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April Fool's Story On Cape Hatteras Not Funny To All Readers

Apr 7th - 08:37am | SS 1

Greg I agree with some of your points. ORV users are not running wild in tricked out ORVs getting air on the National Park Beach.  The beach is incredible small compared to western desert parks and is crowded with vehicles for a good part of the year at popular locations. ORV users would be the first to report this type of behavior should they observe this.

Apr 5th - 17:38pm | greg

For those that are not familiar with this issue of OVR use at Cape Hatteras. It is not dune buggies runing wild. It is families and fishermen using their four wheel drive vehicles to access the beach. There are very few access areas [ ramps] and the large majority of OVR users are very responsible. The beaches are cleaner than the public beaches which do not have vehicle access.

National Parks' Closure Being Highlighted In Congressional Budget Impasse

Apr 7th - 08:03am | Reality Check

"Gas prices, get used to it," says our President.  How will that effect visitation and the need for volunteers and paid employees with the decline in the economy in every sector.   It would appear his voter base wants it that way.  They may get their way.  

Apr 7th - 08:01am | Danny Bernstein

The last time the government shut down was on our first trip to Hawaii. We managed to find trails in the back of the park (with the help from hiking locals) but most people just skipped the National Parks. What a shame!

Apr 7th - 07:53am | samsdad1

"I'm travelling from England next week to view some of the desert national parks in the southwest. If the parks were closed it would ruin all of my vacation plans and leave me with unease at ever visting the US again."

Apr 7th - 06:24am | DStaniforth

I'm travelling from England next week to view some of the desert national parks in the southwest. If the parks were closed it would ruin all of my vacation plans and leave me with unease at ever visting the US again.

Apr 7th - 03:28am | unhappy volunteer

As a volunteer at a National Monument, I am less than happy I may be told Saturday morning my services are no longer needed. I am even more unhappy about what will happen to the park during any shutdown of services and the cost of restoring the damage which is likely to occur. Why can't our 536 children get it together?

Apr 7th - 02:22am | Anonymous

The GOP is run by the tantrums of Mark Levin, as spoken by Rush Limbaugh, and as reported on the Drudge Report and Fox News.  As such, the GOP is happy to close the government, as it is their enemy.  Nevermind that they only control one half of one third of the government, they are determined to get their shutdown so nobody will call them RINOs.  The GOP is focused on cutting government service

Apr 7th - 00:38am | urbanmountainman

The NPS and non essentials received checks because congress can vote and have them retroactively paid. There's not a snowballs chance in hell that would happen this time around. Anti-government/ anti public service is really en vogue these days.

Apr 6th - 21:22pm | Reality Check

So who was responsible to submit and pass a budget the last two years?  The Dem. President, Senate and House.  People are wising up to the Liberal BS that got us into this mess.  Oh ya, it's Bush's fault.  The Republicans want to starve kids and kill old people, Oh my!

Apr 6th - 20:56pm | Anonymous

Did you know that after the last closure ALL the NPS employees got back pay and will again if the park closes? So why dont they work and keep the park open, they will get paid anyway....

Apr 6th - 18:41pm | rdm24

And maybe kids will teach themselves if we close the schools.

Apr 6th - 18:35pm | rdm24

You assume that park closure goes along with park maintenance. Park closure means serious deterioration of facilities, poaching, vandalism, and lots of other unsupervised activities by people undaunted (even encouraged by) a "No Tresspassing" sign. The parks they close today are sure to be in better shape than the parks they reopen tomorrow.

Apr 6th - 17:52pm | urbanmountainman

...and how would the Parks be better if the NPS wasn't involved? 

Apr 6th - 17:40pm | ParkLover

Although I would hate to see them close, if it's necessary to help balance the budget, go for it.  Even if the gates are closed, the trails should still be accessible and may actually be better since the government is not involved.

Apr 6th - 15:47pm | Anonymous

Of course they are using the National Parks as examples.  They are one of the few non-essential government 'services' that people would miss.

Apr 6th - 13:48pm | Anonymous

[color=black][color=#800080]http://ponderingpenguin.blogspot.com/2011/04/rep-markey-blames-gop-for-s...

Apr 6th - 13:36pm | samsdad1

" These forced closures could devastate the already fragile local economies of small communities which depend on national parks for tourism dollars." Since when did the NPS care about that? Remember the parks are here for future generations and I am sure they will open up for them whenever that is.

