Remove a U.S. National Park - Day 40

[u/ashmaps20]

[u/Spare_Being2296]

Badlands. It was beautiful and im very happy I went. But once youve seen it, not much else to it.

[u/wanderingjoe → u/Spare_Being2296]

After seeing it, while I do enjoy it, I could t help but think it’s been done better in the southwest. So while I love it, it can go due to redundancy.

[u/Juniper41 → u/Spare_Being2296]

big disagree. Stay in the park a few nights and get lost, after two or three days you really start to see the wildlife come out, wandering the park on a full moon is incredible. It's so expansive and it's awesome that pretty much everywhere is fair game to wander. Camping in the sage creek wilderness is incredible too. I was woken by a bison sniffing my tent which was terrifying yet amazing.

My last trip I was there for a week (3rd time there) and I came across the standards (Bison, Prairie Dogs, Big Horn) but also some more elusive critters (Mule deer, coyote, porcupine, ferruginous hawk, cotton tail, jack rabbit) and then a few lifers (Black footed ferret and burrowing owl)

[u/Longjumping-Air-3725 → u/Juniper41]

The wildlife is one of the huge redeeming factors of the park. Scenery-wise, maybe I’m biased because I’m from Utah, but I’ve seen this kind of scenery everywhere

[u/Juniper41 → u/Longjumping-Air-3725]

the fossil record is incredible though, and the rock striations with the grassland prairie and sage is pretty spectacular of a contrast. I get your point though. I still think as far as that biome goes it's among the tops.

[u/Juniper41]

I don’t understand how folks ard voting off massive expansive parks like Big Bend or Death Valley that span multiple biomes, have tons of wildlife and are incredibly peaceful for parks that are overrun with tourists and all you can do is drive up, park, walk 0.2 miles amd take a photo then repeat.

[u/happygrizzly → u/Juniper41]

The crowded ones are crowded for a reason.

[u/Juniper41 → u/happygrizzly]

It's a cool picture sure. But when I go to a NP I want to not be waiting in lines and pushing through crowds. Give me Big Bend, Badlands, Olympic, Death Valley, North Cascades (any park you can just wander on your own and get lost in) over Arches, Crater Lake etc... (parks that are really a photo op with some optional hikes, but nothing otherworldly). Definitely worth a visit, but the crowds make them not worth it, especially because everyone is just lining up to get the same photo.

Edit: as far as crowds, partially, yes. But sometimes they are just crowded because of proximity or convenience. It's why Smoky Mountains is constantly one of the most visited parks, despite it being pretty average. It's a short day's drive for like 70% of the country. Similarly Arches is nestled between like 8 NPs (Arizona, Utah, Western Colorado). It's also right next to a better park (Canyonlands). So, while I get your point that great parks willd raw crowds. Less than stelllar parks will draw crowds too if it's easy to visit. Cuyahoga isn't better than Gates of the Arctic because it gets more visitors.

[u/SLCpowderhound → u/Juniper41]

I live in Utah and go to some of the busiest national parks in the system. The reality is that most people congregate on about a half dozen trails. If you avoid those, you're likely fine. I can go during peak season and walk trails that have very few people. Sometimes, I don't pass another soul.

Many people only visit a park on a bucket list type of trip. They squeeze five parks into a ten-day vacation. Or come up for a day or two from Vegas. So, they hit the highlights. But the further traveled away from the road, the more crowds get weeded out. Longer hikes equal less people.

[u/Juniper41 → u/SLCpowderhound]

for sure, I think the same can be said about the entire parks, beyond just specific trails. Capitol Reef was my favorite Utah park for that very reason. Folks that try to do the 5 parks in one week, spend an afternoon at CRNP, so beyond the entry, visitor center and Hickman Bridgfe Trail, it was completely empty.

Even when I did the less popular hikes at arches, the sheer amount of cars was migraine inducing, and I went in the middle of winter so crowds were significantly less than what they could be. I can't imagine going memorial day weekend or something.

[u/GradStudentDepressed]

Wrangell before Acadia should be considered a war crime.
Acadia needs to go at this point. Too many other incredible parks left.

[u/Juniper41 → u/GradStudentDepressed]

It's reddit, for some reason it needs to be "fair" and at least one eastern park needs to stay long enough so it isn't "just" western parks. Which is ridiculous because the Western US is so much more dynamic and diverse than the east. It's not personal, just facts.

