U.S. National Parks thread

mcgruff10 said:

PJ_Soul said:

If anyone hasn't, watch Ken Burns' documentary series about America's National Parks. It is so good, and really brings home just how much history and work and energy and caring is currently being destroyed by the Trump administration.

What are the top 3 Canadian National Parks in your opinion?  Banff, Jasper and waterton?

Pacific Rim National Park, Banff, and perhaps Fundy? Although I haven't been to Fundy. It just looks really awesome to me in photos and by word of mouth. Yes, Jasper is also great, although if you've been to Banff NP, there isn't much new to see when you go North to Jasper. However, that south to north drive from Banff to Jasper happens to be one of the most gorgeous drives on the face of the planet. If you ever plan to do it, rent a convertible!

PJ_Soul said:

rgambs said:

tempo_n_groove said:

rgambs said:

darwinstheory said:

^^Sounds like a great time. I think the weather is supposed to be good. Got some friends that are from Manistee who say that area is really nice.
Then again, I am in Northwest Indiana, soooo...not much to see here. But we do have Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore/Indiana Dunes State Park. That's a really good area for hiking and swimming.

I haven't been in any dune ecosystems yet so this is a new experience for us.  Also the first backpack trip since we had our son who is 3 now.

It's hard to have a vacation and not go to the mountains lol 

I would rather a beach than mountains all day long!

tempo_n_groove said:

rgambs said:

darwinstheory said:

^^Sounds like a great time. I think the weather is supposed to be good. Got some friends that are from Manistee who say that area is really nice.
Then again, I am in Northwest Indiana, soooo...not much to see here. But we do have Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore/Indiana Dunes State Park. That's a really good area for hiking and swimming.

I haven't been in any dune ecosystems yet so this is a new experience for us.  Also the first backpack trip since we had our son who is 3 now.

It's hard to have a vacation and not go to the mountains lol 

I would rather a beach than mountains all day long!

There are two kinds of people, mountain people and beach people.
The second group is wrong.

There is a 3rd: Mountain and beach people. That's why we are in VanCity. I sincerely can't imagine not living with both at the same time long term. I did live in the Rockies for just a handful of months once... It was so beautiful... but the Rockies need to be sitting in an ocean. Then they'd be perfect.

I don't think I've ever been to an American national park...? Or have I? Is the very northwest side of Washington State part of a national park? Where all those insanely beautiful beaches are, on the edge of forests? I thought it was actually First Nations land, so probably not? But the best National Park I've been to might be Banff National Park, especially since it includes the Columbia Glacier, which was awesome to walk up (and under!). Or maybe it's the Pacific Rim National Park on the west side of Vancouver Island .... that is certainly as beautiful as it gets!

Those who live where the mountains meet the sea are a special breed of lucky!  Can't wait make it to Alaska.
I do feel though that having them together subtracts a little from each...so instead of one 9/10 you get two 8/10's together and have to live with a meager 16/10.

Meltdown99 said:

The best National Parks are the most remote ... way less people.

brianlux said:

Meltdown99 said:

The best National Parks are the most remote ... way less people.

This!  Muir Woods comes to mind.  After visiting my step daughter in San Francisco yesterday, we crossed the Golden Gate Bridge and just a little ways into Marin County saw a lighted sign that said "Muir Woods Full, No reservations.  Try again."  That's horrible!  I remember a time when you could go there any time.  There were never reservations needed.  It's not even an over-night spot- just a day use national Monument.  WTF?!  What it comes down to is too few natural and wild places and way to many human beings. 

And yes, t'n'g, Trump admin is trying to close some of them down. He wants to shut down 26 National Parks.  That alone should qualify for impeachment.

https://247wallst.com/special-report/2017/04/28/national-monuments-president-trump-wants-to-shut-down/

Sorry to get political and on a rant here (it's a fine thread), but I do feel an urgent need to defend our National Parks and even create more park lands and wilderness. 

What happens if he removes the federal protection?  Does the monuments get turned over to the state?

rgambs said:

Meltdown99 said:

brianlux said:

Meltdown99 said:

The best National Parks are the most remote ... way less people.

This!  Muir Woods comes to mind.  After visiting my step daughter in San Francisco yesterday, we crossed the Golden Gate Bridge and just a little ways into Marin County saw a lighted sign that said "Muir Woods Full, No reservations.  Try again."  That's horrible!  I remember a time when you could go there any time.  There were never reservations needed.  It's not even an over-night spot- just a day use national Monument.  WTF?!  What it comes down to is too few natural and wild places and way to many human beings. 

