A few articles California (4) | What is the US National Park System?

In the more than 200 years since the founding of the People's Republic of China, the United States has made many mistakes, and even more controversial decisions. But when it comes to the National Park System, there's an astonishing unity of opinion -- America's Best Idea. A documentary on the history of the national park system is directly named after it. While full of Americana literary tradition of hyperbole, it also shows the success of the system. So what is the National Park System? How does it relate to national parks? How to start a national park exploration trip?

National Parks and NPS

The concept of national parks originated from the destruction of natural resources and aboriginal culture in the westward movement of the United States. As more and more scholars put forward reflections on this phenomenon, the federal government first tried to set up state parks, and later it became clear the need for federal intervention. In 1872, Congress decided to establish the famous Yellowstone National Park (Yellowstone NP, ID, MT, WY) across the three states and handed it over to the Department of the Interior. In recent years, it has profoundly influenced the concept of conservation in the United States and even the world.

As the ranks of national parks grew, the direct management of the Department of the Interior became no longer feasible, so the National Park Service was born in 1916 to uniformly manage the great rivers and mountains scattered across the states. Since then, the national park system has managed more than just places that have been dubbed "national parks."

The original words on the official website of the Administration are: National parks are designated for their natural beauty, unique geological features, diverse ecosystems, and recreational opportunities . This description shows that the core concept of the national park system is a balance between conservation and development . National parks must not only protect unique natural and ecological environments, but also allow them to serve the purposes of tourism, education, and popular science. It is different from the National Preserve/Forest/Grasslands managed by other agencies, which focus on strict protection. Regardless of whether tourists live or die, even the road is a little more pothole than the NPS site next door.

Today, the National Park Service manages 423 sites , 63 of which are national parks, and the rest do their magic: there are National Monuments that the president can set up directly by bypassing Congress; National Historical Park/Site; National Seashore/Lakeshore/River, as the name suggests; and National Recreation Area, which I don't understand the difference between ) and so on, there are a total of 20 names, each with different positioning and functions .

All in all, it's good enough to know that these are federally managed, unique natural or cultural places that welcome tourism but pay attention to conservation . The 63 national parks are undoubtedly the masters of this concept in the system. They usually have larger areas, more typical scenery, more diverse ecology, and richer gameplay . Meeting these conditions makes national parks usually more remote, but fortunately this is not necessarily more people.

Most national parks, as well as some national monuments/recreation areas, charge admission, ranging from $20-35 per cart , regardless of how many people are on it. There is also an additional administrative fee for camping in the park or entering areas that require a permit. If you want to go to multiple national parks, the most cost-effective is the national park annual pass of $80 per car, which can write two holders, as long as there is a holder in the car within a year, 63 national parks and hundreds of NPS Managed to enter casually.

how to play in national park

The national park system implies federal involvement in local affairs and, coupled with the need for congressional approval, the establishment of new national parks often becomes a game field between local groups, state governments and federal bipartisan forces. But it is precisely because of this that the establishment of national parks has become a very intuitive political achievement, and every president has to find ways to establish several new national parks during his presidency. At the end of 2020, New River Gorge NP (WV) just became the 63rd national park in the United States, and the 64th is definitely on the way under this administration. Seeing this gorgeous list, don't you have the urge to go through them all?

It should be noted, however, that promoting tourism is only one of the purposes of setting up national parks, and is usually not the most important one. So not all national parks are suitable travel destinations, at least for newbies. Although I really hope to become a non-novice soon...

There are some games that need to be too hardcore , such as Alaska has no roads and can only rely on water helicopters (not ordinary helicopters!) Lake Clark NP, Katmai NP, Gates of the Arctic NP, Kobuk Valley NP, etc., which are in and out, I have to leave it to the local tyrants to take me explore……

There are some scientific research values that are far greater than ornamental value , such as Nevada's Great Basin National Park (Great Basin NP), which aims to protect the surrounding Great Basin landforms (don't Americans really think their names are boring?), with very Important environmental and ecological value, but that's entirely within the realm of geology, something that the average tourist can see... ah, a big piece of land!

Of course, there are some that are purely pits ...

There are also various levels of play in the slightly tourist-friendly national parks. The easiest is of course the viewing points that can be reached by car . Follow the navigation and get off the car to take beautiful photos. The slightly more advanced way is to walk the trails in the park and feel the magical landform and ecology with your feet. Change and discover different surprises. However, most trails cannot be called roads according to the domestic definition, and you must do what you can; the gods prefer advanced experiences such as hiking, wild camping, and river tracing , which are usually high-risk and require high physical fitness and equipment. , I also need to apply for a special license, and I will unlock it after I become a god one day.