Bluffs Lodge Along The Blue Ridge Parkway Shuttered For 2011

Apr 7th - 07:46am | Danny Bernstein

What a shame! The Bluffs Coffee Shop is such a highlight on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The Mountains-to-Sea Trail goes right past the coffee shop and was such a welcome stop. Danny Bernstein www.hikertohiker.com

Really Getting Away From It All: The Loneliest National Parks

Apr 7th - 06:21am | Sabattis

I think one issue with First Ladies is also the lack of an NPS presence.   Not to diminish the work of the wonderful people at the National First Ladies library, but when people visit a National Park, I think they expect a National Park Service presence.

Apr 5th - 19:55pm | imtnbke

So, is the solitude the result of folks not knowing what exists in their backyards, or because of society's sedentary nature?

Apr 5th - 16:40pm | Bob Janiskee

I'm envious, Rick. Don't tell anybody, but I haven't visited a single one of those least-visited parks.

Apr 5th - 13:51pm | Rick Smith

Bob-- I have been lucky enough to visit 5 of the listed "least-visited" NPS areas.   Their serenity and peacefulness as well as the quality of the preservation of their resources are largely due to their remoteness.

Reader Participation Day: Does Low Visitation Justify A National Park?

Apr 6th - 20:48pm | ecbuck

"95% of government would shut down" Is that a bad thing?

Apr 6th - 20:02pm | Bruce

Does Low Visitation Justify [Closing] A National Park?  No.  Not ever. Let me give you an example from Bob's quiz: (Q). The largest natural open space in America's most populous city is in a national park. Identify the national park and the natural open space.

Apr 6th - 18:38pm | rdm24

Do you actually have to step foot into a park for a visit to count? If you drive up Highway 1 to enjoy the scenery north of San Francisco, aren't you essentially "visiting" Point Reyes National Seashore? What about the millions of people in New York and New Jersey catch a glimpse of the Statue of Liberty every single day?

Apr 6th - 14:50pm | y_p_w

Not sure about the Muir Woods example as truly describing their budget situation.  They are part of Golden Gate NRA, so I would think their budgets would be better described they were merged.

Apr 6th - 14:22pm | Kim Kohl

There is a way to preserve National Parks that are proving to be too costly as well as low visitation: allow them to revert to National Monument status. Or something like the Artic Wilderness Reserve. Fewer staff, low operating expenses and a good deal for freedom to roam about on wild and scenic lands.

Apr 6th - 11:54am | Lawrence J. Caldwell

I'm one of those 700,000 fortunate residents within the Pinelands National Reserve (http://www.nps.gov/pine/index.htm).  By the numbers (http://www.nps.gov/state/nj/index.htm?program=pa

Apr 6th - 11:50am | richp39

Cost per visitor is really just one (very small) factor in the equation. BTW, does anyone know the cost pervisitor at the White House? I'll bet it tops the list.

Apr 6th - 11:35am | Rick B.

Looking at it from another direction, I like to adopt as an axiom that there was a thorough vetting and discussion process prior to the establishment of a national park unit.

Apr 6th - 11:12am | politicsguy

The parks are not a popularity contest. They were established to protect unique sites - and if Americans cannot be bothered to visit, so be it. Personally, I've been to the least visited sites, some more than once, and they are treasures. Protection is the strategy, not popularity.And since when has a government entity ever been assessed by its cost/benefit ratio anyway?

Apr 6th - 10:38am | Chris

Laura said: "Perhaps the discussion should be why these sites get low visitation - and what that means." Serious consideration should be given to the national park system, yes.  Should all low-visitation park automatically be closed?  Not necessarily.  But there are certainly many parks in the system that get low visitation and are perhaps not on par with the "crown jewel" parks.

Apr 6th - 09:35am | Ranger Bill

If you were in the hospital, would you want the decision of whether you lived or dies to be made based on how many freinds you have? That's what this whole story implies.

Apr 6th - 09:22am | MikeD

Anonymous is off the mark.  "Cost per visitor" is a red herring.  The national parks exist for more reasons than to simply be visited by people.  There's an Alaska unit that gets very few visitors per year, but I wouldn't say that means we shouldn't protect it.  Likewise there's a unit in Texas that has low visitation (and one in Arizona that is off limits) but because neither of these have big

Apr 6th - 09:04am | Anonymous

I would be so sad to see our low visitation parks closed. We've visited a good number of them and they are very special places! We visited Nicodemus last year. The town felt like a ghost town! However, we really took our time in the visitors center, watched all the movies they offered, read all the information, etc and then drove around the town. I left there very touched.

