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Pay Attention: Rules Are Changing For Getting Backpacking Permits at Grand Canyon National Park

Jun 4th - 10:32am | sierra000

So when is Grand Canyon going to start charging a fee to guarantee a wilderness permit?  If you think that isn't going to happen, it will.  But hey, the powers that be never used to charge a fee to enter Grand Canyon, so charging a fee to guarantee you can backpack is the next logical step.  And then we'll graduate from a single fee to backpack to a daily fee when in the back country, kind of l

National Park Service Responds To Dancing In The Thomas Jefferson Memorial

Jun 4th - 08:01am | Anonymous

and we dont have enough problems in this country.i am surprised ACLU wasnt involved.

Jun 4th - 02:35am | Anonymous

I was about to write a big, long winded response to this whole issue. All I really have to say is this:

Jun 4th - 02:03am | Buck

I find it rather ironic and strange that the NPS would ban dancing (a very basic and ancient form of human expression) in a monument dedicated to a man who not only helped to define the idea of free expression but also was a lover of music and dance in its own right. How strange it is to "honor" Jefferson by banning music, dance and free expression.

Jun 4th - 00:10am | Marty Koch

Had they been ignored, after a brief period of time they would most likely have left and there would have been no incident to be discecting.   It was dancing..... not foul language, offensive signs, or blatent disrespect for America or Mr.

Jun 3rd - 22:07pm | Katherine

Thank you, Park Police! Those "activists" made a mockery of our national memorial, demonstrated without a permit and disturbed tourists like myself who appreciate the elevated spiritual experience that comes with visiting the Memorial.

Jun 3rd - 20:48pm | TyL

My biggest problem with all this is that, "dancing in a restricted area", "demonstrating without a permit", whatever you want to call it... are arrest-able offenses!

Jun 3rd - 20:39pm | Lee Dalton

Free speech is alive and well at Traveler.  Good.

Jun 3rd - 20:37pm | TyL

My biggest problem with all this is that, "dancing in a restricted area", "demonstrating without a permit", whatever you want to call it... are arrest-able offenses!

Jun 3rd - 20:37pm | Anonymous

At least free speech is alive and well at Traveler.

Jun 3rd - 20:34pm | Bruce

I am liberal, but I believe that "Freedom" <> "Do whatever the heck I want, when I want."  Folks, it's a memorial.  You are not honoring the legacy of Thomas Jefferson by dancing in the space dedicated to his memory.  And if someone in authority tells you, for the common good and for common decency, that you should not do something, YOU SHOULD NOT DO IT. 

Jun 3rd - 20:24pm | jp

Maybe next the Park Police can stop and arrest people from crying in front of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. That is so annoying.... /sarc

Jun 3rd - 17:53pm | Rick B.

I dunno, guy. Anyone who ever saw Blaze Starr dance knew what she was saying, and that also included numerous judges, justices, and governors.

Jun 3rd - 15:58pm | Conduct is not ...

In 1984 the Supreme Court addressed a similar claim by the Community for Creative Nonviolence who wanted to stage a "camp-in" in Lafayette Park across from the White House. The NPS prohibited the CCNV from sleeping overnight in the park because of a regulatory prohibition against "camping." CCNV challenged the NPS actions by claiming, among other things, a free speech infringement.

Jun 3rd - 12:50pm | Kurt Repanshek

Putting on my devil's advocate hat for a minute or two, I think we all can agree that the "dancers" went into the memorial intending to force an encounter with the Park Police.

Jun 3rd - 12:28pm | Lee Dalton

When making an arrest and asked by the person being arrested to cite the specific law under which the arrest is being made, an officer would be foolish to try to provide chapter and verse.  Few of us ever had the entire CFR memorized and making a mistake, especially on camera, would be a serious detriment to the case.  We were taught to make the arrest when we knew it was on solid ground and le

Jun 3rd - 12:00pm | Dottie

Well, maybe the guy "didn't seem to be threatening any of the officers", but he sure as heck wasn't doing what the Ranger was telling him to do.  There's gazillions of miles to go dance; they were there for the publicity and to behave as spoiled brats the way their parents taught them.

Jun 3rd - 11:47am | Anonymous

Ban dance is WRONG. (capoeira)

Jun 3rd - 10:55am | CMS

Those dancers are true activists. Media Benjamin, one of the arrestees, is one of the creators of Global Exchange and Code Pink. These are extremely leftist leaning organizations working for the overthrow of this country. She lived in Castro's Cuba for a while and described living under that regime as "Dying and Going to Heaven".

