| Page 1487 | National Parks Traveler

This is a case where I feel I am too close to make an objective call on this topic. I remember clearly that day when the Murrah Building was blown up, taking all those lives, including the kids in the day care center. I remember it so clearly because I have friends in the greater OKC area and instantly feared for their lives (they actually didn't work anywhere near the place).

Aug 5th - 14:48pm | Anonymous

I agree that the OCNM is not a national park, however, because it is a very importnant piece of American History, that is a popular place of interest, and this may be one of the reason's that it is listed on the NPS's website (besides the reason(s) given in the article).

What Suggestions Do You Have For the National Park Service?

Aug 6th - 11:47am | Kath

Raise more money for the NPS, by having a two-tiered pricing structure. American citizens and legal residents pay a reduced price. Foreign tourists pay more. This is done in the EU. EU passport carrying people get in at reduced prices or free at certain museums and sites. This would raise more money for the parks without squeezing taxpayers anymore.

Aug 6th - 09:28am | pkrnger

"The National Park Service likes to promote that visitors give the National Park System a 96 percent approval rating." Kurt,

Aug 5th - 18:00pm | Barky

The best suggestion I have for the NPS is to free itself from the political toilet that is our "democracy" and create its own federal entity, unbeholden to the garbage that currently is responsible for allocating funding, and function as a self-sufficient "federal business".

Aug 5th - 17:43pm | FrankC

After my recent visit to Mount Rainier National Park, I have the following two very specific suggestions:

Aug 5th - 12:47pm | SaltSage236

These suggestions are aimed at Congress for the management of NPS and its units: 1) NPS units should never -- ever-- be designated solely to boost tourism revenue for nearby towns. National Parks should exist to educate and celebrate and preserve ecosystems, landscapes, landmarks and our natural and cultural history.

Aug 5th - 12:17pm | Michelle

I have been visiting National Parks since a baby here in Utah and have gained so much more in life because of it. Any extra cost is worth it, if a person can pay $40 for ONE DAY at a Six Flags I think we can manage $80 for a year worth of National Parks and the additional parking fees.

Aug 5th - 11:28am | Lone Hiker

As touched on briefly above, I don't want my "national" parks to be in the business of supporting overseas interests. I don't need "Native American" artifacts made in China, clothing stitched in Cambodia, DVD's produced in Mexico, and disposable cameras from Japan.

Aug 5th - 06:12am | Bob Janiskee

Beamis, let me interject two important points of clarification. First, Mather and Albright didn't birth the National Park Service. Congress did that in 1916 with the Organic Act. Mather and Albright were administrators. While they were given limited authority to make rules and regulations, they were never given authority to designate or proclaim national parks.

Aug 5th - 05:07am | Barky

Yes, the problems with the National Park Service are not problems of the National Park Service, they are the problems of Congress and the Executive Branch. They simply do not care enough about the parks to adequately fund them.

Aug 4th - 21:50pm | Anonymous

amen to you anon and your four suggestions.....scary thing is --it would work!

Aug 4th - 21:18pm | Vicki

I'd like to see more of the hiking areas opened up to allow leashed dogs. I am disabled, and thus, cannot climb up, say Clingman's Dome, with my husband. One of the first dreams he had after we got our (very well behaved) Golden Retreiver/Lab mix was that finally he would have someone to climb Clingman's with him.

Aug 4th - 19:20pm | Anonymous

The focus on park fees takes this question to perhaps its lowest level. My suggestions are...

Aug 4th - 18:22pm | Jimi

I am a real fan of the national park system and, unfortunately, I am handicapped. I found it almost impossible to make it to the Arch in St. Louis - there are no provisions for the disabled and a really long walk from parking to the base of the Arch (the entrance).

Aug 4th - 14:06pm | Anonymous

The Park Rangers do a nice job of keeping visitors on the well beaten path and restricting access within the park, especially Yellowstone. These actions do help to preserve and defend the National Parks from destruction.

Aug 4th - 12:51pm | Anonymous

The strong and common restrictions against dogs are annoying. I understand that there are reasns for the restrictions (mostly irresponsible owners who let dogs off leash and don't dispose of waste), but it seems like the park service should make accommodations. Yellowstone, for example, is the size of a county and quite far from a town where a dog could be boarded.

