MarkDidier wrote:... I'm guessing Great Smoky Mountains...and if I'm right that is pretty amazing that you didn't see anyone, even in March/April...considering it is the most visited NP.

My son and I had it completely to ourselves in June 2004.

True story (my post about halfway down page).

I'd forgotten your story, Mark. Quite a moment.

So, OK, you can have the Smokies to yourself off-trail or if you loose a dangerous felon in the park after you.

But that's not where I found my midwestern solitude. Also, I left the camera behind, so using my SP pages as cheats won't help.

Arthur-Mount Rushmore?

Must be Badlands Arthur.

When I was a youth: Glacier. Yellowstone, Yosemite, Jasper, Banff, Olympic, Redwood, Death Valley, Grand Teton, Grand Canyon, Bryce, Zion, Lassen, Ranier, Crater Lake.

As an adult: Yosemite, Redwood, Kings Canyon

Best memories: Glacier, Yellowstone, Jasper, Banff, Tetons, Bryce, Lassen, Kings (rafting).

Nothing to do with hiking though.............that faction is now on the way.

Arthur - did you have the top of George Washington's head all to yourself ???

Lassen is a nice spot

Nobody mentioned Lava Beds NM in northern Cal ...

August 14 and 15 will be free access days at over 100 National Parks
http://nps.gov/findapark/feefreeparksbystate.htm

Not Badlands or (haha) Rushmore. It's actually in a pretty populated area, near a large city.

Fletch wrote:I've been fortunate enough to have been to 30 or so national parks in the US and Zion is my winner, hands down. On a beautiful day, only rivals are Jellystone and Grand Canyon... Yosemite in winter too...

I agree, Zion is incredibly beautiful (I haven't done any climbs there, but just the views are amazing). It was my father-in-law's favourite too when we took him on a four weeks drive Houston - San Francisco - Los Angeles - Houston and saw a large number of national parks and other sights. The Grand Canyon was his number two.

The Chief is right, the National Park Service has ruined many national parks.

I don't know if any of you remember the controversy surrounding 1980 Yosemite General Management Plan? The plan was supposed to "restore" Yosemite to more of a natural park than an amusement park.

At the same time the NPS was declaring that it was going to reduce human impact and commercialism in the Valley, the NPS was doing the opposite.

Yosemite NPS closed "commercial" enterprises like gas stations - and turned them into video rental stores.

Yosemite NPS closed "unnecessary" roads but bull-dozed new parking lots in the trees.

Yosemite NPS prohibited certain "activites" in Yosemite, unless, of course, you purchased those activities through Curry Company.

Yosemite NPS closed a well-loved (and free) community gathering place with a large fireplace, and turned the space into a bar and gift shop.

The list goes on, and on, and on, and on, and on, and on, and on, and on.............

I hate the fucking National Park Service for they have done to our national treasures.

Aaron Johnson wrote:Arthur-Mount Rushmore?

Mount Rushmore? The largest vandalism in recorded history?

Below is what I noticed and to be honest, why we left Tahoe to spend more time north of the border in a much broader wilderness/park system. US National Parks (CA parks worse than average because there are more people to serve no doubt) in general have made it way to conducive to folks who would not be there if it were truly more of a wilderness area. But I have observed friends go the opposite direction, become citified and yearn for more tourist service oriented parks. What the populace wants, the populace gets, democracy in work I imagine.

Sierra Ledge Rat wrote:The Chief is right, the National Park Service has ruined many national parks.

I don't know if any of you remember the controversy surrounding 1980 Yosemite General Management Plan? The plan was supposed to "restore" Yosemite to more of a natural park than an amusement park.

At the same time the NPS was declaring that it was going to reduce human impact and commercialism in the Valley, the NPS was doing the opposite.

Yosemite NPS closed "commercial" enterprises like gas stations - and turned them into video rental stores.

Yosemite NPS closed "unnecessary" roads but bull-dozed new parking lots in the trees.

Yosemite NPS prohibited certain "activites" in Yosemite, unless, of course, you purchased those activities through Curry Company.

Yosemite NPS closed a well-loved (and free) community gathering place with a large fireplace, and turned the space into a bar and gift shop.

The list goes on, and on, and on, and on, and on, and on, and on, and on.............

I hate the fucking National Park Service for they have done to our national treasures.

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