Guide to Utah's Five National Parks

Above, The Narrows at Zion National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The first time I visited any of the national parks in Utah was in August 1969 with my parents. We camped in Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park.

The reason I remember the month and year so well was due to the news coming from Los Angeles of the Sharon Tate and La Bianca murders by the Manson Family while we were camping at Zion's Watchman Campground.

Back in those days, the parks weren't crowded at all. Nowadays, they are very crowded and reservations need to be made in some.

The Salt Lake Tribune has posted a guide to Utah's "Mighty Five" national parks.

They begin it with:

Even if you didn’t know very much about Utah before moving here, one aspect you likely are fairly well acquainted with are its national parks. A tourism campaign launched in 2013 put Utah’s “Mighty 5″ on the national landscape — some would say too well. Visitation increased by half a million visitors, on average, during each of the three years after the campaign launched. They now rank among some of the country’s most visited national parks, drawing between one and five million visits each year.

But how well do you really know Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef and Zion national parks?

If you think the attractions are all in the names — arches, canyons, heavenly views — think again. While all five are well-stocked with those, there’s plenty more to see. Check out the rivers, stars and even orchards.

To read more, go here. 

Zion National Park Reports Rampant Vandalism

Above, rock walls of Zion National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The idiocy and evil of some people has to be mind-boggling.

Our national parks exist to preserve them for current and future generations to enjoy. But there are some evil and mindless people out there who are hell-bent to ruin them.

From the Salt Lake Tribune:

Zion N.P., Utah • Zion National Park on Monday reported that staff has been working to clean widespread vandalism recently.

According to a statement, the vandalism includes rock carvings and scratches, stickers, permanent markers, and spray paint.

“Not only is graffiti unsightly it damages natural and cultural resources that the park protects. Over 5 million people visit Zion every year. Allow other park visitors to experience the wonder of Zion by leaving rocks, plants, artifacts, and other objects as you found them,” the park said in an email.

The park released a video on their YouTube channel showing some of the vandalism and their efforts to repair the damage.

To read more and see the video, go here. 

Foreign Olympics Fans Barred From Games and They Want Their Money Back

Above, the Tokyo Skytree and Asahi Beer Hall. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Before the pandemic hit, I had contemplated taking a trip to Japan last year. But the pandemic nixed all that.

Now, it has been announced that foreign Olympics fans are barred from attending the Olympics in Tokyo this summer and wondering when (or if) they will get their money back for events tickets purchased and, in some cases, travel expenses. Ouch!

The Salt Lake Tribune posted:

The announcement last week that international spectators would be barred from this summer’s Tokyo Olympics brought some closure to thousands of fans who had been wondering for months whether they would be traveling to Japan later this year.

Almost immediately, though, many of these newly jilted ticket holders began nursing a new headache: uncertainty about if they would get back the money they had prepaid for tickets and travel — more than $10,000, in some cases — and, if so, when exactly they would get it.

“At this point they’ve held our funds for two years already, and I’m concerned it’s going to take months more to get them back again,” said Monica Treece, an Olympic fan from Denver who started the process of buying her tickets for the Tokyo Games in the summer of 2019. “Everyone is still in the dark. We’re just waiting.”

Similar worries were expressed in Olympic circles long before Saturday, when Tokyo organizers announced the ban on foreign fans. The decision confirmed an outcome that many had expected as the pandemic plowed on around the world, but organizers offered no road map for fans eager to get their money back.

To read more, go here.

 

Great American Outdoors Act Passes House

Above, Bridalveil Fall in Yosemite National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

A step was taken by the House of Representatives the other day to address the (estimated) $20 billion in backlogged maintenance projects at our national parks. They passed the Great American Outdoors Act.

According to The Salt Lake Tribune:

Washington • A bipartisan bill that would spend nearly $3 billion on conservation projects, outdoor recreation and maintenance of national parks and other public lands is on its way to the president’s desk after winning final legislative approval. 

Supporters say the measure, known as the Great American Outdoors Act, would be the most significant conservation legislation enacted in nearly half a century. 

The House approved the bill 310-107 Wednesday, weeks after it won overwhelming approval in the Senate. The bill now goes to President Donald Trump, who is expected to sign it. 

The bill would spend about $900 million a year — double current spending — on the popular Land and Water Conservation Fund, and another $1.9 billion per year on improvements at national parks, forests, wildlife refuges and rangelands.

Not everyone was happy with the bill's passage.