Aug 4th - 12:31pm | Anonymous

Here are some suggestions: A. Either get rid of all the hidden fees or lower the parks pass back to $50 B. Create a Senior Citizens and Student Pass for half price (or some relevant discount) C. Create an extended parks pass, that lasts up to 5 years (at a cheaper per-year rate than is currently offered)

Aug 4th - 11:13am | Anonymous

I feel these are America's parks, yet they are visited more by vistors from other countries. Perhaps because large familes and retirees can not afford all the fees. Maybe there should be a discount put in place for all Americans who wish to enjoy their parks.

Aug 4th - 10:59am | Craig W.

I visited the Smoky Mountains in June. I didn't have to pay to park or pay to get in. Free to get in is part of the parks history. I had a great time. The only thing that I didn't like was when I went the the gift shop (yes, the parks) to get some post cards to send back home. I picked out the ones that I liked.

Aug 4th - 10:27am | Wayne K

Just seems like at every turn there are more and more restrictions, less and less access, more and more fees. Should be the other way around.

Aug 4th - 10:11am | David Powell

The Park Service seems to have taken the airline approach to funding, "nickle and dime" users. Why not just raise entrance fees?? An annual park pass in Canada costs over $100 US and daily passes for just a few days exceed the cost of an annual pass. In addition, many countries charge nonresidents double or more the resident rate.

Aug 4th - 08:35am | Will

My wife and I bought a Senior Pass in May and set out on an 11,000 mile journey to visit the national parks in the west and southwest. The Senior Pass is one of the greatest bargains out there and made it possible for us to visit about 20 parks during our six week trip and stay on budget.

Aug 4th - 07:57am | Anonymous

Denali (and any other parks with a traffic issue or shuttle system already in place) should use the type of busses that Zion has - quiet, clean, great windows for viewing, comfortable seats. The old school busses in Denali are horrible - the noise factor alone is egregious for travelling in a park where peace and quiet are part of the experience!

Odes to the National Park Rangers Who Wear the Grey and Green

Aug 6th - 11:29am | pkrnger

Who would lead us on hikes if there were no rangers?

Aug 6th - 09:41am | Anonymous

Good grief! Buy your own uniform. Nobody has ever funded my work wardrobe...

Aug 5th - 15:07pm | Anonymous

This is a fine piece to be sure, but not all NPS rangers wear the green and grey. Indeed, many of us wear green polo shirts and khaki pants since we are Centennial employees and Congress didn't fund our uniforms, and due to this many visitors don't see us as park employees. Perhaps a better title would be "Odes to the National Park Rangers Who Wear the Arrowhead".

How is Cape Hatteras National Seashore Faring Under Travel Restrictions?

Aug 5th - 19:47pm | Carol Thompson

I have recently volunteered for the US Fish and Wildlife Service at Pea Island NWR located within the national seashore. I have followed the recovery programs for piping plovers along the East Coast since they were listed in 1986.

Aug 5th - 17:37pm | Barky

Here we go with our beloved Congress again: they'll look at the economic downturn as an excuse to ramrod their own peeves through to legality. "Oh, the economy is bad, it must be because we aren't letting people tear up the beach with their ORVs." Forget that we have an oil crisis and food costs are going up. These things are keeping people home, not rules on beach usage.

Aug 5th - 17:07pm | Anonymous

the negative response to the consent decree seems to be overstated and without sufficient basis. I have seen signs that indicate that the government is trying to "close Hatteras." I can only conclude that these signs are intended to misinform the public and to sway public opinion through a campaign of misinformation.

Cape Hatteras National Seashore Settlement Won't Ban ORV Use, But Will Restrict Travel

Aug 5th - 10:55am | Anonymous

Frisco Fran - based on your observations, I nominate the ORV people for sainthood

Hidden Hall of Records at Mount Rushmore

Aug 5th - 07:22am | wow gold

So essentially it's a very elaborate time capsule? Could he not have used a shoebox like the rest of us?

Battling Invasive Species in Arches National Park

Aug 4th - 16:05pm | Lindsay Bartsh

You're right Kurt, invasive species are a huge problem facing our national parks.

Did the NRA Infiltrate Groups Opposed to Overhauling Gun Regulations for the National Parks?

