Yosemite News And News of the Automobile's Decline

Yosemite and Zion National Parks are now off limits to the automobile and it seems that the roads in both have been torn up and replaced with bicycle trails. I think this will happen in other national parks and in cities here in the US and around the world as well. So count on parking your car outside our national parks and walking, biking, and taking mass transit in cities from now on.

Yosemite has torn up all its roads and replaced them with bike trails and busways that carry the busses. Cities will eventually get rid of their traffic lanes and turn all the streets into pedestrian malls.

In my line of work, I come into contact with various mental health professionals. I'm sure that could get you a referral. You can be helped. [R]

But he can't be helped unless he wants to be helped.

Even if he wants to be helped, there will be no cars to take him to therapy.

I hope this is not true. If this happens, I doubt I will ever visit any of our National Parks...nor will I give any money away to help support them. Riding mass transit to see various park features in Yellowstone just isn't my idea of a vacation. You have to plan your trip on _their_ schedule, might get stuck by a bunch of smelly folks or folks who just want to blabber on and on while you are trying to enjoy the view (you will be forced to tell them you don't want to talk), you will be surrounded by kids who parents won't make the brats shut up for even 10 seconds. Yea....just my idea of a 'vacation' to an 'awe inspiring place. Sounds like Canadian parks might end up being the places to visit. I can't stand control freaks...this is exactly what 'park and ride' is. Pack you like sardines into a can. The can in this case is a trash used bus filled with idiots who you would never hangout with on a vacation. I have got to get to Yellowstone, Glacier, and Grand Teton before they ruin them with these rules.

I have heard that you can take cars into these parks as long as it is before or after a certain hour? Is this true?

You can take cars in the last 3 parks at any hour.

The problem with some of the pther parks is that the options were either restrict car entry or turn the whole place into a parking lot. It used to be almost impossible to park in Zion in summer unless you arrived at dawn.

No no no. You just do not understand. They are going to install a complete transit system with moving belts throughout all of the parks. Just hop on and off wherever you want to stop to see something. No need to drive to the remote parts of Yellowstone just take a belt. Canyon to Old Faithful direct in 10 minutes using the high speed belt option on the inside. They started installation of the section near Canyon this year under cover of a road rebuild.

It should be ready for use next year. If they can just figure a way to get the Bison to not overload a weight restriction only designed for high weight Americans.

greatest? These two areas - Yosemite Valley and Zion - being situated in long, narrow valleys will be paved wall to wall with asphalt and concrete with skyrises built over the culverted rivers/streams for timeshares. Because of the expected large population density and the environmental rules prohibiting underground garages, the paved areas will be utilized primarily for residential parking. As a concession to those interested primarily in 'visiting' these areas as opposed to living there, a two lane elevated moving roadway will be constructed along the edges of the valley floors to allow stationary vehicles to move clockwise through the area. This roadway, just high enough to allow residential vehicular parking under it, will move at a leisurely 2 miles an hour without any pause whatever - a speed determined by the USNPTA (United States National Park Tourist Association) to be optimal for ample sightseeing. This plan minimizes automobile use in the indicated valleys - visiting vehicles operate only to get on and off the moving roadway; resident's vehicles operate at most only twice a week...at the beginning of the week to reach the parking area and at the end of the week to leave the valley. Of course those residents with multiweek stays will experience even less vehicular usage per week.

Revenue from the highrise timeshares will pay for construction and maintenance of everything, including the employment and training of the beefed up heavily armed security force deemed needed not only to enforce the National Park rules and regulations but also to maintain the security and decorum of the residents.

being situated inlong, narrow valleys will be paved wall to wall with asphalt and concrete with skyrises built over the culverted rivers/streams for timeshares. <snip>

I always thought that some canyon-side condos, like the Pueblo cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde NP, was an excellent idea for the Grand Canyon. 'Own a piece of the rock.' [R]

Yep. The idea of the bus is to enable you to get *off* the bus and walk around or do some hiking. If you have to drive your own car in, you can't get out and hike, because there aren't any parking spaces left.

Y'mean they've removed the parking areas?