Start your national park tour

With all this fun for all ages, how do you start a national park exploration trip?

First, have a car! (The self-driving tour is a long way, and it is more comfortable for several drivers to drive in turns. For those who do not have a driver's license, this is the time to test popularity.)

Most of the national parks are vast and far away from big cities. Self-driving is the most convenient option. Some of the most popular parks are also accessible by public transportation, but please have the most patience and consideration for the U.S. public transportation system. If you are with a group, it is recommended to choose a hard-core tour with themes such as hiking/camping . You can experience the essence of the national park system. When participating in a general tourist group, you must carefully identify whether you are going to a national park or not. Canyon West Rim Skywalk", wait until you write about the Grand Canyon to crack down).

Before deciding to drive, you need to pay attention to the different states that have different regulations on driving for foreign driver's license/international driver's license holders. Take California as an example, a non-US driver's license can only be used on the road for half a year. Driving your own car is cool, but many national park trips require you to fly to a nearby big city first, and the road conditions are scary, so renting a car is also a mainstream option . Many schools have agreements with car rental companies , which not only offer attractive prices, but also discounts on various insurances and surcharges. Of course, Hertz didn't look at my student card when I took the car, so daring non-student friends of Yi Gaoren might as well give it a try.

After finding a car (or a big driver) and setting an approximate itinerary, there are some important sources of information that will make your trip to the national park better:

[Park website] The website of the NPS management site is very well done. From the basic situation of the park, traffic arrangements, play routes , to the recent opening of various attractions/trails and danger warnings , after reading it, you can basically know what is ahead is you. In addition, you can book campsites from the website, or sign up for guided tours organized by ranger during peak season. In some parks where you can watch the sky and eat, there will also be weather forecasts and real-time cameras. When you are about to go out and see that the weather is not as expected, you can turn your head and go back to the hotel to sleep.

[Visitor Center] The rangers in the visitor center are all gods . Whether it's a first-time visitor wondering which viewing point to watch the sunset, or a big man about to hike through asking about the current conditions of a dirt road dozens of miles away, they've got answers. If you don't know what to do today, just ask them and you're done. The center also has exhibits and documentaries about the geological landscape, ideal for gaining a deeper understanding of the park's geography before embarking on a tour. The only commercial facilities in the park are usually clustered around here: souvenir shops, restaurants, and toilets with water . Before embarking on a self-abuse journey, you can do a good job of psychological building here.

[On-site warning] National parks are not gardens for walking (the National Recreation Area NRA somewhat meets this demand). The supporting facilities are quite caring for the environment . The luxurious trails are mostly paved with sand and gravel. More often, the so-called "road" is only Refers to a half-meter wide area that has been weeded. Maintenance personnel will use stacked stone piles to mark the direction of the trail, but risks still exist, including but not limited to getting lost, falling rocks, sudden extreme weather, encountering wild animals, etc. Whether it is a god or not, you should return to your car or the visitor center as soon as possible after seeing the on-site warning, let alone enter the closed area (Zion's Angel's Landing fell to three people last year).

Although it seems to be in danger, in fact, all NPS management sites have very professional and meticulous maintenance . The real attraction of the national park system is the minimal commercialization and restrained infrastructure that allows people to explore the most stunning natural wonders in a pristine, sustainable and safe way . Of course, it is quite obvious that NPS is poor...

Although it also faces many challenges such as overloading the number of tourists and simplification of the local economic structure, in terms of its own concept, operation and influence, the national park system is fully worthy of the reputation of America's Best Idea (it can be seen that other Ideas have how rotten). This system has also been imitated by various governments, such as Banff in Canada and Serengeti in Tanzania, which are all my favorite destinations. However, as far as the country is concerned (there are five national parks in China! Quick Google if you don’t know), the easy-to-go places are clouded by various cable cars, glass bridges, and characteristic towns, and the original ecological places are too much. In remote areas, there is still a long way to go to achieve such ease as NPS.

Therefore, if you are in the United States, the national park system is absolutely inescapable, and it is definitely a travel experience worth the fare . With the restart of global travel in sight, if the United States becomes one of your post-pandemic destinations, then you should learn to drive, learn to drive, learn to exercise, learn to read maps, and hundreds of destinations in the national park system. They are calling you fervently!