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Commentary: Who Runs the National Park System?

Jun 15th - 14:55pm | Betty Howell

The number of snowmobilers who want to enter Yellowstone thru Cody is and has always been small compared to the other entrances. YNP is not the only place where these few can ride during the winter. In my opinion, a huge expense and risk for just a few.

Jun 15th - 08:31am | jsmacdonald

Yes, when looking at these things, it's important not to reduce this to Cody - you can rest assured that most of Cody wasn't involved with this, either (whatever the local attitudes were or weren't). State Sen. Colin Simpson, who was heavily involved with this, is the son of former U.S. Senator Alan Simpson.

Jun 15th - 06:58am | MRC

If read lots of opinion on the issue, but I feel I miss some hard facts. If this about the city of Cody as such? With 53 miles the city seems a bit far off to be that interested.

Traveler's View: Concealed Weapons Have No Place In Our National Park System

Jun 15th - 04:38am | Fred Miller

My only curiosity is that the Supreme Court decision concerning the D.C. handgun ban will be released in the next two weeks. I can't help but imagine what kind of impact that decision will have. If the D.C. gun ban is upheld, why should the DOI secretary need to change the rules if he doesn't want to? On the other hand, if the D.C.

Jun 14th - 22:11pm | Lepanto

Hi Fred -- My recollection is that when they announced their schedule, DOI was asked by a reporter when Dept. of Interior expected to be able to make the decision on the rulemaking/regulation, and answered "in January." Not Jan 1.

Jun 14th - 09:39am | Anonymous

Fred, for god's sake come up for air on this gun issue. Why are you so wildly honed and intense on this issue? Lepanto makes a damn good point!

Jun 13th - 21:33pm | Fred Miller

Where is the information about the January 1st effective date? I was not aware of it. What is the Secretary using for justification? Why not an immediate change to the regulations after a review of the public comments? I realize that there's more than TEN THOUSAND comments, but they are almost all in SUPPORT of the rule change. Why not use SEPTEMBER 1st, or maybe even AUGUST?

Jun 12th - 22:46pm | lepanto

But Fred, follow the bouncing ball! The timing was chosen by the politicians. If the congressional and Administration supporters of this proposed rulemaking were serious about good government, then why did Kempthorne announce a january decision date? Why not do this two years ago? Or last year.

Jun 12th - 22:23pm | Fred Miller

This is NOT a new, election-year issue. If you take the time to follow this link you will see that the NRA has been fighting this battle for more than five years. http://www.nraila.org//Legislation/Federal/Read.aspx?ID=3529

Jun 12th - 15:35pm | lepanto

Yes, FrankC, of course they are "political" in the sense you use it. And, in that sense, parks should be political, and the congress should represent the will and energy of the electorate. One reason to have a democratic republic is to get your representatives to do things you like.

Jun 12th - 14:59pm | FrankC

Lepanto, if you look at the creation dates for national historic sites, national recreation areas, and all those other non-park or monument status NPS units, you'll see that an overwhelming majority were created during an election year. Parks are political. This thread about concealed weapons in national parks seems to make the case for removing national parks from a political system.

Jun 12th - 12:32pm | lepanto

With all this passion over guns, I hope all of us, on whatever side of this issue, are learning: WHY IS THIS ISSUE BEING PUSHED AT THIS TIME ?? Why would the Secretary of the Interior, in so quickly going along with a non-binding petition, agree to discuss this issue right through 2008, only to wait to decide it in January?? DOES ANYONE FEEL THEY ARE BEING USED?

Jun 11th - 11:46am | Greg Platko

It is my belief that if the Park Service is willing to protect all the visitors that enter the Park and are capable of doing so then a Licensed, Trained, Concelled Carry Permit guest to the park does not need to carry a gun. If the Park Service fails to protect a guest then the Park Service should be liable for any and all claims for failur to protect a guest.

How We View National Parks Today Matters For Tomorrow

Jun 14th - 13:30pm | MRC

A National Park for the Upper Mississippi River was discussed as early as 1917. In 1932 the NPS sent the superintendend of Yellowstone NP, Roger Toll, on a five-day evaluation tour to southern Wisconsin and Iowa. He found the area not suited for a National Park, but recommended that the Effigy Mounds north of Marquette, Iowa should be protected in a National Monument.

Jun 14th - 09:44am | Kelly

One of the concerns with extending the "national park" designation to any type of NPS unit is whether that will cause the public to shrug their shoulders when development or other threats to natural values are proposed in a old-school, big and wild national park because they've become accustomed to development in other places that are called national parks.

