In the last 10 days, there has been some discussion in The Salt Lake Tribune of Arches National Park proposing a reservation system.
Comments are being called for before Dec. 4, but the articles have not mentioned where to make those comments. The website to make them at is right here.
This is the comment I submitted today:
“I think the reservation system is a marvelous idea. Our national parks risk being loved to death. Our national parks are such priceless treasures that we need to find a balance between everyone who wants to being able to see them, and so many people seeing them, that their rare beauty, solitude, contemplativeness is ruined in the process.
Rather than raise the national park entry fee, which would effectively keep poor people out of the parks, and only allow wealthy people, a lottery system offering reservations would be the fairest compromise to allow many people to enjoy the parks without damaging them in the process.
A reservation system would also reduce the number of cars idling as they wait for entrance outside the park, which would improve air quality in the parks, so important for viewing, for hiking and for experiencing the night skies. It is a win-win all around.”
I urge other readers to submit their comments.
Michael D. Kalm, M.D., Millcreek