Loyal readers may remember that I’m an advocate for increasing the number of National Parks as the U.S. population is expanded via immigration. From 2020, Do we need some more national parks?:
Our National Park system was set up in 1872, i.e., for a country with a population of roughly 40 million. Today there are 330 million residents of the U.S. (or 350 million maybe?). Mobility, even in coronashutdown, is greater than it was in 1872. This leads to what I would have previously called “Manhattan-style crowding” in some parks (but now Manhattan has been de-crowded!).
(Note that, due to the population collapse and near-term extinction of the human race cited by Elon Musk, the official Census population right now is over 342 million, up more than 12 million from 2020; we’ve added humans comparable to Metro San Francisco and Metro Miami during humanity’s march to oblivion.)
Back in June, I visited Idaho’s Craters of the Moon National Monument, which could easily become a full National Park with a bit of development. Due to the lack of facilities, it’s certainly much more relaxing than the current slate of National Parks! I think this place could handle the construction of a lodge. There is a jet-capable airport a 15-minute drive away in nuclear-powered Arco, Idaho that is, wonderfully, named after our next President: AOC (6600′ runway, which is a little tight considering the 5,335′ altitude, but it looks as though it could be easily lengthened).
Some snapshots:
This is the longest we’ve gone without our annual Oshkosh post. The twin engine barons are already back to crashing in night IMC.
We need more National Parks. The major ones are crowded even with reservations and buses. Simply converting a national monument into a national park doesn’t help and may increase congestion. We need new ones. However all the best natural sites are already protected. I doubt if many people would be attracted to a Mediocre Canyon, Lukewarm Springs, Modest Cave, Smooth Mountain, or Beigestone.
Dave: If the National Parks charged an entrance fee sufficient to cover all operating costs that might reduce crowding (see https://philip.greenspun.com/blog/2023/07/03/what-if-our-national-parks-charged-navajo-prices/ for a plan in which those who can’t afford to take National Park vacations stop subsidizing wealthy foreigners and high-income domestic travelers).