Are any AS friends in national parks?

[TexasMarci]

So uplifting to hear that there are Airstreamers out there volunteering to help out at the parks so that many more folks can enjoy their holiday trips. We have several friends here in N. Texas who are headed out (or already there) on New Years campouts - looks like they might have some freezing rain/snow for part of it.

Hoping this all resolves soon and parks and employees can get back to normal - there has to be some significant loss in revenue in having the parks closed - also for the communities around them - restaurants, supplies and more. Lots of sales are being lost every day.

[Steamy1]

National parks deal with vandals, human waste in shutdown
By ELLEN KNICKMEYER and JOCELYN GECKER, Associated Press - Associated Press - December 31, 2018

[TheGreatleys]

Just got word, our park is now closed to overnight campers starting January 2nd at 5 PM.

[TheGreatleys]

Looks like our park isn't the only one closing.

https://www.nydailynews.com/news/nat...231-story.html

[xrvr]

Yosemite is shut down because some campers are animals. See foxnews.

[TexasMarci]

That's a shame - that's just a darn shame!! Why ruin a holiday trip for others? I don't get it. Seeing more and more of this destructive behavior all over - not just campers..........what's the fun in this?

[TexasMarci]

There is an article in today's USA Today - free online - about the damage at the parks and all the mess. It's just a plain shame. I thought campers would be more respectful of their beautiful surroundings than this - just don't know how a camper can go out to enjoy the beauty of our world and do these things!

[Hittenstiehl]

Agreed.

It also goes to show us all that services are needed at these parks even if on a regular basis we only see them neat and tidy.

Also shows us that the volunteers and hosts do quite a bit to keep things beautiful and squared away.

Reminds us that whenever you have people, you will have people problems.

If the parks garbage can is full don't put your garbage next to it. Come back after the can has been emptied or go put it in your car. Don't fill the WHOLE garbage can with your oversize 10 slide 55 ft toy hauler garbage and all the oversize things you bought. Break your garbage down.

As individuals we're brilliant but as a mass we can quickly fall to lazy, why me, it's someone else's job, I always tidy up, or my, favorite I didn't know.

[suncoasteng]

Sounds like the answer to the problem at National Parks if for local campers to form vigilante groups and man the entrance gates, collect the entry fee and use the $$ to hire contactors to bring in dumpsters and Get 'er Done!

[kscherzi]

Reading the news it sounds like the national parks are slowly closing. Joshua Tree campground is closing. Yosemite is closing it's campgrounds. Trash is everywhere, people driving illegally off road. Dogs running off leash. Squabbles over campsites. Human feces by the side of the road. This was all inevitable.

[Rocinante]

Sad to see that when folks who allegedly love our national parks do so without supervision, it becomes a “Lord Of The Flies” situation. Just so sad. Be careful out there.

[rowiebowie]

I've heard too many alarmist news accounts on other topics to get too exercised over the news so far. I'll reserve judgement until I see reliable reports and pictures of the scope of alleged destruction. The descriptions (if accurate) are not of campers, but something more akin to a few looters who show up after hurricanes.

I'll concede trash can pile up quickly, but close the parks, and after some cleanup, all will be well again. If it's worse than that; and our civil society ceases over due a brief partial government shutdown; then we have much bigger problems.
.

[pmclemore]

The barbarians are always at the gates.

Pat

[SilverWind]

Pinnacles National Park's main entrance (East Gate) is open to those with camping reservations only. The very small concessionaire staff is trying to keep up basic sanitation maintenance for the campers but can't deal with hundreds of day use visitors.

As expected....the base has emerged.

[TheGreatleys]

Folks, just a quick reminder. We closed to overnight camping today and had at least one person show up with paid reservations.

Recreation.gov is still up and accepting reservations on campgrounds that are closed. There is a banner saying your reservation may not be honored, but they will still take your money. And nobody is there to answer the phone to process your refund when you arrive at the campground and find that it's closed and you have nowhere to set up.

Please, be sure of local conditions before you travel to an NPS campground. It's generally not worthwhile to reserve a site anyway, since there are no rangers to enforce the reservation, or kick out a camper who is occupying your site, or mediate the ensuing squabble when you try to argue your case.

[Gene]

A couple of days ago the local newspaper said only Zion NP was now open in Utah.

A neighbor who volunteers at Colorado NM said no volunteers were allowed to work.

It seems things are different at every federal public lands or other park, monument and forest facility and since the phones don't get answered, best to avoid them all unless you can find out more from local tourist organizations of the local Chamber of Commerce. And it seems things change daily, so any info is only good for hours or less.

Federal courts are running out of money too and that jeopardizes the rule of law, so this only gets more serious. Litigants may have their cases delayed months or years as they may get put at the end of the line. The housing market has been softening, so with FHA loans frozen, will that market tank?

[yellowstone1]

Yellowstone is open, law enforcement is patrolling. Thanks to nice montanans the pit toilets are being cleaned and maintained as well as garbage being removed by volunteers.North end of the park

[Lily&Me]

COE campgrounds are apparently open, fully funded and staffed, having received their funding before the shutdown.

This is what I am told by camp hosts....

Maggie

[LY007]

So utterly unnecessary

[TheOhioSean]

That would make sense, since the Department of Defense is part of the 75% of the government that was fully funded, and the Corps of Engineers is part of the Army.

Originally Posted by Lily&Me

COE campgrounds are apparently open, fully funded and staffed, having received their funding before the shutdown.

This is what I am told by camp hosts....

Maggie