Aug 4th - 14:26pm | Bill Wiese

For once the gunnies got a good one in. More of this needs to happen. At least in California, the Bradyites have attempted to (sometimes with success) infiltrate local 2nd Amendment groups and regional NRA councils. So the "We're so shocked!" attitude by the antis, Bradys, etc. is much like the mutterings of a soccer mom suddenly found doing the day shift in a massage parlor.

Aug 3rd - 23:09pm | FrankC

Coming back to the article, I have to ask: Mother Jones? Really? Mother Jones is far, far left and was even edited by Michael Moore. This is hardly a neutral source, and I'm skeptical.

Aug 2nd - 23:11pm | Benjamin

Concealed carry license/permit holders have said licenses/permits because they're law abiding, and willing to go through a process to prove it (and capable of safely handling a firearm). The license/permit has to be renewed every few years with another round of background checks.

Aug 2nd - 21:44pm | Anonymous

Watchdog: Show me the stats were CCL holders are "less violent" and more "law-abiding"...than any other group of the similar size...whatever that means. Are stats put out by the NRA!?

Aug 2nd - 18:07pm | Benjamin

Lone Hiker: The Supreme Court decision also reaffirmed that the 2nd amendment is an Individual Right, (the more generalized and far reaching part of the ruling perhaps?) which is a more on the subject than the definition of 'residence' is in this case, in my opinion. Another Voice for Freedom from Violence :

Aug 2nd - 11:12am | Watchdog

Why? We're dealing with licensed CCL holders, a group historically proven to be more law-abiding and less violent than ANY similarly sized group in EVERY state that issues licenses.

Aug 1st - 21:03pm | Anonymous

Much better to have the drug dealers, rapists, and murderers armed in our national parks and the law abiding public helpless to defend ourselves against the threat. The criminals certainly prefer it this way, and since some members of our government do to, they must also be criminals... but I repeat myself.

Aug 1st - 18:24pm | Anonymous

The fact that millions of like minded citizens are armed while so many liberals are not makes me feel much more confident that my personal freedoms will be protected. I bet we would all like to ban something from the parks. I for one would like to ban the socially liberal estrogen rich guys on these posts who are so frightened of handguns.

Aug 1st - 15:58pm | Anonymous

Why is the gun the issue and not drugs, alcohol, poverty, cars, knives, violent crime, etc.? Compromise is attainable if the issue is violence rather than a single method with which to exercise violence.

Aug 1st - 15:29pm | Bob Roberts

Hi Lone Hiker, I believe you just made my point for me. Thanks, Bob

Aug 1st - 14:22pm | Lone Hiker

Indeed the courts have spoken but not to the extent whereby the right of "self protection" extends beyond one's person residence, as stated clearly in the DC decision, and not, as others have tried erroneously to claim on this website, to the extent that your "personal residence" is inclusive or any temporary shelter you erect.

Yelllowstone National Park Firefighter "Roughed Up" By Grizzly

Aug 4th - 11:08am | jsmacdonald

Pleasantly surprised that this bear encounter - the firefighter was treated and released, according to KIFI in Idaho - has been buried in the news release and wasn't picked up in any significant way by local media.

Any Question About Who's Calling the Shots in Yellowstone National Park?

Aug 4th - 09:56am | Anonymous

I offer my thanks to the park service for using common sense and permitting snow mobiles in Yellowstone. Afterall, the park is there for the recreation of the citizens of the US and it is not a private conservatory for use only by left wing conservation groups and those they deem worthly. We must be good stewards and at the same time make the park accessible to citizens.

Rocky Mountain National Park Officials Select "Lethal Reduction" To Help Reduce Elk Herd--Updated

Aug 4th - 09:26am | Brady Dalfrey

Introducing a scientifically made birth control cocktail could bring more harm than good. The population is out of control. I know first hand as I live very close to Estes Park. Nothing is more enjoyable then taking a nice day trip into Rocky Mountain National Park and being able to view all the wildlife around including elk in town.

Yellowstone National Park Officials Scale Back Size of "LeHardy Fire"

Aug 2nd - 14:45pm | jsmacdonald

The Billings Gazette is reporting that the fire has tripled in size; however, it's still burning away from the road to the northeast. Everything remains open.

Would You Love Zion National Park As Much If It Were Called Mukuntuweap National Park?

Aug 1st - 20:36pm | DCollins

I support the Paiute Name, the Indian Name. Period. It was their land afterall; and landmarks keep the "Zion" name Good Article!

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