The bill’s opponents, mostly Republicans, complained that it would not eliminate an estimated $20 billion maintenance backlog on 640 million acres of federally owned lands. The bill authorizes $9.5 billion for maintenance over five years.

To read more, go here. 

Coronavirus: National Parks May Be Best and Safest Bet

Above, the east entrance into the Zion-Mt. Carmel Tunnel. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Today must be "Utah day" when it comes to blog posts concerning travel to the state's national parks. This is the third one in a row.

The source for this posting is from the Salt Lake Tribune on Utah being the "best and safest bet" for people who want to take a vacation trip, considering the travel limits imposed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

They wrote:

Stan Smith has been around Springdale for nearly 40 years, observing the highs and lows of the scenic southern Utah town at the mouth of Zion Canyon. 

A longtime hotel operator, the Springdale mayor is not too worried about the international travel restrictions announced recently to slow the spread of coronavirus in the United States. He expects the coming decline in European and Asian visitors to Zion National Park to be offset by Utahns and other Americans looking to revamp their spring travel plans in the face of the pandemic gripping the globe and forcing the suspension of sports, concerts, festivals, church services and other events that draw lots of people into close quarters. 

Exploring the great outdoors, including Utah's national parks, may now be the safest vacation bet, reasoned Smith, whose livelihood depends on the nearby park. 

One of the crown jewels of the National Park Service, Zion has seen exploding visitation over the past decade reaching a record 4.9 million visitors last year, prompting many to wonder if reduced crowds may be what the park actually needs right now.

To read more, go here. 

Red Flag: Not Utah Too?!

It is getting so that our Second Amendment rights are are being threatened all over. President Trump mentioned this during his State of the Union Address last week.

Now it's Utah getting into the act.

According to the Salt Lake Tribune:

Two Utah lawmakers — one Republican and one Democrat — are preparing bills that would allow the confiscation of a person’s guns under court order, despite the sponsor of a similar proposal saying last week that it lacks the necessary support to become law. 

Salt Lake City Democrat Rep. Joel Briscoe and Woods Cross Republican Todd Weiler have both opened bill files dealing with extreme risk protective orders — also known as red flag laws — in which gun owners deemed a danger to themselves or others can be ordered to relinquish their firearms.

It is hard to believe that a Republican is sponsoring this. (This falls into the definition of a useful idiot.)

To read more, go here. 

Zion National Park Sets Summer Visitation Records

Above, sheer rock walls at Zion National Park. Can you spot Darth Vader's helmet? Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Back when I first visited Zion National Park in 1969, it was considered to be far enough from major cities like Los Angeles that there wouldn't be any crowds.

All that has changed as the park has set new summer visitation records.

The Salt Lake Tribune reported:

St. George • Zion National Park visitation set records this summer, averaging more than a half-million visitors per month. 

The Spectrum newspaper in St. George reports that yearly park visitors have more than doubled over the last decade at the southern Utah park known for its red-rock cliffs and narrow slot canyons. 

Park officials have been struggling how to handle the crowds, and this year limited the number of people who could hike two of the most popular trails on holidays.

To read more, go here. 

Seniors Are About To Pay More

Above, the Three Brothers and Bridalveil Falls in Yosemite National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

This has been mentioned before, but it merits repeat mentions. 

The national park lifetime Senior Pass price is going up from its current $10 to $80.

According to The Salt Lake Tribune:

Senior citizens have been getting a pretty good deal from the National Park Service. 

For $10, people age 62 and older can receive a lifetime pass to enter Utah's Mighty 5, Yellowstone, Yosemite and all the other national parks. 

But the Baby Boomers are about to have a little sticker shock. Their lifetime passes are about to increase to $80. The AARP reports that it's the first time since 1994 the price has been increased. 

Congress passed legislation near the end of 2016 that increases the lifetime price for seniors to the same price most others pay for an annual pass. Seniors also have the option of paying $20 for an annual pass.

For more information, go here. 

Tips To Avoid or Negotiate Crowds At Zion National Park

Above, Amber relaxing at Zion Lodge. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Two years ago, my daughter Amber and I drove through Zion National Park on the way home from Yellowstone National Park. When we got to the east entrance (from Mt. Carmel), we found a line of cars waiting to get in.

Once in, we had to wait in another line to be escorted through the Zion-Mt. Carmel Tunnel. This is necessary as today's oversized RVs won't make it through unless they drive smack dab in the center of the road. Fortunately, we were first in line.