Apr 6th - 08:49am | Laura Illige Harvey

Why is visitation the only criteria given in this discussion?  How about significance of the site, fragility of the resources, importance of the story to civic discourse? Perhaps the discussion should be why these sites get low visitation - and what that means.

Apr 6th - 08:41am | ecbuck

Perhaps the question isn't should the park exist, its should we be spending $4.6 million on it.  Parks can exist without massive expenditures - especially if there is low visitation.

Apr 6th - 07:54am | Anonymous

Here are examples of two of the most extreme cases: Muir Woods National Monument: 2010 Budget $463,000.  2010 Visitation: 781,609. Cost per visitor: 59 cents.   Isle Royale National Park: 2010 budget $4,593,000. 2010 Visitation: 14,038. Cost per visitor: $327.18

Piping Plover Production Up At Cape Hatteras National Seashore

Apr 6th - 19:43pm | Crotalus

Sam There were no bird signs at the end of the 1000 meters. Only brown no ORV signs.  And the truth always matters.

Apr 6th - 17:41pm | samsdad

Crot  not only are you late as usual but also wrong. Please go back and read the signs (not assume but READ) again and not matter how you count or where the fact is that less than 50% is all we got!!!!

Apr 6th - 15:49pm | Crotalus

Matt, The majority of the chicks which were lost, were in one location - Ocracoke. Hatteras had 7 pair, fledged 15 chicks and lost seven chicks. Ocarcoke had 6 pair and lost 11 chicks (and four nests). Out of the six historic nesting locations, all of the productivity came from - one.

Apr 6th - 12:57pm | However

Responsible driver,

Apr 6th - 08:11am | Responsible driver

ORVs are driven by people like me, and we do not run roughshod over the beach and kill plovers.  Not any species.  Yes, plover chicks will hide in tire tracks, which is enough reason for protecting their nests with seasonal closures  ... within reason.  But rules designed to punish surfcasters, not simply to protect the plovers, are not reasonable.

A Guide To Help You Enjoy Your Visit to the Cape Hatteras National Seashore's Lighthouse

Apr 6th - 18:48pm | Debora Mosher

I live in Norfolk, Virginia and visit the outer banks at least 3-4 times a year.  My husband, John, and I enjoy the refreshing and beautiful scenery of Buxton and the surrounding areas as well as visiting the lighthouse and talking to the native families.  Finally, we can refresh ourselves with the facts and features of the lighthouse with this new pamphlet.  It will be the first item we buy on

Rare Motion Pictures Show Civil War Veterans at the 75th Gettysburg Battle Anniversary Reunion

Apr 6th - 18:32pm | Joan

My husband, a Vietnam veteran of three tours, has always been fascinated and moved by anything regarding the Civil War.  Our trip several years ago to Gettysburg had him speechless with awe and a deep sense of discovery (something that is unusual for him!).  We hope to get back there soon.  Thank you to whoever posted these wonderful old films of the Civil War veterans~~~~one day, there will on

Summer Special: Visiting National Parks by Train

Apr 6th - 11:20am | Matt W

Thank you for putting this post together. I have started looking at options for summer trips west and stubled across the USA Rail Pass. It allows a traveler to travel as much as 8 segements for $389 (194.50 for children). http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer/Page/1241305460725/123740573...

Civil War Flag, Dress Coat, and Sash To Go On Display at Gettysburg National Military Park

Apr 5th - 23:26pm | Stephanie Nicol...

Hello Ms. Mandia, Captain Isaac Nicoll was my Great Great Uncle. My grandparents are also buried in the cemetery with him. It would be fun to connect and compare family history.

Reader Participation Day: Should A Federal Budget Stalemate Lead To Closure of National Parks?

Apr 5th - 19:46pm | Caretaker

OK, here's my side. I am a 3rd year seasonal in maintenance for Kings Canyon National Park. I have a son in college, pay half of his costs, have my own household, and love the fact that I literally "Preserve and Protect" a wonderful treasure. I'M BROKE!!!! This job choice is not and never has been about the money.

Four Ranger-Guided Backcountry Hikes Reveal More Of The Wonders At Mesa Verde National Park

Apr 5th - 13:04pm | cwbarnes

Just booked my tour to Yucca House in Sept. Cant wait!

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