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I just saw a report on TV indicating the National Parks are so busy that's it difficult to see main attractions.

Freddie.B.Cocky

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Jul 19, 2002
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One person said Yellowstone was so busy "you couldn't see anything". It showed the National Parks in Utah with cars backed up for miles just trying to find a parking space. If I go out West this year it will be during the off season, that's for sure.
 
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One person said Yellowstone was so busy that "you couldn't see anything". It showed the National Parks in Utah with cars backed up for miles just trying to find a parking space. If I go out West this year it will be during the off season, that's for sure.

There is obviously a post-covid increase in visitor numbers but anyone that watched how the National Parks were treated in federal budgets over the last 4 years definitely saw this coming.



The budget calls for a total cut of $481 million to the National Park Service budget, including a $77 million cut to the Park Service’s already inadequate operating budget. This would result in the loss of hundreds of park staff and dig our parks into an even bigger financial hole as they face nearly $12 billion in needed repairs.
 
Been to Yellowstone numerous times. Twice in summer, and won't ever do that again. I always go before school is out or after it's back in.

One of the best vacations I've ever taken was a guided 3 day snowmobile trip in winter. Started out at Flagg, first night in Pahaska, next night in W Yellowstone, and back to Flagg the 3rd day. It was cold, but it was awesome!

Rode the Beartooth twice on a motorcycle, and another time in a vehicle. Cooke is my favorite entrance, love how remote it is. When I grow up I'd love to have a place there..lol!
 
There is obviously a post-covid increase in visitor numbers but anyone that watched how the National Parks were treated in federal budgets over the last 4 years definitely saw this coming.



The budget calls for a total cut of $481 million to the National Park Service budget, including a $77 million cut to the Park Service’s already inadequate operating budget. This would result in the loss of hundreds of park staff and dig our parks into an even bigger financial hole as they face nearly $12 billion in needed repairs.
You can't say this on this board. You're not allowed to attack our Lord and Savior, President Donald Trump on here.
 
Next week will hit Grand Canyon around 4:30 pm on the 21st and stay until around 8:30 pm., staying in Flagstaff two nights.

and

After staying in the St. George Marriott Thur. night will hit Zion Nat. Park around 8 am the morning of the 25th.

Thereby missing the crowds...I hope. Please wish us Gamecocks good luck!!
 
There is obviously a post-covid increase in visitor numbers but anyone that watched how the National Parks were treated in federal budgets over the last 4 years definitely saw this coming.



The budget calls for a total cut of $481 million to the National Park Service budget, including a $77 million cut to the Park Service’s already inadequate operating budget. This would result in the loss of hundreds of park staff and dig our parks into an even bigger financial hole as they face nearly $12 billion in needed repairs.
I remember reading accounts of national park overcrowding years ago - even decades. So I'm assuming that isn't the point someone is trying to make here..
 
There is obviously a post-covid increase in visitor numbers but anyone that watched how the National Parks were treated in federal budgets over the last 4 years definitely saw this coming.



The budget calls for a total cut of $481 million to the National Park Service budget, including a $77 million cut to the Park Service’s already inadequate operating budget. This would result in the loss of hundreds of park staff and dig our parks into an even bigger financial hole as they face nearly $12 billion in needed repairs.
Clearly they need to increase the price of admission.
 
Doesn't help that it's 84 MILLION acres to maintain. Over 4 times the size of the entire state of SC. One acre for every 4 citizens.
 
There is obviously a post-covid increase in visitor numbers but anyone that watched how the National Parks were treated in federal budgets over the last 4 years definitely saw this coming.



The budget calls for a total cut of $481 million to the National Park Service budget, including a $77 million cut to the Park Service’s already inadequate operating budget. This would result in the loss of hundreds of park staff and dig our parks into an even bigger financial hole as they face nearly $12 billion in needed repairs.
Ummh .... the President’s Budget is merely a proposal that NEVER gets adopted by Congress. Congress establishes the annual Budget, and like all monetary transactions each party optimizes what they want and leave room for negotiation concessions. The really knowledgeable people of the Federal Budget process would look at what is actually enacted and not what is first proposed.
 
There is obviously a post-covid increase in visitor numbers but anyone that watched how the National Parks were treated in federal budgets over the last 4 years definitely saw this coming.



