Hiking Old Rag will now require a ticket

[dist1646]

Interesting concept, charging people to see land that the government stole.

 

[Archeryrob]

If there is that many people you need to sell tickets to control the crowd, I would no longer have any interest to see it.

 

[joppaj]

I tried booking a camping reservation for Grand Canyon a few years back. They sell out within minutes one year in advance. It's insane.

 

[[Kev308]]

We need to colonize another planet. I want to be where people are not.

 

[Slackdaddy]

I tried booking a camping reservation for Grand Canyon a few years back. They sell out within minutes one year in advance. It's insane.

Try paddling it,, 10+ year wait list,,
North Fork Salmen river,, drawing, less than 3% chance of getting a slot,,
Rocky Mountain national park,, entrance tickets go on sale every evening for the next day,, sold out in minutes,,

20 years ago When I floated the Shenandoah river,, it was pristine and secluded,, now it is like a carnival,, may as well be at the midway of the "Great GlenBurnie Fair"

To many people after to few resources,, And our politicians answer to everything is to just import all of the worlds excess people.
I feel sorry for my grandkids,, they will never know the freedoms and nature I did.

 

[mpollan1]

We need to colonize another planet. I want to be where people are not.

Do you think for one second Martians will allow us to step foot off of this rock and fvck up the universe. That's why they keep checking on us...

 

[[Kev308]]

Do you think for one second Martians will allow us to step foot off of this rock and fvck up the universe. That's why they keep checking on us...

I'll frickin fight them.

 

[mpollan1]

I'll frickin fight them.

lol

 

[lazarus]

Yes. But this isn’t that. It’s like an entrance reservation. You still need to pay the entrance fee or have a pass (interagency or otherwise).

I do think it’s BS that they’re charging for the reservation. The other NPS facilities I’m aware of with reservation systems in place don’t charge for them.

-Rob

Most or all timed entry tickets are fee.

At least it is only $2. Free would be nice, but the system I am sure costs something to administer and the national park system is already very underfunded.

 

[lazarus]

I tried booking a camping reservation for Grand Canyon a few years back. They sell out within minutes one year in advance. It's insane.

For below the rim?

At the campgrounds on the rim they usually don’t. Both last year and 12 years ago when I went I got a campground reservation just fine about 3 weeks in advance and there were a few dozen spots left (end of July/August).

 

[Jim12]

We need to colonize another planet. I want to be where people are not.

Nobody goes there anymore. It's too crowded.
-- Yogi Berra.

 

[sxs]

I tried booking a camping reservation for Grand Canyon a few years back. They sell out within minutes one year in advance. It's insane.

No worse than Assateague State Park Camping areas. It used to not be too difficult to pick up good camp sites the first few minutes that a date came open. Now those are gone in literally seconds and lesser sites start disappearing within minutes. Reservations prior to Memorial Day or after Labor day are somewhat less difficult to nail down.

 

[fscwi]

I tried booking a camping reservation for Grand Canyon a few years back. They sell out within minutes one year in advance. It's insane.

I did a Yellowstone trip 7 years ago and started the planning about a year in advance. As you mentioned everything was sold out. I called the number for reservations and asked if I could get on a waiting list. I was told there is no such list available, but to keep checking back as there are cancellations from time to time that will open up rooms. They said in some cases tours and bus trips will cancel and open up a block of rooms, but you have to keep an eye on it as they go fast. So I made it part of my morning routine to check availability. Took some patience but I was eventually able to get a 3 night stay at Old Faithful Lodge and 2 nights at Canyon Lodge.

 

[Sgt. Psycho]

At least the national parks are not overrun by the illegals....yet.

I'll start a different thread on that topic so as not to derail this one.

 

[Ponder_MD]

Interesting concept, charging people to see land that the government stole.

Agreed. Right now, the ocean is still free. That's where I go. Hardly anyone there.

 

[Trbo6gn]

Last time i hiked old rag it was brutal. Not the hike, but the lines of people at each choke point throughout the hike. It's such a beautiful place but being surrounded by hundreds of people really ruined it. Not to mention, most of the people hiking aren't prepared in the slightest. The amount of people wearing flip flops and carrying a single bottle of water was incredible.

 

[gwchem]

I've done a few hikes in national parks that require a permit, and more than one with a low chance of drawing that permit. The solitude was welcomed, the area would definitely have been destroyed if open to the general public, and I'm generally happy they use the lottery system.

 

[dist1646]

Agreed. Right now, the ocean is still free. That's where I go. Hardly anyone there.

The government recently expanded the ocean territory they claim.