Yellowstone to limit snowmobile access

by Kraig Becker on

The use of snowmobiles in Yellowstone National Park has been a point of contention for years, with local resorts and the state of Wyoming encouraging tourists to explore the natural wonderland on the motor vehicles, while environmentalists have argued that they were harmful for the environment and disturbed wildlife in the park. The National Park Service seems to have sided with the environmentalist on the subject, announcing late last week that they would limit snowmobile access to Yellowstone in 2010 and 2011.

In recent years, the Park Service has allowed 720 snowmobiles in the park each day, but under the new guidelines that number would be cut back to 318 for the next two seasons. While that seems like a drastic cut for winter visitors, the park averaged just 205 snowmobiles per day last winter. For the record, the highest number of the motorized sleds to be in the park on any single day is 557, which was set back in December of 2007.

The NPS also says they will allow 78 snowcoaches in the park each day as well. These vehicles are specially designed vans that feature tank treads that allow them to move easily over the snow. They can carry a group of passengers and are thought to be more environmentally friendly than snowmobiles.

Opponents of snowmobile use in the park were understandably happy with the news, but local tourism groups say they’ll fight the decision, possibly in court. They argue that the snowmobiles are safe and clean, at that more people should be allowed to enjoy the natural splendor of Yellowstone in the winter. They also see it as restricting economic growth in the area as well.

Free tours of Mammoth Cave this Saturday

by Kraig Becker on

In honor of National Public Lands Day, the Park Service has announced that it is offering free tours of Mammoth Cave this Saturday, September 26th.

Located in central Kentucky, Mammoth Cave is part of the largest cave system in the world, All told, there are more than 365 miles of twisting passageways that make up the system, with multiple tours available that range in length anywhere from one to six hours in length.

The free tour his weekend is called the Mammoth Passage Tour, and will last roughly an hour and a half, while trekking through about 3/4 of a mile in the cave. To take advantage of this opportunity, you’ll need to stop by the visitor’s center to pick up your tickets. Tours will depart from that location starting at 9:30 AM, with new tours starting every hour until 4:30 PM Central Time.

This is a great opportunity to see an amazing place that is not only a part of the U.S. National Park Service, but is also a World Heritage Site. Mammoth Cave is well known for its striking beauty and massive size, and this is a fantastic chance for anyone to explore it. But with free tours all day on Saturday, it is likely to be very busy. Get there early and grab your tickets while you can.

Summer 2009 a record setting one for Yellowstone

by Kraig Becker on

The National Park Service has announced that it was a record setting year in Yellowstone, with nearly 2.3 million visitors crowding into the national park in June, July, and August. This is an increase of 124,000 over the previous record which was set back in the summer of 1999. Even more interesting, visitation to Yellowstone is up 8.1% for the year-to-date over 2008, and easily surpassed the record for those months as well. Back in 2007, 2,511,790 people went to the park between January and August, while this year that number stands at 2,654,378.

A number of factors are probably contributing to these increased numbers. For example, in the summer of 2009 we have enjoyed cheaper gas prices over 2008, which means more people are willing to drive for their vacation. On top of that, the global economic conditions have caused some travelers to scale back their plans to travel internationally, with many choosing to stay closer to home and travel within the U.S instead.

Of course, here at Gadling, we’d like to believe it was all of those reminders about the fee free weekends that we posted throughout the summer when every national park was free for one weekend in June, July, and August. Those weekends surely helped Yellowstone reach this new record as well. It probably didn’t hurt that President Obama took his famil on vacation there too.

Afghanistan creates first national park

by Kraig Becker on

A few weeks back we mentioned that Afghanistan has been actively trying to build tourism in an attempt to bolster the country’s economy, and we even mentioned that the Bamiyan Province in particular was at the forefront of this movement. Now, the country has taken another step in that region by designating a UNESCO World Heritage Site as nation’s first national park.