The budget calls for a total cut of $481 million to the National Park Service budget, including a $77 million cut to the Park Service’s already inadequate operating budget. This would result in the loss of hundreds of park staff and dig our parks into an even bigger financial hole as they face nearly $12 billion in needed repairs

I remember reading accounts of national park overcrowding years ago - even decades. So I'm assuming that isn't the point someone is trying to make here..
Exactly, someone trying to score a political point again. Let me guess this person hasn't been to Yellowstone much if at all. Going back to the early 2000's, every single year the traffic is getting unbearable. But it's Trump fault of course. I've seen it every single year at Yellowstone with my own eyes, but again blame Trump...
 
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Exactly, someone trying to score a political point again. Let me guess this person hasn't been to Yellowstone much if at all. Going back to the early 2000's, every single year the traffic is getting unbearable. But it's Trump fault of course. I've seen it every single year at Yellowstone with my own eyes, but again blame Trump...
I'm not sure why the NPS is so opposed to some type of lottery system. Yosemite, Zion, and Yellowstone are absolute zoos. I know they are "our" parks, but it is crazy. I am happy people are interested, but there seems to be an expectation of convenience.
 
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Ummh .... the President’s Budget is merely a proposal that NEVER gets adopted by Congress. Congress establishes the annual Budget, and like all monetary transactions each party optimizes what they want and leave room for negotiation concessions. The really knowledgeable people of the Federal Budget process would look at what is actually enacted and not what is first proposed.

 
Next week will hit Grand Canyon around 4:30 pm on the 21st and stay until around 8:30 pm., staying in Flagstaff two nights.

and

After staying in the St. George Marriott Thur. night will hit Zion Nat. Park around 8 am the morning of the 25th.

Thereby missing the crowds...I hope. Please wish us Gamecocks good luck!!
Flying into Vegas?
Recommend you switch reservations from St. George to Kanab, UT.
 
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I'm not sure why the NPS is so opposed to some type of lottery system. Yosemite, Zion, and Yellowstone are absolute zoos. I know they are "our" parks, but it is crazy. I am happy people are interested, but there seems to be an expectation of convenience.
Absolutely. And increase the fees.
 
Absolutely. And increase the fees.
I assume it conflicts with its mission a bit. Although, ironically, it's affecting the parks to an extent.

It's not something that really affects me anymore, but I wish people would consider visiting national forests, wilderness, or other public lands. I suspect it has something to do with social media, but that may be the old man in me. In California, people treated parks badly. I don't get it.
 
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I assume it conflicts with its mission a bit. Although, ironically, it's affecting the parks to an extent.

It's not something that really affects me anymore, but I wish people would consider visiting national forests, wilderness, or other public lands. I suspect it has something to do with social media, but that may be the old man in me. In California, people treated parks badly. I don't get it.
I mean, I wish everybody cared enough about nature that they financially supported their national parks.

But if they truly don't care, I don't find it particularly fair to tax them to fund something they don't care about.
 
The other problem is the *selfie" and Instagram generation, they are flocking to famous landmarks in parks to get the perfect photo ops. I have read forget trying to visit Horeshoe Bend at sunrise or sunset anymore.
 
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Exactly, someone trying to score a political point again. Let me guess this person hasn't been to Yellowstone much if at all. Going back to the early 2000's, every single year the traffic is getting unbearable. But it's Trump fault of course. I've seen it every single year at Yellowstone with my own eyes, but again blame Trump...
You have to remember that most of the progressive filth on this board blame President Trump when they can't please their boyfriends in the bedroom, too.
 
I mean, I wish everybody cared enough about nature that they financially supported their national parks.

But if they truly don't care, I don't find it particularly fair to tax them to fund something they don't care about.
I can't think of any taxes that everyone is ok with paying, but I'm not sure what privatizing parks would be like. It is something I certainly don't mind supporting as a taxpayer. The parks are truly "America's Best Idea". The early days of the park system had people feeding animals like a circus. The DOI now balances the tourism with conservation and preservation. We can't get back some things.
 
Yellowstone isn't actually overcrowded.
As somebody said above, it's millions of acres. What is overcrowded is Yellowstone's road and parking infrastructure. It would be like going to a shopping mall with a parking lot the size of a convenience store parking lot.
The mall wouldn't actually be crowded even though you can't find a parking space. These things could be cured with relatively minimal impact to the natural environment if the NPS didn't seem dead-set against adding some more pavement to the parks.

