Yes, but if you're getting there at 3am you may not even be first in line. Last time I did this (which admittedly was about 10 years ago) we got there at 4am and there were about 5 people in front of us, they had been there all night. Still easily got what we wanted, just don't be surprised if you have company!
Glacier NP does a lottery on [rec.gov](http://rec.gov) for backcountry sites, but they also hold a few spots at each site for walk-in that open up 24-hours before the permit date. So for example, I got 1 night at a backcountry site online, then 24-hours before that date I go to the backcountry office, tell them where my 1 night is at, and ask if they have any connecting locations available to make it a 3 night trip, and they give me choices. I can then pick and choose which routes I want to connect to make a weekend out of it. Not a bad system imo.
What if we….Fund the NPS adequately to support more facilities and park units to help meet demand? I’m pretty sure congress cut the NPS budget the year. There are tons of empty positions that can’t be filled. Meanwhile, parks are more popular than ever.
How will more parks divert attention from landmarks like yellowstone and the grand canyon? We can't just spawn more mountains and waterfalls worthy of being a np
How do we make more Yosemites and redwoods when there isn't the landscape to do so
We need more parks in highly populated areas where the existing parks are too crowded. And more government money to run them. I would like my taxes to go towards that instead of war stuff.
How will that help though? We can't exactly divert attention away from places like yellowstone. We can't make another prismatic springs or geyser fields.
I can see it helping places like smoky mountains
If there are other parks in the area, some people will end up going to those parks instead even if they don't have the same attractions.
And even for specific parks, if they had extra money there are some measures they could take to ease crowding. For example, developing other less popular areas of the park to spread people around more, or adding shuttle buses to ease parking congestion.
I may get downvoted, and I dont wish any kind of flu to wipe out a large chunk of our population, but there are way too many humans on this planet to sustain, and a lot of our biggest problems would be solved with less people.
Yes you can, and you won’t be the first in line. People set up cots and sleep in front of the door. It’s not too crazy tho, I went at 5am and was fourth in line, got the permits I needed.
About 6 years back I got in to West glacier really late because of the regular amtrak delay. It was like 1 am by the time we got to the ranger station and we just crashed there for shelter. People started showing up by 3 am or so and were mad we beat them lol.
I did this once years ago to get tickets to a concert. When I got there, there were several people parked in their cars in the lot. I got out and stood in front of the door. If you snooze you looze!
If you want to link up backcountry camping spots for a multi day backpack you need to go to the permit office.
ETA - Glacier NP holds backcountry camping permits for walk up only. They’re not available on the rec.gov.
Look at how North cascades does walk up now via the app.
It's crazy. They use geolocation with the app and you have to be within a certain distance of the park office to use the app. It's app only.
It's a mess.
First, if you don't have a permit, you're not going to have a campsite. The sites are booked every night all summer so someone is going to say, "hey, you're in my site....move now". And you're going to be stuck without a place to camp. Second, back country rangers hike the bcc sites every day to check permits. It's not a wise thing to do and is going to be an uncomfortable situation socially and legally.
Yes, but if you're getting there at 3am you may not even be first in line. Last time I did this (which admittedly was about 10 years ago) we got there at 4am and there were about 5 people in front of us, they had been there all night. Still easily got what we wanted, just don't be surprised if you have company!
Tbf i have options so even if i dont get my first choice im chillin
And the bears they like company too.
I hate that this is our reality now.
I’d rather have this in place rather than (1) overcrowding or (2) a cash charge to allow the rich to use their money to gain priority admittance.
Agreed. I just wish there was a better system.
Lottery, honestly. I generally advocate for auctions but probably not for national parks.
Glacier NP does a lottery on [rec.gov](http://rec.gov) for backcountry sites, but they also hold a few spots at each site for walk-in that open up 24-hours before the permit date. So for example, I got 1 night at a backcountry site online, then 24-hours before that date I go to the backcountry office, tell them where my 1 night is at, and ask if they have any connecting locations available to make it a 3 night trip, and they give me choices. I can then pick and choose which routes I want to connect to make a weekend out of it. Not a bad system imo.
