For the rest of the summer a sound meter placed at various locations in Grand Teton National Park will help you see how noisy, or quiet, your rig is/NPS
Shsssssh. Can you hear the landscape in Grand Teton National Park, the flowing Snake River, squabbling Steller's jays, bison grunting?
On most days, unless you were far from roads, you probably won't hear these sounds. To help gauge how "polluted" the park's soundscape is, a roadside noise meter will display real-time sound level measurements. The tool is part of Grand Teton's noise reduction program, which addresses noise from a variety of sources: vehicles and local traffic; construction work; maintenance activities (garbage collection and road work); transportation (tour buses and delivery trucks); and other park operations. In addition to the noise meter, park entrance stations and visitor centers are providing visitors with information about how to minimize impacts from their vehicles.
The roadside noise meter display is on loan from the National Park Service's Natural Sounds Program office and will be situated at various locations throughout the park for the rest of the summer. As motorists travel past the sign, it displays the approximate sound level of the vehicle on a spectrum from green, to yellow, to red for the loudest vehicles. The goal of the display is to make visitors aware of the impacts of vehicular noise on park resources and other visitors.
In conjunction with the noise meter, the park is also undertaking education and awareness efforts in visitor centers and entrance stations. Around 200 visitors recently chatted with staff from the Natural Sounds Program at the park's Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center. Additionally, a brochure that highlights the importance of natural soundscapes in Grand Teton and provides some tips for making a difference is now available in visitor centers. Motorcyclists entering the park will also receive an information card encouraging them to "ride respectfully."
The NPS hopes to reach motorcycle riders in particular with this information. Riding a motorcycle through Grand Teton is an exciting way to experience the park's scenic beauty. However, low-frequency sound—like that from some motorcycles—travels farther and can have greater harmful effects on wildlife and park resources than typical passenger cars and trucks. Not all motorcycles are loud, but all riders can be part of the solution by taking actions to minimize their own noise levels. The following tips are easy ways motorcyclists can enjoy their visit while riding respectfully through the park:
* Operate motorcycles as quietly as possible to minimize disturbance
* Obey speed limits and avoid excessive acceleration or revving of the engine
* Avoid traveling in large groups and turn engines off instead of idling
* Use horns only when necessary for safety and turn down radios or use a headset
* Be sensitive when riding near wildlife, campgrounds, lodging, and visitor centers
Just like fresh air and clean water, natural sound is an important resource that the NPS works to protect. Natural soundscapes provide opportunities to experience the serene beauty of nature. They are also essential for wildlife that use natural sounds to establish territory, find mates, nurture and protect young, and find predators or prey. More information can be found at this website.
Comments
Sound studies are good and the noise from many motorcycles is indeed a problem but there is a far larger problem associated with overcrowding. When my wife and I visited the Grand Tetons in 1975 it was quite peaceful. We particularly enjoyed the solitude during our walk around Jenny Lake. Last week we went back to visit the area again, perhaps for old times sake. Our stay at the Jackson Lake Lodge reminded us of a visit to an airline terminal. The staff was just barely able to keep ahead of the visitor's requirements as long as everything worked perfectly. But should there be something unexpected(?) like a rain storm, the lodge great room looked like a refugee camp with people sitting on the floor and long lines at each of the three restaurants waiting for food. One day, midweek, we decided to revisit the hike around Jenny Lake. The parking lot at the south end of the lake was not only full but cars were parked along both sides of the approach road and out onto the highway as well. We tried all the parking lots that make contact with the Lake and found no space anywhere. Discouraged we returned to the lodge and decided, as a consolation prize, to take a horseback ride. You probably guessed it - there was a three-day wait for a horse! Clearly the National Parks have not been able to develop sufficient facilities over the last 40 years to keep up with the population increase. Disappointed we fought our way out of the park, then through Jackson Hole, in a line of cars and motorcycles many miles long. It was a relief when we finally reached the real wide-open spaces of Wyoming.
As I sit here listening to the sound of my neighbors riding mower, the others weed trimmer, and the occasional truck and Harley rumbling past my house I love this idea. Sound can travel so far I'm not sure there is a place in the lower 48 to escape the sounds of man these days. Isle Royale and perhaps a few places in the boundary waters?
Looks like another "feel good" project that will have no real impact. Seems like there would be better places to spend the money in a system that has an $11 billion "maintenance backlog".
I found the same thing when we went there three weeks ago. The parking lots were overflowing and the crowds of people made enjoyment of the park impossible.
I hope they're not targeting motorcycles alone. Huge motor homes and oversized diesel pickups make as much or more noise and spew obnoxious noxious fumes whilst doing it.
As a former park ranger I would advise visitors who want to avoid the large crowds is go on the off season which is usually the summer for most parks. Stay away on free days if possible those are packed with visitors went last fall to Rocky Mountain and yikes the traffic was bad hard to enjoy yourself when you are in a traffic jam. So no more free days for me as much as like to save money it's just not worth it.
good article, the usual straying comments. there is no "overcrowding" as there is no limit to the number set by Nature to the number of visitors. All the other prople in your park are looking at you as the problem.
Back to the issue of noise pollution, ban motorcycles!