National Parks Traveler Episode 86: Roundtable Discussion On National Park News

By Kurt Repanshek - October 4th, 2020

The National Park System doesn’t pause for the upcoming presidential election. Throughout the summer it has been surprisingly busy, in light of the coronavirus pandemic, at many units of the park system. Indeed, there are many issues across the parks to pay attention to and discuss. To help us with that task, we’ve invited Kristen Brengel, senior vice president of government affairs for the National Parks Conservation Association, and Sheridan Steele, who spent nearly four decades with the National Park Service until 2015, when he retired. He now sits on the executive council of the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks.

Among the issues we discuss: The Great American Outdoors Act, the Land and Water Conservation Fund, reservation systems for parks, livestock grazing at Point Reyes National Seashore, and Congressional attitudes about supporting national parks.

:02 National Parks Traveler introduction
:12 Episode introduction with Kurt Repanshek
:52 Spring Fever - Bill Mize - The Sounds of the Everglades
1:24 Washington’s National Park Fund promotion
1:57 North Cascades Institute promotion
2:21 Round Table on the Parks with Kristen Brengel of National Parks Conservation Association and Sheridan Steele from the Coalition to Protect America's National Parks
19:55 Shee Beg Shee Mor - Nature’s Symphony - The Sounds of Acadia
20:17 National Parks Traveler promotion
20:30 Grand Teton National Park Foundation promotion
21:02 Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation promotion
21:25 Friends of Acadia promotion
21:57 Round Table on the Parks with Kirsten and Sheridan Continues
44:55 No’easter - Nature’s Symphony - The Sounds of Acadia
45:16 Episode Closing
45:49 Orange Tree Productions promotion
46:25 Splitbeard Productions
46:36 National Parks Traveler footer

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National Parks Traveler Podcast

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Submitted by Mather Forever on October 4, 2020 - 7:11pm.

Hope you can have them back! Great music btw...

Submitted by Jim Medlock on October 5, 2020 - 9:45am.

It's unfortunate your guest provided incorrect information on RMNP's timed entry system and she did not find a parking spot at Bear Lake.

The reservation system being used at RMNP is not designed for timed entry but for campground reservations and is terribly flawed. The statement during the podcast that 10% of the entries do not need a reservation only applies to entries before 6 am or after 5 pm. The ability to get a reservation 2 days before a desired entry is extremely ineffieicnet and difficult. With most of RMNP's visitors coming from the front range cities on weekends even limiting entry to those with reservations, the Bear Lake Road has been closed on Saturday's and Sunday's due to having all of the parking loto full--meaning the reservation system hasn't worked. I was also disappointed in your guest saying she was disappointed she could not get a parking space at Bear Lake. RMNP has a very efficient bus system in the Bear Lake corridor and signage encouraging using the bus system. I have used the bus system for many years and was pleasantly surprised the care RMNP's bus system is using in the year of COVID -- limiting the number on each bus, protecting the drivers, marking social distance for the cues.

I enjoy your podcast but wish your guests were better informed. Thank you.

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on October 5, 2020 - 9:59am.

Jim, there's a reservation system both for camping and for timed entry to the park.

Permits issued using the reservation system allow park visitors to enter the park within two-hour windows of availability from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. A timed entry permit is required to enter ALL areas of Rocky Mountain National Park—including Trail Ridge Road (US Hwy 34)—when arriving by vehicle between the hours of 6 am and 5 pm whether a visitor parks within the park or outside the park boundary. An entrance pass is required 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This includes but is not exclusive to Lumpy Ridge, Lily Lake, Longs Peak, Wild Basin, East Inlet, and North Inlet.

https://www.nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/fees.htm

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