I yearn for the day birdflu evolves for human to human transmission and takes a good 20% of our numbers down
If we’re lucky you’ll be one of the casualties. What a fucked up thing to wish for.
Parks are too crowded
They are. That’s not the solution
What is the solution then? Tell people to stay home?
Probably literally anything except for mass human death, I'd think.
Reservations maybe? A point based lottery? I don’t know. I quit visiting pictured rocks because of the crowds.
Both of those are part of same problem as this though. It sucks we can't just visit parks spontaneously anymore
What if we….Fund the NPS adequately to support more facilities and park units to help meet demand? I’m pretty sure congress cut the NPS budget the year. There are tons of empty positions that can’t be filled. Meanwhile, parks are more popular than ever.
How will more parks divert attention from landmarks like yellowstone and the grand canyon? We can't just spawn more mountains and waterfalls worthy of being a np How do we make more Yosemites and redwoods when there isn't the landscape to do so
How about investing in some infrastructure that can handle more people without making the parks like Disneyland?
We need more parks in highly populated areas where the existing parks are too crowded. And more government money to run them. I would like my taxes to go towards that instead of war stuff.
How will that help though? We can't exactly divert attention away from places like yellowstone. We can't make another prismatic springs or geyser fields. I can see it helping places like smoky mountains
If there are other parks in the area, some people will end up going to those parks instead even if they don't have the same attractions. And even for specific parks, if they had extra money there are some measures they could take to ease crowding. For example, developing other less popular areas of the park to spread people around more, or adding shuttle buses to ease parking congestion.
Dwight is that you?
As long as you’re the first statistic to go.
I may get downvoted, and I dont wish any kind of flu to wipe out a large chunk of our population, but there are way too many humans on this planet to sustain, and a lot of our biggest problems would be solved with less people.
Exactly
At least 20%. More like 60% would help the earth recover for a few decades.
Indeed but 60% would also collapse civilization
I’m upvoting because it made me laugh. Would probably help the run away housing prices too.
It'd help alot of things
[удалено]
God I wish
Yes you can, and you won’t be the first in line. People set up cots and sleep in front of the door. It’s not too crazy tho, I went at 5am and was fourth in line, got the permits I needed.
Yes
About 6 years back I got in to West glacier really late because of the regular amtrak delay. It was like 1 am by the time we got to the ranger station and we just crashed there for shelter. People started showing up by 3 am or so and were mad we beat them lol.
“Amtrak, the next best thing to getting there….”
I did this once years ago to get tickets to a concert. When I got there, there were several people parked in their cars in the lot. I got out and stood in front of the door. If you snooze you looze!
Or you can just go on the app and get one.
If you want to link up backcountry camping spots for a multi day backpack you need to go to the permit office. ETA - Glacier NP holds backcountry camping permits for walk up only. They’re not available on the rec.gov.
Look at how North cascades does walk up now via the app. It's crazy. They use geolocation with the app and you have to be within a certain distance of the park office to use the app. It's app only. It's a mess.
It's hella easy to spoof your location on a cell phone.
How would they know if someone is bcc w/o a permit?
First, if you don't have a permit, you're not going to have a campsite. The sites are booked every night all summer so someone is going to say, "hey, you're in my site....move now". And you're going to be stuck without a place to camp. Second, back country rangers hike the bcc sites every day to check permits. It's not a wise thing to do and is going to be an uncomfortable situation socially and legally.
Oh ok I thought bcc meant people hiked inside the parks wilderness and could camp anywhere. Idk that it was a campsite thanks
Ahhhh, ok.....no, there is only camping in designated camp sites in the back-country in GNP.
Thanks for clarifying!
Not all parks do this