Additionally, they could open the park roads a bit earlier in the season and keep them open a bit later in the season to encourage more off-season travel for those who are able. Snow-removal technology has improved substantially in the last 70 years, but the park service adheres pretty closely to the schedules developed in the 1950s for Yellowstone and Glacier.

Lastly, the park service could market its other wonderful western national park so that every tourist in America doesn't think that a western trip is incomplete without a stop at Yellowstone, Glacier, the Grand Canyon, or Yosemite. There are quite a lot of great national parks in the west with some really fabulous scenery, many of which are not very crowded at all. But everybody seems to think if they take a road trip out west, they've got to check the box and do a "drive-by" sighting of the more famous parks. It would be like tourists thinking they have to see Philadelphia or DC during their summer trips to NYC. Plan a summer trip to the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park in Colorado or Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area in Wyoming, and I guarantee you you will find enough hiking trails and activities to fill 3 or 4 days and won't be shoulder to shoulder with other tourists.
 
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Been to Yellowstone numerous times. Twice in summer, and won't ever do that again. I always go before school is out or after it's back in.

One of the best vacations I've ever taken was a guided 3 day snowmobile trip in winter. Started out at Flagg, first night in Pahaska, next night in W Yellowstone, and back to Flagg the 3rd day. It was cold, but it was awesome!

Rode the Beartooth twice on a motorcycle, and another time in a vehicle. Cooke is my favorite entrance, love how remote it is. When I grow up I'd love to have a place there..lol!
I've driven the Beartooth Trial before and it was fantastic. I would love to drive it again. I can't remember how many stops along the Beartooth Trial I made but one could stop every 100 yards and see something even more fantastic than they did the last 100 yards. I love that drive.

I have read articles in various travel magazines that list the top 10-15 most scenic drives in America and if they don't include the Beartooth Trail I simply don't read any further and don't consider them unreliable.
 
You can't say this on this board. You're not allowed to attack our Lord and Savior, President Donald Trump on here.
I'll take President Donald Trump over those clowns we have today anytime. Biden is going to send our country into a recession unlike any we have seen before including the Carter Administration and that is saying a whole lot. In fact, it's started now, unfortunately it hasn't ended.
 
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You can like Donald Trump or Joe Biden and not agree with everything they do. That's ok. To blindly follow and not question is idol worship.

Agree, I would vote for Trump again in a heart beat, I voted for him twice, but I don't agree with everything he did. But don't anyone mess with my National Parks.
 
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I'll take President Donald Trump over those clowns we have today anytime.
trump is a lying POS who has spent his time pandering to right wing extremists who care nothing about the values of what the GOP or conservatives stand for. They are an embarrassment to those who are true conservatives.

Keep posting politics on a Gamecock message board and I'll keep doing the same.
You decide.....
 
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How did I know when i clicked on this thread that the same people would be bashing Trump over the traffic at the parks?
TDS is a rough affliction
 
I've driven the Beartooth Trial before and it was fantastic. I would love to drive it again. I can't remember how many stops along the Beartooth Trial I made but one could stop every 100 yards and see something even more fantastic than they did the last 100 yards. I love that drive.
Believe it or not, my wife's favorite part of the drive (or ride, we were on the motorcycle) was at Rock Creek Vista, feeding the chipmunks. We had crackers in the saddlebags, and she wiped us out feeding them..lol.

The same drive over, it was light snow coming over the top (it was around Labor Day). Had planned to eat lunch in Red Lodge and go back over. While we were there, got word that it was snowing like crazy. Had reservations at Old Faithful Inn that night, so had to re-route through Cody and Pahaska. Nearing Old Faithful it got cold, told her those were snow clouds. Sure enough, hadn't even unpacked the bike and the most beautiful snow started falling, and fell for 2-3 hours. When we left W Yellowstone a day or two later, it was 24 degrees. No choice but to go, had to be in Salt Lake in 6 hours to turn the bike in and catch our flight, froze our butts off!
 
trump is a lying POS who has spent his time pandering to right wing extremists who care nothing about the values of what the GOP or conservatives stand for. They are an embarrassment to those who are true conservatives.

Keep posting politics on a Gamecock message board and I'll keep doing the same.
You decide.....

Well, what the in the world do you think Biden is doing? I ran as a moderate but has capitulated the the left wing nut jobs of the Democratic Party. Biden isn't a moderate a bit more than Bernie Sanders. There is no such things as a moderate Democrat.
 
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