When Did Dancing In The Thomas Jefferson Memorial Become A Crime?

Jun 4th - 05:29am | Anonymous

[gratuitous remark removed]  Its safe to dance. Thomas Jefferson loved to play music and "Dance a Jig or two." Wonder what he would think of this jargon, no dancing policy that goes against our Constitutional Rights. America's government today makes me physically ill. If our Forefathers only knew...

Jun 3rd - 12:33pm | Lee Dalton

Anonymous, I'm afraid you've been partaking of paranoia inducing hallucinogens or something.  Or are you one of the people involved with Adam and his friends?

Jun 3rd - 10:51am | Anonymous

All of you who are siding with the police on this:  Just remember...when they knock down your door and enter your home ...

Jun 3rd - 10:35am | Anonymous

One person was in a Code Pink shirt, but I assure this was not organized by Code Pink.  Adam Kokesh, one of the main organizers is a verteran of Iraq who now opposes the war.  He ran for congress in 2010 as a Republican in New Mexico.  His positions are mostly libertarian, anti-war, and pro liberty.

Jun 3rd - 08:27am | Lee Dalton

What on earth does MLK have to do with this?

Jun 2nd - 21:24pm | Anonymous

yes, they have the right. These guys were not going peacefully. They were resisting arrest. If they were making a peaceful protest, they turn, willingly and put their hands behind their backs. These protesters were not peacefully there to dance. They were angrily there to resist arrest because They Felt They Were Being Wronged. That's not a peaceful protest. 

Jun 2nd - 21:21pm | Anonymous

The participants were fairly warned, and repeatedly. They were clearly there to provoke an incident. The law has been reitterated clearly for them, and repeatedly.  Were I visiting at that time, I wouldn't want to visit the Jefferson or any of the US state park monuments in the DC Area and have out-of-place dancing happening around me. 

Should the Giant Sequoia National Monument be Transferred to the National Park Service?

Jun 4th - 04:48am | Brett Snyder

It's a miracle these trees survived and flourished for millennia without being "managed" by anyone but Nature. How about some agency protects them from illegal logging leave it at that. So much of our nationally owned land is exploited by politicians, can we please just leave some of it alone? What would TR do??

Jun 3rd - 14:03pm | Ranger

Also, Farr's letter makes reference to: "...the National Park Service, an agency with a 120-year record of properly managing the unique Sequoia ecosystems in...Yosemite...National Park..."

Jun 3rd - 13:34pm | Ranger

What Yosemite Steve said:

Jun 3rd - 12:45pm | Lee Dalton

Back in the late 1960's, Bob Barbee was Yosemite's resource management specialist and was tasked with the job of determining why Sequoias in the park were not reproducing.  He found that the only places young Sequoias were growing were on road cuts and other places where the tiny seeds could reach bare mineral soil to germinate.  In other places, years of fire suppression had left such a thick

Jun 3rd - 12:42pm | YosemiteSteve

As someone who has lived and worked in Sequoia National Park for 20 years now, here's a few things that might be considered.

Jun 3rd - 11:08am | Joel

As someone who spends most his time inside the Sequoia National Monument year round I can attest to the fact that the US Forest Service is actually doing a great job and that the groves under their management are doing better then those that the NPS manages.

Jun 3rd - 10:36am | Anonymous

I for one would prefer to see all "monuments" under NPS management but I suppose that is not politically feasible.  Giant Sequoia, being contiguous with Sequoia NP, would seem to be a sensible area for transfer to the Park Service, whether as park or preserve or some of both.

Grizzly Bear Shot and Killed By Hikers In Denali National Park and Preserve

Jun 4th - 04:31am | Conan

Absolutely, I would always pick a dead bear over a dead human.  Just think how horrible it would have been for one of them to watch there friend being mauled and eaten, torn to shreds right before their eyes.  Definitley, kill the damn bear. 

A Tale of Two Joshua Trees

Jun 3rd - 14:42pm | Anonymous

Somehow that explination does not make sense to me?? If the two trees were in different locations i could see it. How do you explain the two trees within 30ft of each other -- one freezing but the other not??

National Park Road Trip 2011: Wawona Hotel In Yosemite National Park

Jun 3rd - 14:30pm | Connie Hopkins

My husband Dave and I have stayed at the Wawona on our 3 trips to Yosemite NP. First we stayed in the Washburn Cottage and the other 2 times in the Main Building. We were completely impressed with the wonderful breakfast buffet that is offered in the Main Building's Dining Room.

