There should be plenty of camping available here. Once you get up into this mountainous area you should prepare for colder nights. Often in the mountains it can be in the 70s during the day and get down into the 30s and 40s at night.
North of Denver is a town called Boulder. It is a MUST SEE. It's an awesome hippie, outdoorsy place full of interesting people and local breweries. Definitely plan to spend a few hours there at the very least.
Then head north into Wyoming. Head towards Jackson.
Grand Teton N P and Yellowstone N P share a border and together they cover over 2.5 million acres. The Tetons are incredible. Imagine unzipping your tent to see this in the morning: http://www.tips-how.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/snake-river-grand-teton-national-park-wyoming.jpg
Yellowstone is home to Old Faithful and hundreds of geysers. It houses wild herds of bison, elk, moose, wolves, bear, and many more. This is a pretty normal car ride there: http://lh4.ggpht.com/_lHfrMu1Xngc/R1hWU8vYPSI/AAAAAAAAA2U/BlMjsP6qPxo/s640/100_0973.JPG
After Yellowstone, head north towards Missoula, Montana. Missoula is an awesome, pretty little hippie town. Go north from there to Glacier National Park: This is the view from the lodge there: http://www.parkcamper.com/Glacier-National-Park/Glacier-National-Park-Lake-Main.jpg
Head west to Washington state.Olympic National Park hascliffside beaches and is home to the Hoh Rainforest.
Head south to Portland, Oregon.
South of Oregon is California. Yosemite N P is the true gem of California.
--Sleeping bag, sleeping pad, quality tent, dri-wicked clothing (under armour - wear often without washing), hiking boots, maps, bear spray, single burner camp stove, bug spray, rain gear
I would head south to New Orleans for a night. Stay in the hostel. From there, take Interstate 10 through Texas. I-10 is a historically scenic route that will take you all the way through the southwest. If you turn off of I-10 at Fort Stockton, a 2 hr drive will take you down to Big Bend National Park. Here's a picture: http://www.wallpaperweb.org/wallpaper/nature/1600x1200/Rio_Grande_River_Big_Bend_National_Park_Texas.jpg
New Mexico has a lot more parks & forests in it, which should make finding places to camp a little easier. Before here, I would check out state and county parks and recreation sites for places to stay each night.
Continue on I-1 into Arizona. You'll soon come to Saguaro N P. It is home the saguaro cactus, which is known as the symbol of the west. From there, visit Tucson. Very cool town to stop and have a drink in and chat with the locals. That's one of my favorite parts of seeing "the real America" - learning about it through the eyes of the people who live there.
Head north towards the Grand Canyon. To camp there, reservations must be made up to 6 months in advance, so I would look into it asap before it books up.
Then head north into Utah. Utah has 5 different national parks to choose from: Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, and Zion. Here's Bryce Canyon: http://rentmyskihome.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/bryce-canyon-2.jpg
All of them are equally as beautiful, so I would choose one that works best for the route you plan. Here's a link with helpful info: http://www.utah.com/nationalparks/
From Utah, head east to Colorado. Take more scenic route 50 through CO, seeing Black Canyon of the Gunnison N P and Great Sand Dunes N P. Here's a pic of the sand dunes: http://www.nationalparkguides.com/images/great-sand-dunes/great-sand-dunes-l.jpg
Route 50 would take you out to Interstate 25. From here, head north. In Colorado Springs there is a cog train that will take you to the top of Pike's Peak. The round trip takes a little over three hours to visit the peak of a 14000ft mtn.
Colorado is also full of national forests and parks. There should be plenty of camping available here. Once you get up into this mountainous area you should prepare for colder nights. Often in the mountains it can be in the 70s during the day and get down into the 30s and 40s at night.
North of Denver is a town called Boulder. It is a MUST SEE. It's an awesome hippie, outdoorsy place full of interesting people and local breweries. Definitely plan to spend a few hours there at the very least.
Then head north into Wyoming. Head towards Jackson.
Grand Teton N P and Yellowstone N P share a border and together they cover over 2.5 million acres. The Tetons are incredible. Imagine unzipping your tent to see this in the morning: http://www.tips-how.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/snake-river-grand-teton-national-park-wyoming.jpg
Yellowstone is home to Old Faithful and hundreds of geysers. It houses wild herds of bison, elk, moose, wolves, bear, and many more. This is a pretty normal car ride there: http://lh4.ggpht.com/_lHfrMu1Xngc/R1hWU8vYPSI/AAAAAAAAA2U/BlMjsP6qPxo/s640/100_0973.JPG
After Yellowstone, head north towards Missoula, Montana. Missoula is an awesome, pretty little hippie town. Go north from there to Glacier National Park: This is the view from the lodge there: http://www.parkcamper.com/Glacier-National-Park/Glacier-National-Park-Lake-Main.jpg
Head west to Washington state.Olympic National Park hascliffside beaches and is home to the Hoh Rainforest.
Head south to Portland, Oregon.
South of Oregon is California. Yosemite N P is the true gem of California.
--Sleeping bag, sleeping pad, quality tent, dri-wicked clothing (under armour - wear often without washing), hiking boots, maps, bear spray, single burner camp stove, bug spray, rain gear
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Title Post: Are fewer Americans visiting national parks?
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Rating: 100% based on 9998 ratings. 5 user reviews.
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