And yes, t'n'g, Trump admin is trying to close some of them down. He wants to shut down 26 National Parks.  That alone should qualify for impeachment.

https://247wallst.com/special-report/2017/04/28/national-monuments-president-trump-wants-to-shut-down/

Sorry to get political and on a rant here (it's a fine thread), but I do feel an urgent need to defend our National Parks and even create more park lands and wilderness. 

What happens if he removes the federal protection?  Does the monuments get turned over to the state?

Mostly, yes, and then the state invariably opens the land for natural resource extraction and other troublesome industry.

People love to champion smaller government and turn more power over to local and community leaders, and that sounds great in theory, all the arguments make sense.  Unfortunately, in reality, it just ends up that state and local government is much much cheaper to buy and corrupt.  That's why federal control is a necessity for long term investments like education and the environment, small governments favor short term investments (a few coal jobs now vs millions lost in the myriad costs of pollution) nearly every single time.

That sucks ... can a future president introduce legislation that would require congress approval in the future.  It seems these loopholes need to be closed.  I'm beginning to think executive order is a bad thing...

Horos said:

Crater Lake a couple of weeks ago was over the top crowded. Took a good 20-30 minutes waiting traffic to get in. Resorted to parking off road in a picnic area. Lines in the gift shop and at the concessions. People everywhere. 

Bummer!  It is peak season though, should we really expect solitude at such glorious places in peak season?  
Overcrowding in natural spaces is a tough one for me.
I love to see Joe and Sally Fatass get out and do something, and I really hope that park visits stick with the kids, but I don't want to share my experience with them.
The key for enjoyment is to go to the hot spots out of season and use peak season to explore the truly empty places.  The key for preservation is a fine line between inspiring the masses to appreciation and controlling the impact that comes with it, and it's a hard line to walk.

Meltdown99 said:

The best National Parks are the most remote ... way less people.

Not totally true.  If your sole purpose of visiting a National Park is to avoid people, then you should avoid National Parks. They attract people, even the remote ones.  I visited Isle Royale this past June which is a remote park and one of the least visited.  I still encountered people.  It comes down to timing visits and activities to reduce the people aspect.  Couple things I've found to minimize crowds and still enjoy myself and the wonders of nature:

1.  If possible visit parks during off-peak times of the year like the spring or fall instead of the summer.  Also visit during the week and not weekends.
2. Start activities like hikes early in the morning (6AM).  I've found the average park visitor doesn't get moving until well after 9am.
3. Go on hiking trails/loops that are over 3 miles in length.  The average park visitor is not going to spend several hours completing those hikes, and if they do they usually turn around by the 1 mile point.

brianlux said:

Horos said:

Crater Lake a couple of weeks ago was over the top crowded. Took a good 20-30 minutes waiting traffic to get in. Resorted to parking off road in a picnic area. Lines in the gift shop and at the concessions. People everywhere. 

Yeah, I remember it being pretty busy up there this time of year. 

Anymore, I try to plan trips to National Parks as close to the end or beginning of the season as possible and figure more inclement weather is easier to deal with than big crowds of people.

I've gone in the dead of winter. Only the south entrance is open. It's beautiful. Of course it always is. I've taken the boat tour on the surface aslo.

brianlux said:

Meltdown99 said:

The best National Parks are the most remote ... way less people.

This!  Muir Woods comes to mind.  After visiting my step daughter in San Francisco yesterday, we crossed the Golden Gate Bridge and just a little ways into Marin County saw a lighted sign that said "Muir Woods Full, No reservations.  Try again."  That's horrible!  I remember a time when you could go there any time.  There were never reservations needed.  It's not even an over-night spot- just a day use national Monument.  WTF?!  What it comes down to is too few natural and wild places and way to many human beings. 

And yes, t'n'g, Trump admin is trying to close some of them down. He wants to shut down 26 National Parks.  That alone should qualify for impeachment.

https://247wallst.com/special-report/2017/04/28/national-monuments-president-trump-wants-to-shut-down/

Sorry to get political and on a rant here (it's a fine thread), but I do feel an urgent need to defend our National Parks and even create more park lands and wilderness. 

Is there any such thing in America as a government campsite that isn't always fully booked? Or private for that matter? I have heard so many stories about how you have to book any camping months or even years in advance in the US now.