Jun 11th - 09:02am | Bob Janiskee

We've got a Traveler article on park designation in preparation. I think you'll find it very interesting. Meanwhile, I stand by my statement that park designations should matter. It should be obvious that I'm not saying that we should apply different standards of protection. I'm only saying that the labels we give things should matter for grouping purposes.

Jun 11th - 08:45am | Rangertoo

Eek. Indiana Dunes sounds like a terrible place. "...additional boating, ORV's mostly of the ATV and dirt bike nature, jet skis and other personal watercraft, and you might as well bulldoze the dunes and make the park into a perfectly level beach, destitute of native vegetation and wildlife."

Jun 11th - 08:38am | Rangertoo

???????????? Bob - Have you been to a National Recreation Area? I defy you to find any difference in protection of the resource at Santa Monica Mountains versus Mount Rainier or Deleware Water Gap versus Everglades. This idea that NRAs are some sort of lesser protected areas is nonsense. It is Yosemite that has a golf course, not Glen Canyon. Sequoia had a ski lift until recently.

How Can We Build Advocates for the National Parks?

Jun 14th - 13:15pm | MRC

I guess a Bernard DeVoto of our times should stand up and say "Let's close the National Parks", if Congress does not fund them properly, as he did in 1953 in Harper's Magazine - in full at http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/anps/anps_4d.htm. His outcry was influential in starting the Mission 66.

Jun 14th - 11:49am | Lone Hiker

Here are a couple of ideas that would never fly, but since you asked:

Jun 14th - 11:39am | One of "The Old...

Good point, Kurt.

Jun 14th - 11:21am | Kurt Repanshek

It was a Nikon, I believe my old N-70, which since has been replaced by a D80.

Jun 14th - 10:47am | Anonymous

Kurt, just one question. Your photo on this page, when was it taken? Nice composition and color...and what kind of camera used?

Jun 14th - 10:32am | Kelly

There is an additional challenge for increasing national parks advocacy besides the ones mentioned in Kurt's post and by other commenters. In the last few years, many environmental groups have responded to the threat of global climate change by focusing the lion's share of their resources on it.

Mount Vernon, Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument Proposed To Become World Heritage Sites

Jun 13th - 14:59pm | john

We need to ensure that we do not allow "the World" to take over these locations. We manage them just fine ourselves. However, all things considered, the inclusion of a site on the list is significant.

Yellowstone's Latest Snowmobile Decision for Cody: Politically Motivated or Simply Neighborly?

Jun 13th - 14:15pm | jsmacdonald

There may be things in life where that kind of money is worthwhile - I don't know - but I can't imagine it's worthwhile even if someone was giving the Park Service $8,470.76 per person to bombard Yellowstone National Park with munitions.

National Park History: Big Bend National Park

Jun 13th - 13:36pm | Bob Janiskee

Nice catch, Leslye, and I do thank you very kindly. You are too generous, though. Although I must have known what a peccary is at one time or another, I've managed to forget. Did you say that the javelina is related to the HIPPOPOTAMUS?!

Jun 13th - 13:13pm | Leslye

FYI, and you probably already know this, but javelinas are not pigs. They are peccaries and most closely related to hippopotami. Cute but dangerous animals, especially during mating season.

National Park Quiz 6: Watchable Wildlife

Jun 12th - 14:55pm | OZ

Concerning question 8. The Big Five in Denali are Moose, Caribou, Grizzly, Wolf and Dall Sheep (actually considered a thin horn sheep)--not the Bighorn. [Ed. Good catch; I fixed it. BTW, I saw lots of Dall sheep from the shuttle road when I visited Denali 20 years ago. They are truly magnificent animals. Made me glad I brought my binoculars.]

Rare Letters Stolen From Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace By Historian Recovered

Jun 12th - 13:30pm | Anonymous

DEAR ANNE AND OTHER HISTORIANS AND CURATORS: Your point is valid as far as it goes, but consider the real situation. More than, or in addition to, the 'bad name for Historians' issue is the rest of the complicate situation in the background of this case. What a case study in what the park service needs now from its leadership !

Words on the Wilderness: A History of Place Names in South Florida's National Parks

Jun 12th - 12:12pm | Teresa

I find the info about Hog Key funny! Richard Hamilton is/was my GGG-Grandfather :)

Hidden Hall of Records at Mount Rushmore

Jun 12th - 07:26am | Anonymous

I would like to point out a typo above... although many would probably claim the typo to be true: The document referenced to is NOT the "DECELERATION of Independence", but the "DECLARATION of Independence". I'm wondering how long this typo has been around with out anyone noticing??

Should Anything Be Done With Angel's Landing?

Jun 12th - 02:31am | MRC

The 2008 summer map and guide for Zion National Park says on Angels's Landing: "Strenuous, 5 miles/4 hours round trip, climbs 1,488 feet. Warning! Steep Cliffs. Not for anyone fearful of heights."

