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What's your solution to parks like Zion that because of geographic constraints, only has 420 parking spaces but more than 2 million visitors per year? That is a

by pilom 8y ago

What's your solution to parks like Zion that because of geographic constraints, only has 420 parking spaces but more than 2 million visitors per year? That is already 13 people per parking space per day (obviously much worse on weekends and less on weekdays). Your options are 1) charge people more 2) institute a permit system with a lottery or multi-year waiting list (this is what they do on the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. How many people do you know that have rafted it?) 3) just let everyone's experience be ruined by more people than the park can handle. 4) Pave paradise and put up a parking lot. Those are the options you have to pick. Given those are the options, number 1 seems pretty darn appealing.

timmaah 8y ago
> number 1 seems pretty darn appealing Ouch. The rich have enough playgrounds already. 2. Lottery or capped reservations. Zion is just nuts at the moment. It's awesome to see everyone out and about enjoying nature but the amount of people are just overwhelming to the senses. (The park itself seems to be holding up fairly well) 5. Carefully exploit the resources for a few more trails and opportunities. 6. Foreign tourists could be charged a greater amount.
- Symbiote 8y ago
  7. Put on a bus on the busiest weekend, from a place with adequate parking, like a nearby town. I visited Gatineau Park (just north of Ottawa) this way. I think the bus was free. It also meant we didn't need to plan a round-trip hike.
  - timmaah 8y ago
    Zion Canyon is already off limits to personal vehicles much of the year. Busses have been running for the last 18 years. In the peak season there can be a multi hour wait and the nearby town is also constrained by the canyon and there is no more places to put in parking lots. I don't really think there is an option besides limiting daily visitors.
int_19h 8y ago
We do lotteries for hunting permits in many cases. I don't see anything wrong with that. What's the point of public lands, if access to them is contingent on wealth?

by pilom 8y ago

timmaah 8y ago

> number 1 seems pretty darn appealing Ouch. The rich have enough playgrounds already. 2. Lottery or capped reservations. Zion is just nuts at the moment. It's awesome to see everyone out and about enjoying nature but the amount of people are just overwhelming to the senses. (The park itself seems to be holding up fairly well) 5. Carefully exploit the resources for a few more trails and opportunities. 6. Foreign tourists could be charged a greater amount.

Symbiote 8y ago
7. Put on a bus on the busiest weekend, from a place with adequate parking, like a nearby town. I visited Gatineau Park (just north of Ottawa) this way. I think the bus was free. It also meant we didn't need to plan a round-trip hike.
- timmaah 8y ago
  Zion Canyon is already off limits to personal vehicles much of the year. Busses have been running for the last 18 years. In the peak season there can be a multi hour wait and the nearby town is also constrained by the canyon and there is no more places to put in parking lots. I don't really think there is an option besides limiting daily visitors.

int_19h 8y ago

We do lotteries for hunting permits in many cases. I don't see anything wrong with that. What's the point of public lands, if access to them is contingent on wealth?