America's backyards: Parks in the Dark

 

Vishnu Temple at Grand Canyon National Park

One thing I miss most since returning to India, after a five-year stint in the US, is the U.S. National Park Service (NPS) —truly America’s backyards. Each park had its own charms, and visiting them was undoubtedly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. To get the best out of our time and the most "bang for our buck," detailed planning was essential. This was a cherished group activity for our family of four, with each member responsible for a specific task.

Our NPS journey began with Acadia National Park, a place created entirely by private donations and largely credited to the vision of John D. Rockefeller Jr. Along the way, we experienced the Great Smoky Mountains, the only major park without an entrance fee due to a law that prohibits such charges. Our journey culminated at Yellowstone, a trip that needed almost three years of planning because of school and work schedules, park has a short seasonal operation and finally, the distance for those traveling from the East Coast.

Having loved every moment from the initial planning to the actual visit of ten parks, it pains me to read the news today. It feels as though John Muir’s legacy is in danger of being wiped out. The "crisis" facing the NPS today is a multifaceted struggle involving drastic budget cuts, severe staffing shortages, and record-breaking visitation. These struggles are coming together to push the parks to a breaking point, and it hurts to think that visitor safety and the very history of these lands are now hanging in the balance.

Visiting the parks is such a wholesome experience for any group, yet every year, visitation records are shattered. Currently, about 50% of all recreation visits happen in just the top 25 most popular parks, placing immense stress on the infrastructure. Successive years of deep budget cuts have led to strained, bare-bones crews running even the most iconic locations like Yellowstone and Yosemite.

The reality is that many rangers can no longer afford to live near the parks they protect. In gateway communities, skyrocketing real estate prices have outpaced salaries, leaving both seasonal and permanent positions unfilled. Every year, visitors put more pressure on this dwindling workforce by engaging in prohibited activities, which increases search-and-rescue incidents in already understaffed parks. Eventually, this lack of presence leads to higher rates of vandalism and illegal activities due to having fewer law enforcement rangers on the ground. Though I no longer live in the USA, I can only say “God Bless America’s parks” and they continue to survive highlighting a vital slice of American history, “outdoors.”