National Parks Centennial

Archive Report

Population Pressures in the Parks

Range of Problems in 100th Anniversary Year

When the united states began setting aside parcels of virgin land for recreation one hundred years ago, they were called “pleasuring grounds.” Today they are called national parks but there is little pleasure in visiting some of them. During the peak summer season many parks are characterized by packed trailer lots, traffic jams and blaring radios. “Don't fall down, you'll get trampled to death,” warned a backpacker who visited a remote hiking trail in Kings Canyon National Park in California. Overcrowding—in terms of people and automobiles—is the major problem. But there are others, including bear attacks, damage caused by sonic booms, wilderness crime, and confrontations between youths and the law. “What's become of the ...

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