What can be done to better manage crowds at Zion National Park and other park units?/NPS
We're getting into the height of the travel season for the National Park System, and parks are reporting monthly visitation records. That's having a strain on park resources and park staff, leading some park managers to consider implementing a reservation system for visitors. But not everyone is on board with that idea.
At Yellowstone National Park, 446,875 people passed through the entrance gates. That's more than a 6 percent increase over last year (419,635 visits) and surpasses May 2016 (444,630 visits) as the busiest May ever in Yellowstone.
At Zion National Park, where park staff have been trying to come up with a workable solution to their chronic overcrowding, public response has not exactly embraced the idea of having to make a reservation to visit this red rock wonder in southwestern Utah.
Many visitors expressed opposition or apprehension over the idea of a reservation system. Commenters often stated they did not know the answer to issues but did not believe a reservation system is the solution. Some commenters suggested if Zion National Park moves forward with a reservation system that this would set a precedent for other national parks. Other commenters stated that requiring a reservation is fundamentally against the mission and values of the National Park Service. -- ZION NATIONAL PARK VISITOR USE MANAGEMENT PLAN PRELIMINARY ALTERNATIVE CONCEPTS PUBLIC COMMENT SUMMARY REPORT
Business owners near Zion National Park are wary about any system that might put a lid on visitation.
“Yes, there’s more to be done to provide a better park experience, a better Southern Utah experience, but we don’t think now is the time to implement a hugely restrictive plan,” Jake Millard, assistant general manager at the Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort, told the St. George News.
Breck Dockstader, owner of Cliffrose Lodge and Gardens and a member of the Utah Tourism Industry Association and the Zion Canyon Visitors Bureau, told the newspaper that more thought and options are needed before the park resorts to a reservation system.
“Zion is my home, I want to make sure it’s protected so my kids, and all future generations, have a chance to experience what I experienced," he said. "But we can’t just go backwards. We have to look forward and come up with a really innovative way to help protect the incredible resource that Zion is, while also allowing people to come and experience it.”
If you're one who thinks reservations are a bad idea for national parks, what would you suggest? What can park staff do to protect resources -- plants, animals, scenery, facilities -- when confronted with crowding throngs of visitors and when they don't have enough personnel to manage the crowds?
Comments
What about considering metered parking on-site, with a cheaper or free option for parking off-site? Off-site parking would include a free shuttle ride to the park entrance, visitor center or other ponts of interest so as to spread the crowd around. The shuttle destination could even be varied to account for crowding in certain areas at different times of day; kind of a crowd disprutsing techinque.
I think a timed reservation system would help even out overcrowding. We are used to that from major entertainment venues such as Disney to special exhibits at museums. The public has adjusted to accept these. Why not do the same at the parks?
Also, higher admission fees for foreign visitors would not be a bad idea. US residents are paying the taxes that support these parks. Foreign visitors should be expected to pay for thier impact via some kind or user fee. Having recently traveled abroad, it was obvious there was no guilt in charging visitors steep prices (sometimes $100-200) for popular attractions. Even with high fees, there was no lack of people in the popular areas.
I have a few ideas that I think would help:
1: Limit, if not eliminate, private vehicles operating inside National Parks, especially the busier ones. Have parking areas near park entrances with shuttle systems to and from destinations. Excpetions can be made for parks that don't suffer from overcrowding and/or for individuals who are Wilderness Permit holders so they can have easier access to trailheads with their gear.
2: Raise prices in general. This doesn't have to be a significant amount: current prices range from $20-$35 per vehicle for a week. That's an insane value. Raising it to $50 per week isn't exorbitant and it provides the park system with desperately needed additional income.
3: Raise prices on non-US citizen entrants in cars/tour buses. Simply provide a US drivers license for the standard fare, non-US licenses bring a doubled fee. This increases park income and might deter a few individuals from coming.
4: Charge tour buses based on the number of individuals inside the vehicle.
Many hotel resorts in Springdale are next to the beautiful Zion cliffs and hills. Why not have a trail behind each hotel that guests could use. Each person on that trail would be one less person on a trail in the main park area.
Eliminate corporate reservations.
I think this issue is more than just a National Park Service issue. The solutions need to be found outside the sometimes insular world of the NPS. I think the efforts of the Interagency Visitor Use Management Council are providing a framework to make some important decisions. Nice to see the collaobration among bureaus and departments.
https://visitorusemanagement.nps.gov/Home/About
I think your reply is the most sensible here. I'd be willing to go along with all of these suggestions, for a much less crowded, much more enjoyable visit. Of course all of these restrictions could be lightened up, or completely lifted in places, or times of the year where crowding is not an issue.
I think that this plan will revert the parks to an experience only for the elite. Part of the values of the park is that it is for everyone, not just those who can afford it. It's a nice idea, but there are people out there who REALLY need nature, and money is a huge inhibitor. How can we include those populations in this plan?