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Glacier National Park Staff Strives To Educate Visitors On Conduct

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Published Date

July 29, 2019

Glacier National Park is neither a landfill nor a driving range. And yet, not all visitors to the park in northern Montana seem capable of putting their garbage in trash bins, and some view Logan Pass as a perfect place to see how far they can drive a golf ball.

With hopes of reaching a few of their visitors about proper behavior in a national park, the staff at Glacier took to Facebook to provide some pointers, and they used a visual aid.

Don’t mix these two up! Anything you bring into a national park, you must pack out or dispose of in a proper trash receptacle. Do not hit golf balls into canyons and valleys, do not leave used diapers on the sides of trails, do not toss your apple core because you think it’s natural. National parks have been called America’s best idea. Don’t treat them like a garbage can.

What trash have you picked up and carried out of a national park lately?

The golf ball reference arose after two guys driving golf balls from the Going-to-the-Sun Road were captured in the act on someone's cellphone earlier this month.

And on the topic of poor behavior, Yellowstone National Park staff are seeking information for who started a fire near the north entrance last week. The fire was spotted Friday evening about 6 p.m. Quick response kept the fire to about 4 acres. 

"The fire was human caused and is under investigation," park staff said in a release. "Anyone who was in the area on Friday evening and has information about people using the picnic area near the entrance station is encouraged to call the park’s 24-hour Tip Line at 307-344-2132. Callers can remain anonymous."

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I am constantly amazed at people lazinessm stupidity and just plain don't care. Trash goes in the can. Just like don't stand 10 feet from a buffalo to take a selfie. Wehave traveled to many national parks and it is like people who live in the city don't have a clue. I live in a town of 5200 but I know how to act in public on someone's else land. Manners fool. That goes for hordes of people who get off buses and push their way around. No one has any consideration. Can't wait to get to Glacier in September.


Not surprising in this age of ENTITLEMENT where you can do whatever you want without consequences. This is what happens when the government set standards where LAWS DONT MATTER.


This years visitors did the same thing to highway 93 litter everywhere.....from darby to whitefish.....

I blame Montana highway patrol.....they let visitors speed through our state and litter....they give out no tickets..

It's time to start.....


Dont blame city people, I grew up in a town of 600 and rural people are just as quick to toss trash out their car windows or try a selfie with a bear!  I now live in a city of 1 million, & most people wouldn't do that.   I've also seen (& called out) lots of stupid, disrespectful & destructive behavior in the parks (especially Yellowstone).   People, act your age!


Last week in Yellowstone a bus full of teenagers arrive at Grand Prismatic Springs about the same time as us. As we entered the loop one kids hat flew off so he ran out to get it. A lady who wasn't with them told them their behavior was unacceptable. His friends began touching the water to "feel the temperature." Then another hat flew & another disrespectful teen ran out. It seemed they were completely unsupervised & completely indifferent about these sacred grounds they were disrupting. 


I began disliking tourists a few years back when I witnessed busloads of idiots leaving their trash... at Yellowstone... push each other out of the way and running.. running.. towards a black bear... the ranger and I wanted to shoot them and save the bear from eating one later to its own dire consequence .  Trashed Yosemite when it was closed.   Let them stay home and watch the parks on tv... they'll actually get a better view and they can trash their own homes instead


I live in a metro area of 2.4 million people -- and, yeah, I also want to slap the stupid out of city morons who think bison and bears are tame.


These type of people have no respect for anything.  Every time I go up to Glacier, I see people doing things they should not and not following the rules. From garbage, riding bikes up going to the sun out of the specified time frames and trying to take selfies with the wildlife.  Common sense does not exist anymore.  Two weeks ago , I had a tourist ask me what would happen if they crossed the chains at the sumit While a grizzly was approaching. Simply pathetic.  


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