I both feel it sucks while it also clearly is necessary. But I think they can make things more equitable and we need to invest money to increase access.
scarce back country permits for popular places should be a raffle system not refresh as fast as possible. That system would be hard for 2 night trips, but maybe set aside like 10% for that, let them allocate first, then open 1 nights.
imho give some chunk of preference to locals and sports/non car touring uses. E.g. RMNP climbing is my personal example. I've never had a problem getting in, but I also usually climb at night. The top parking lot is pretty small and filled up in the mornings. But people that have to carry gear should get preference, it's much easier to take the bus without gear. AND if you're staying later having to walk an extra couple miles with pads or bags bc the bus stopped sucks.
RMNP is also just a prime example of awfulness of crowds and people. There are one or two trails that almost all visitors go on. They don't venture out even though it's such a huge beautiful park.
Part of it is ease of trails. At least partially concrete and very short. But the facilities are disgusting just a few bathrooms and people sh*t on the floor...
People are awful, loud, littering, rude. Hard to fix that.
Would love to discourage car touring where people stop on roads you can't get around. Big % of people go to the big 4 and don't get out of their cars for more than a couple feet to intrude on animals for selfies.
Also cars are just awful polluters minimally try to minimize idling. Encourage people to actually get out in nature.
I get there accessibility issues that's an able est bias, hence building out more easy / paved loops.
We should definitely protect land and animals. But there is a huge amount of space to open up.
Building more facilities/enforcement would better protect the land too.
Maybe have some of those armed rangers who roll around in giant SUVs instead walk and stop littering (that's jest, it's crazy the amount of them that carry guns).
Especially if you bring in and build out forest service land.
Marketing might help too, there are so many amazing places that don't get traffic it's all going to the same few spots.
scarce back country permits for popular places should be a raffle system not refresh as fast as possible. That system would be hard for 2 night trips, but maybe set aside like 10% for that, let them allocate first, then open 1 nights.
imho give some chunk of preference to locals and sports/non car touring uses. E.g. RMNP climbing is my personal example. I've never had a problem getting in, but I also usually climb at night. The top parking lot is pretty small and filled up in the mornings. But people that have to carry gear should get preference, it's much easier to take the bus without gear. AND if you're staying later having to walk an extra couple miles with pads or bags bc the bus stopped sucks.
RMNP is also just a prime example of awfulness of crowds and people. There are one or two trails that almost all visitors go on. They don't venture out even though it's such a huge beautiful park.
Part of it is ease of trails. At least partially concrete and very short. But the facilities are disgusting just a few bathrooms and people sh*t on the floor...
People are awful, loud, littering, rude. Hard to fix that.
Would love to discourage car touring where people stop on roads you can't get around. Big % of people go to the big 4 and don't get out of their cars for more than a couple feet to intrude on animals for selfies.
Also cars are just awful polluters minimally try to minimize idling. Encourage people to actually get out in nature.
I get there accessibility issues that's an able est bias, hence building out more easy / paved loops.
We should definitely protect land and animals. But there is a huge amount of space to open up.
Building more facilities/enforcement would better protect the land too.
Maybe have some of those armed rangers who roll around in giant SUVs instead walk and stop littering (that's jest, it's crazy the amount of them that carry guns).
Especially if you bring in and build out forest service land.
Marketing might help too, there are so many amazing places that don't get traffic it's all going to the same few spots.