Sections of Pacific Crest Trail Poached by Mountain Bikers; Could Problems Arise in National Parks?

Jun 3rd - 12:14pm | steve in mammoth

why don't we ask the deer and bear who the want to hang with and get the lawyers sue anyone the animals don't see eye to eye with by the way i wish there were more people out in nature then maybe we would not want to rape our school system and steal our kids ability to get an education as well as enjoy the natural world.

Plan Crafted To Address Threats To Whitebark Pine Forests in Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem

Jun 3rd - 08:30am | Kurt Repanshek

Ecbuck, frankly, these days I wouldn't mind having a share of oil stocks...they're about the only ones rising;-)

Jun 3rd - 08:03am | ecbuck

Sorry Rich,  I have absolutely no affiliation with the petroleum companies.  Don't even own a share of their stock.  You may believe climate change is real but the evidence (actual temperature measurements) indicates that it is not the cause of beatle kill in Yellowstone and there is nothing you can see, breathe, smell or walk on that will change that fact.

Jun 2nd - 18:20pm | Rick B.

Sorry, spindoctor, but climate change is real. Call it anecdotal, but I believe what I see, what I breath, what I smell, and what I walk on. I don't believe your anonymous postings. You call it what you want, but try to peddle your stuff elsewhere.  So many of "us" are skeptical? "Us" being those bought and paid for by petroleum companies?

Jun 2nd - 14:49pm | ecbuck

Aaron, You want to go with "anecodal evidence" over the hard factual numbers?  That seems to be the problem with the climate change alarmist - and why so many of us are skeptical.  Alarmists argue from their sincerity rather than from the science.

Jun 2nd - 14:44pm | tomp2

I don't have time to search my archives for the appropriate climate data (I'm on a winBUGS webinar of NPS folks learning proper use of a statistical tool).

Jun 2nd - 13:39pm | Aaron Lund

Kurt, Thanks for all the supplemental information.  Also, nice job with your responses.  I think most of us have observed enough anecdotal evidence of climate change with our own eyes that you have to seriously question the sincerity of anyone who tries to argue that climate change isn't happening.

By the Numbers: Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve

Jun 3rd - 08:29am | Kay and David Scott

We stayed three nights at Glacier Bay Lodge during our 2008 national park lodge tour.  We flew from Seattle to Glacier Bay by way of Juneau.  We stopped for two nights in Juneau on the return.  Quite an interesting town.  This was our first visit to the park and we really enjoyed our time there.  We took both the cruise of Glacier Bay and the evening whale-watching cruise.  Each was a great exp

Jun 3rd - 06:44am | Jim Burnett

And one other number: "10."  That's my score on a scale of one to ten for the quality of our two visits to this park, with the "10" being tops. We found it was worth the time and expense to get here, and to spend several nights there.

Cape Hatteras National Seashore Campgrounds to Begin Opening April 1

Jun 3rd - 06:46am | samsdad1

Tell her unless she is into mass quantities of closure signs as a WOW factor then she needs to wait until the breeding seasons end for Cape Hatteras.

Jun 2nd - 15:10pm | James Barger

My daughter works at the outdoor center at East Carolina University. She is often leading trips to the West Carolina mountains to take folks hiking and rock climbing.  She stays on the lookout for backpacking trips that are interesting and fun.

Reader Participation Day: Where Are the Best Waterfalls In the National Park System?

Jun 2nd - 21:48pm | Anonymous

Yosetmite Falls.  I had a transcendent experience on a May night with the falls raging with snow melt.  The valley below was bathed in the light of a full moon.  I'll never forget it.

Backcountry Hiker With A Growing Reputation For Being Overdue Rescued In Glacier National Park

Jun 2nd - 16:28pm | Anonymous

I am certain this had been said on Traveller before, though not in this thread: Currently, NPS has the flexibility to delay or refuse to undertake rescue missions if conditions would endanger the rescuers. Requiring a rescue fee/insurance in advance would create an expectation that a rescue would be mounted regardless of conditions.

Where Can You See Wildlife Right Now: Wolves, Bison and Bears in Yellowstone National Park

Jun 2nd - 14:01pm | Gloria Grant

My husband John and I go to Yellowstone yearly.  We love to come the third week of June and stay for a week.  We love Lamar Valley and last couple of years, Hayden has also been wonderful for us.  Can't wait to come again!!!!

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