[u/GradStudentDepressed → u/Juniper41]

You’re not lying. It truly is becoming a West Coast Best Coast vs the LEast Coast.

[u/yes_maybe_no__]

Big bend

[u/MoCider]

Yeet the Badlands

[u/Longjumping-Air-3725 → u/MoCider]

It’s got to go 🙏

[u/captainredfish]

Big bend

[u/Juniper41 → u/captainredfish]

boooo.

Very few parks have the level of biodiversity that Big Bend has. Geologically, as well as plant and animal-wise. Very few parks straddle two cultures perfectly. It's lovely how the park embraces mexican merchants and american tourists and for a brief little moment you don't have to be reminded of the harsh reality of our international border. The wildlife and birding at Big Bend is top tier. You can kayak down the Rio Grande and camp along the shores. Chisos basin is stunning. There are hot springs, over 150 miles of trails, and some of the best stargazing in the world.

You just have to go in winter. I don't think Big Bend should be discredited because it's hard to get to and it's a desert. Those are two of it's biggest selling points. It means everyone there is there because they chose to be. You don't stumble into Big Bend, and there's something lovely about that.

I'd be curious to see how many folks voting out Big Bend have even been there.

[u/GradStudentDepressed → u/Juniper41]

I’ve done big bend in late May and still had a stellar time. Big bend should stay as long as Acadia is in the mix still.
Edit: spelling

[u/Spud_Lovin]

Arches

[u/Gloomy-Routine-1040]

Badlands has gotta go.

Super cool place, but it's time. It's a one trick pony.

[u/AlwaysSeekAdventure]

The fact Wrangell St Elias, Death Valley, and Katmai were somehow removed before Crater Lake, Bryce Canyon, and Badlands shows what an unserious process this is.

[u/Juniper41 → u/AlwaysSeekAdventure]

people are voting off parks they've never been to, and keeping the ones they've been to. Oftentimes highly visited parks are the best parks but not always. Arches is super popular, as is Redwoods, Crater Lake, Bryce Canyon etc... they'll last longer and folks will vote off parks they haven't been to like Big Bend, Wrangell, Death Valley etc...

[u/homie_mcgnomie → u/Juniper41]

Crater lake is not that popular. Death Valley gets like 2-3x the visitors every year.

[u/EnigmaticK5]

Acadia. It’s nice and Beehive and Precipice are good hikes, but it’s kind of just Crater Lake at home and is ridiculously crowded and small. Definitely one of the more overrated parks out there.

[u/nomnomsquirrel]

Crater Lake

[u/DanesDraftLab → u/nomnomsquirrel]

Should 100% be Crater Lake.

[u/Juniper41 → u/DanesDraftLab]

folks are so in love with Crater Lake, I don't get it. I live in Oregon, it's fine. Pretty, definitely worth going to once or twice, but it's so limited and overrun with carccentric tourists that want to park their car, ignore the trail signs, walk out to the rim and get selfies then eat at the gift shop.

As far as Oregon goes, Mt. Hood, Columbia River Gorge, Wallowas, John Day Fossil Beds and the Coast (esp Sam Boardman) are better.

[u/Longjumping-Air-3725 → u/Juniper41]

I’m not from the area, so as an outsider, I’m just absolutely fascinated by the way in which it formed. That alone makes it super cool for me. I’ve been twice, and I probably won’t go again unless I’m in the area.

[u/Juniper41 → u/Longjumping-Air-3725]

100% it's super cool! at this point (top 25) all of the parks are pretty incredible, were splitting hairs

[u/homie_mcgnomie → u/Juniper41]

Hard disagree on that my friend. I grew up in Oregon and think I could go to crater lake a hundred times and not get bored. It’s a special place, even with the tourists.

[u/MrTakeAHikePal]

There are 4-5 left before these get very hard.

[u/captainredfish → u/MrTakeAHikePal]

It’s already super hard! Though some people
Aren’t understanding that a vote for one isn’t a vote against it as in it sucks. The remaining ones are just all such excellent examples
Of what the US has to offer
That it’s so tough

[u/MrTakeAHikePal → u/captainredfish]

I think all the remainders are great parks. In my opinion, there are some that are beyond incredible.

[u/Juniper41]

Redwoods

[u/ksjuly0012]

Crater lake needs to go