This year is the 100th anniversary of the National Parks Service. As we celebrate such a momentous occasion, we all need to remember exactly what the National Parks Service was created for – to protect and honor our country’s natural beauty. It disheartens me that we have seen so many stories in the news about people disrespecting our National Parks, and it is only the beginning of the summer! (See here, here, and here – and these incidents are in Yellowstone alone!)
As I prep for the upcoming Greater Yellowstone Multisport & Beer Adventure, I started to think through some general guidelines on how people can still enjoy everything our National Parks have to offer, but not become the dreaded oblivious tourist.
Leave the animals alone
. This should go without saying but unfortunately, common sense does not seem to be put to good use when park visitors see wildlife. The animals that live within and around National Parks are wild animals meaning you cannot predict or control what they do. You are visiting their home so be a good house guest by giving them their space.
Pack it in, pack it out – Litter can be a big problem for our National Parks, especially with the elevated number of people predicted to visit this summer. If you brought something into the park, please take it with you before you leave, or properly dispose of it in a designated trash can. Litter not only takes away some of the beauty of our parks, but it can be damaging to natural areas and detrimental to animals.
Limit your selfies – Everyone is guilty of a selfie every once in a while, but I’d caution you to limit your selfies to safe areas. Make sure you have solid footing (no taking photos over cliffs) and certainly do not turn your back on wildlife while trying to inch closer to it to get “the perfect pic” (see above). With this year being the 100th anniversary and the parks being more crowded, you’re in luck as there are most likely going to be other people around to take the photo for you.
Get souvenirs at the gift shop, not on the trail. You may encounter an immense number of flowers, rocks, plants, and other natural objects while visiting a National Park. But just because their numbers seem to be infinite, please don’t take one home as a souvenir. Your small token from your trip may cause a much larger ripple effect in the ecosystem you took it from. Just think of how devastating an impact it would be if every visitor to the National Parks this summer took a natural object with them.
Be considerate of others. You cannot control what other people will do or say, but you can make sure that you are being considerate of others. Please don’t bring your wireless speakers to blast music while hiking or camping and be courteous by yielding to others while on trails. It helps make everyone’s National Parks experience a pleasant one.
By following these five considerations, I’m confident that you will not only be on your way to a fun and enjoyable trip to a National Park, but a gratifying one as well.