The new park is located around the Band-E-Amir, a chain of six lakes located in the Hindu Kush mountain range. The lakes are well known for their natural beauty, as they are surrounded by rocky peaks and the water is said to be deep blue in color and plunge to an unknown depth. They have attracted tourists for years, and were even scheduled to become a national park back in the 1960’s, but due to political instability in the region, that plan was shelved, until now, when a $1 million grant from the U.S. helped to finalize the plans.

Band-E-Amir is roughly 228-square miles in size, and remains quite remote. There are no paved roads in or out of the park, and few in the Bamiyan Province at all. But the seclusion of the region is part of its draw, with adventure travelers making the journey to visit a place that remains well off the beaten path, while offering access to stunningly beautiful scenery and great opportunities for trekking.

Fortunately, Bamiyan Province also remains one of the most secure and safe places in the entire country. That security means that foreigners can travel throughout the area without fear, and seems more and more are taking advantage of that opportunity.

National Parks host final free weekend of the summer

by Kraig Becker on

As we’ve mentioned a couple of times this summer, the National Park Service has designated several weekends as “fee free”, meaning we can get into any and all national parks and monuments without paying the usual entry fees. This weekend, August 15-16, is the final free weekend of the summer, and your last chance to take advantage of the government’s generosity.

There are a number of amazing parks spread throughout the U.S. and I’ve recommended five of them here and five more here. When writing those lists, I was looking at parks that were a bit off the beaten path, and less crowded in the summer months, when travelers flock to the top parks, resulting in traffic jams and less than ideal conditions. But as the dog days of summer begin to fade, it may be time to visit one of the more iconic parks. Here are five of the best.

Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho
Perhaps the most famous and popular of all the national parks, Yellowstone is home to Old Faithful, the geyser that erupts at regular intervals of roughly 90 minutes or so. Yellowstone offers travelers plenty to do year round, with hiking, fishing, camping, and much more. There is spectacular wildlife to be seen as well, including elk, moose, bear, and wolves. But be warned, this popular park can get crowded quickly, and it can definitely impact your experience there.

The Great Smokey Mountain National Park, Tennessee and North Carolina
The most visited of all the national parks, Great Smokey Mountain offers up access to the mountain range that is gives it its name, thanks to more than 800 miles of hiking trails and remote backcountry campsites.There are an estimated 1500 bears living within the park, along with plenty of deer and elk as well, and the plant life is equally diverse, with more than 1660 different kinds of wildflowers alone. The park is celebrating its 75 anniversary this year, with plenty of activities and attractions for everyone that visits.


Glacier National Park, Montana
For sheer beauty, it is difficult to beat Glacier National Park, which has 700 miles of hiking trails that wander through the snow capped Rocky Mountains and past crystal clear lakes. But the major attraction is the Going-to-the-Sun Road, which is 53 miles in length and takes visitors right through the heart of the park’s amazing wilderness, crossing the Continental Divide at Logan’s Pass along the way. But the road is only open from June through October, so go before it is closed for the winter.

Acadia National Park, Maine
Some of the best wilderness found on the East Coast falls within Acadia National Park, the oldest park east of the Mississippi River. Acadia offers adventures both in the mountains and on the sea, with plenty of hiking and biking trails through the wilderness and along the coastline. Campsites on Mount Desert Island are just minutes from the ocean, while Mount Penobscot offers a challenging and scenic climb. Visitors to Acadia truly do get amazing experiences from sea to summit.

Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
At more than a mile deep and 18 miles across, the Grand Canyon is as awe inspiring as any landscape on the planet, and no list of top parks in the U.S. would be complete without it. The hike down into the canyon and back is tough, but rewarding, and for many it is an experience of a lifetime. And if you want to visit the North Rim, which is more remote than the typical tourist trails, you’ll want to visit in the summer months, before the snows move in and close the road for the season. The Grand Canyon is the quintessential national park and a must see for anyone.

Honorable Mentions: Denali National Park, Alaksa, Yosemite National Park, California, and Big Bend National Park, Texas.

Enjoy the final free weekend of the summer!