Letter: Could it be that the downturn in visitation in Moab has little to do with Arches’ timed-entry program?
(Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) A stream of vehicles travel up and down the winding road near the entrance to Arches National Park, Monday, May 15, 2023. In April 2023, Arches National Park implemented a timed entry system to pace visitors' arrival times to alleviate overcrowding and congestion among some 1.8 million visitors a year.
I find it interesting that some Moab businesses (I am a Moab small business owner myself) blame Arches National Park’s timed-entry program for a downturn in visitation instead of ridiculously overpriced hotel rooms, overcrowded trails, overcrowded trailheads and parking lots, overcrowded restaurants, and a lack of quiet from motorized recreation.
We have oversold our brand — something that I’ve been concerned about for about a decade now.
It seems more logical that development without sensible restrictions, coupled with nonstop marketing (greed?) have caused these problems, not a national park trying to offer visitors a quality experience.
Mike Coronella, Moab
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