Jun 12th - 02:13am | Anonymous

With only 5 official Angel's Landing deaths in the parks 100 years, I think there is a little bit of overreacting when this topic is discussed.

Jun 11th - 12:34pm | Laura

My husband, two sons ages 16 and 13, and I just returned from Zion. We hiked the Narrows one day, it was our favorite part of the trip, and hiked up to (my husband and sons, not I) Angel's Landing. I stayed at Scout's Landing. I started to hike up Angel's Landing and came back down before I made it to "Chicken Out" point.

Day Hike Turns Fatal at Mount Rainier National Park

Jun 11th - 14:29pm | One Of The "Old...

And this rescue cost the American taxpayers how much?

Cape Hatteras National Seashore Settlement Spawns Vandalism

Jun 11th - 13:20pm | Not You

To "Me", I do agree with you that the vandals should be dealt with severely, just not quite in the vigilante-style that you suggest. There our agreement ends.

Bird Nests and Closures Spurring Civil Disobedience at Cape Hatteras National Seashore

Jun 11th - 13:19pm | Mescalero

Anonymous: No one has forgotten that our Parks are for the people of this country, the regulations put in place are because historically there are jerks who have no respect for our park property or the wildlife that lives there, to save them it is necessary to restrict some usage so other generations to come may enjoy them also.

Jun 11th - 07:53am | dapster

Please note that most of the "Civil Disobedience" is being committed by pedestrians, and not ORV's, at a ratio of~ 26:2. Unpopular regualtions are many times met with way more disobedience that has occured on Hatteras Island.

Jun 10th - 13:28pm | Anonymous

But you forget parks are for people to enjoy. The closures restrict anyone from using that portion of the park that historically has been open to park visitors to enjoy.

GPS Unit Leads Couple Into Trouble Near Glen Canyon National Recreation Area

Jun 11th - 12:20pm | Bogator

I am very happy that everything turned out for the best. The same thing almost happened to my wife and I last October. We took a month long trip from Florida to many places out west, especially Utah. Microsoft Streets and Trips did the same thing to us. I always use Streets and Trips to lay out a trip because it allows you to program overnights, time for sightseeing, eating, etc.

Jun 10th - 21:26pm | Lone Hiker

Unfortunately Fred I believe every bit of your experience, as I've encountered much the same, especially over the past 5 or so years.

Jun 10th - 17:52pm | Fred Miller

I wonder the same thing Lone Hiker. You wouldn't believe the number of people I've met on the trail, miles from the trailhead, who are wearing sneakers and carrying a cellphone in one hand and bottle of water in the other and nothing else. No pack, no compass, no chart, nothing. Amazing.

Creature Feature: Texas Banded Gecko

Jun 11th - 09:42am | Tina Kelley

Thank you Chance! You help me relive my childhood.. memories of looking for all kinds of critters. I loved them all! Thanks.

Creature Feature: The American Marten

Jun 11th - 09:36am | Tina Kelley

Another good one Chance! He looks so loveable. It sure would be nice to see one... but I guess the Smokey Mtn's don't have these guys.

Protest Against American Revolution Center at Valley Forge National Historical Park Planned for May 15

Jun 11th - 08:57am | Glenn F. Williams

I am a professional historian with a personal research interest/ focus in the American Revolution era, and I believe the American Revolution Center is a needed resource. It will enhance the public's understanding of what it took to become a free and independent nation.

Geotourism Map Shows You Around the Crown of the Continent

Jun 10th - 21:44pm | Fred Miller

Very cool !! Check this out.

Ribbon-Cutting Planned for $70,000 "Bio Toilet" at Mount Rainier National Park

Jun 10th - 21:30pm | griz

I realize that the toilet was donated, still I'm surprised nobody's raised a "big stink" (pun intended) about spending $70k on a toilet.

Bryce Canyon's Navajo Loop Trail, Closed by a Rock Slide in 2006, Is Reopened

Jun 10th - 14:10pm | melanie

I was one of the persons that was standing at the point of impactof the slide. It was horrifying- I remember a few pebbles hitting the ground and then the hairs on the back of my neckwent up and i scremed at my boyfriend- RUN- it was a earthquake, the worst thunder noice one has ever heard and dust as in 9-11.

Search on For Overdue Hikers In Grand Canyon National Park

Jun 10th - 12:12pm | Lone Hiker

My opinion is that the Bass combo is far easier, from a trail-finding perspective, navigating from South-North. Losing the exit trail, the lower South Bass heading up to the rim, isn't all that difficult to do when approaching from the river.

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