Above, waiting for the escort through the Zion-Mt. Carmel Tunnel. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Once we got into Zion canyon itself, we noticed that passenger vehicles are not permitted into the canyon unless they have proof they have a campsite or are staying at the Lodge. We thought we'd have breakfast at the Zion Lodge. We would have had to park The Beast at a shuttle stop and be shuttled in. We did not want to bother with that, so we went to breakfast in nearby Springdale.

My mom, Amber and I spent Labor Day weekend at Zion back around 2002. Since we drove there in the Mustang, parking at the shuttle stop near the Visitor Center was not an issue. We stayed at a motel in Springdale on that trip. We took the shuttle through the park to different points, including the Visitor Center and the Weeping Rock trail. It worked out very well.

Above, Amber in The Beast at Zion National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The shuttle system was made necessary due to the influx of visitors. Years ago, not that many people visited Zion and cars were permitted in the canyon with no restrictions. But those days are long past and the park had to take steps, such as the mandatory shuttle, to manage the crowds.

The Salt Lake Tribune has an article on tips to negotiate or avoid the crowds at Zion.

They begin with:

Zion National Park • In Springdale, the sun is high, the parking spaces are full, and the porta-potties are lined up like soldiers. So grab your shuttle maps and brass knuckles. Busy season has begun at Zion National Park. 

Just kidding, you can leave the weapons at home. I haven't been put out by my fellow tourists, despite the persistent concerns about crowding in the nation's fifth-most-visited national park. 

My family braved Zion Canyon during the opening weekend of its mandatory shuttle, which runs many times a day from March through October and on weekends in November. Spring-breakers were pouring in by early March — and although I didn't struggle with crowds at the entry gate or parking, I can easily imagine summer getting a bit crowded. 

Park administrators are considering measures such as limiting visitor entries to the park or at certain areas or campgrounds, but those wouldn't be implemented right away. 

In the meantime, here are some tips to negotiate or avoid the crowds in Zion.

To read more, go here. 

Zion Outdrew Yellowstone In 2016 Attendance

Above, Zion National Park's Checkerboard Mesa. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Utah's Zion National Park outdrew Yellowstone National Park in attendance last year.

According to The Salt Lake Tribune:

Of local note, Zion National Park ranked fifth on the list of the most visited national parks, behind Great Smoky Mountains, Grand Canyon, Yosemite and Rocky Mountain, with 4,295,127 visits. That was one spot higher than Yellowstone.

To read more, go here. 

Strong Dollar = Cheaper Travel For Americans

Above, the Chiba Bank currency exchange window at Terminal One of Narita International Airport. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

If you've been sitting on the fence trying to decide whether or not to travel to Japan (or to other foreign destinations), the Salt Lake Tribune has an article that may convince you that now's the time to go.

They begin with:

If you’ve been putting off a trip abroad because it’s too expensive, start packing your bags. 

A stronger dollar has reduced the price of travel, from a hotel room to a glass of beer, in much of Europe, Japan, India and elsewhere. 

"This is one of the best times for Americans to travel in years," says Matt Kepnes, author of "How to Travel the World on $50 a Day" and other travel books.

The article explains why the dollar is so strong, the best bargains, what it means, when to book a flight and exploring all options.

To read the article, go here. 

Japan Tourism Recovering A Year After Disaster

Above, Asakusa's five-storied pagoda. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

With the first anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake coming this Sunday, articles on Japan tourism have been ratcheted up.

One such article comes from the Salt Lake Tribune. They start the article with:

NEW YORK • A year after a tsunami and earthquake devastated parts of Japan, officials say tourism to Tokyo and other areas unaffected by the disaster is on track to recover to pre-tsunami levels, with business travel leading the way.

In a conference call Thursday night, Shuichi Kameyama, director of the International Tourism Promotion Division at Japan Tourism Agency, said the number of visitors to Japan in 2011 was 6.2 million, down nearly 30 percent from the 8.6 million who visited in 2010.

Then the article moves into more optimistic territory:

But arrivals have been picking up, with a surge in January due to Lunar New Year, and more tourists expected this spring for cherry blossom season and later in the year for summer festivals.

Kameyama said foreign visitor arrivals in January 2012 were only 4 percent below January 2011, before the March 11 disaster.

The article is one of the few I've seen over the months to recognize that a part of the tourism problem lies with the exchange rate between the dollar and yen. This has been a topic I've been hitting on for the past couple of years.

They note:

While bargains and promotions have helped lure some travelers back, others have been discouraged by the strong yen, which makes travel for foreigners expensive.

To read the full article, go here.