No parking in the parks
The public has spoken: America's national parks are
crowded. Consumer Reports asked 40,000 of its subscribers to rate
their experiences in America's national parks. The survey found
that along with spectacular scenery, Yellowstone and the Grand
Canyon offered headaches over parking, bad roads and too many
people. Yellowstone, the nation's first national park, ranked 27th
on the list of visitor satisfaction. The Grand Canyon also did
poorly, ranking 22nd. Maureen Oltrogge, Grand Canyon National Park
spokeswoman, says that overcrowding is an old complaint. During the
park's peak season, an average of 6,500 cars a day compete for
2,400 parking spaces. Says Oltrogge, "Planners never imagined that
so many people would use the national parks." Alaska's Glacier Bay
National Park was rated highest for overall experience followed by
Utah's Arches, Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico and Utah's
Canyonlands. For the full survey, see the June issue of Consumer
Reports.