On whether to visit national parks

18 May 2005

Got questions about the environment? Ask Umbra.

Dear Umbra,

We are considering a driving vacation this summer with the intent of visiting as many of America's wonderful national parks as we can -- both to enjoy them and to add some money to their coffers, which have been depleted in recent years. But as we all know, burning up lots of gasoline is bad for the environment. My question is: would it be a better environmental choice to drive around and support the national parks, or stay home and not spew all those hydrocarbons into the atmosphere?

Jan McCreary
Silver City, N.M.

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Dearest Jan,

Our parks are indeed in trouble. And the sad answer to your question is that it's better to stay home and not spew any more hydrocarbons than necessary. If you did that, you could support the parks by randomly sending them money, or supporting the National Parks Conservation Association, or letting your elected representatives know that parks are a priority. Then you could buy a few pretty national-park posters, hang them up around the house, and walk quickly by while eating granola for an ersatz experience.

To see or not to see? That is the question.

Photo: National Park Service.

But the parks must be seen and breathed, and I can't endorse your missing them. From what I've read, visiting by car in the summer can be unpleasant, as you sweat in a long line stuck behind a slow RV and then duke it out for scarce parking places. So ... how about the train?

Besides being a relaxing way to travel, here are the super-great aspects of taking the train: you would be able to visit and help fund the parks; you would share fuel use with fellow passengers; and you would support the notion of car-free parks, which is taking hold with shuttle buses and car-free days in places like Zion National Park in Utah, and Maine's Acadia National Park. You would be an "early adopter" of this trend, and a happy environmentalist.

Train travel can be combined with buses or parks-operated transit. And there are even park-themed trips already out there, such as the ones operated by American Orient Express and Amtrak's on-board interpretive program Trails and Rails with Lewis and Clark.

OK, Jan, here's the bad news (and what, in life, comes without it these days?): train trips can be expensive, and I don't know what your budget is. Also, in all honesty, if your car is going to be full, the per-passenger energy burden would be about the same as it is on a train. But still, as you make your plans, consider riding the rails. I think you'll have a more restful summer if you go that route -- and it sure beats pining from your living room.

Excitedly,
Umbra

Yours is to wonder why, hers is to answer (or try). Please send Umbra any nagging question pertaining to the environment -- but first check out her FAQs!

The claims made in this column may not reflect the views of this magazine. Neither the magazine nor the author guarantees that any advice contained in this column is wise or safe. Please use this column at your own risk.

Umbra Fisk is Grist Research Associate II, Hardcover and Periodicals Unit, floors 2B-4B.

Comments: (6 comments)

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The train rocks

I take the train from Washington DC, to New York City all the time for business and there is no other way to travel. Years ago on a business trip to San Diego, I picked up a nasty ear infection and was unable to fly back to DC, so I took the train. I spent 3 of the most relaxing days of my life crossing the country -- it almost made me forget about the throbbing puss factory in my ear.

However, taking the train on vacation never occurred to me -- that is, until this article by Umbra. I just priced trains from DC to Maine, since Acadia was one of the car-free parks she mentioned. The price is not bad: $135 per person. For me, having no travel stress (you don't get strip searched and they let you bring nail clippers on trains), seeing the country from a relaxed vantage point, and having lots of time to read and nap on my way to a national park sounds ideal.

by yuduke at 3:48 PM on 18 May 2005

Green Tortoise Adventure Tours

If trains are not your bag, try these bus tours:

http://www.greentortoise.com/

At least you are combining your trip with a bunch of other people. And the price includes meals and park fees. You dont have to worry about driving or parking. You can even sleep on the bus while they drive overnight. I have yet to go on any of these tours, but plan to go to Yosemete in the fall. Hope this helps!

by pgrrl at 4:08 PM on 18 May 2005

how to get cheap train tickets

i love taking the train and i can't help passing on this sweet tip, although it will probably mean you all snap up the cheap tickets before i grab them.

amtrak offers these things called railsales, otherwise known as weekly specials. they set aside 8 seats on many of their trains for online purchases at huge discounts, sometimes around 75% off. the trains available on discount, and the dates they're available, are constantly changing, and the cheap tickets sometimes disappear fast, so if you see something you like, snag it. the best time to check for sales on the route you want is usually a few months to a few weeks before travel.

to find the specials, go to:
http://tickets.amtrak.com/itd/amtrak/WeeklySpecials
and have your calendar and your credit card ready. it also helps to have an amtrak map handy (available on amtrak.com) so you can determine the origin and destination of the train you want. you don't have to take the train the whole way to get the discount; once you click on the train you want, you are allowed to change your arrival and departure stations to any stations on its route.

happy rail-riding!
alyson

ps: i don't work for amtrak. honest.

by alyson at 5:48 PM on 18 May 2005

bikes rock too

The first time I went to Southern Utah I kept crossing paths with a guy on a bike. He had packed up his bike and camping gear and had taken a bus to Arizona or Utah. Southern Utah is chock full of both National and state parks. He was able to bike from one park to the next within one day, -sometimes a long day but he was able to do it. Of course, to make it worthwhile he stayed a few days at each park. I would like to do this some time too.
To make it even more interesting, this guy just wasn't on vacation. He got up every day at dawn and went bird-watching. He made a living writing freelance articles for birding magazines. Great lifestyle, hats off to that guy.
In Canada everyone's favourite outdoor store Mt. Equipment Coop has a yearly contest to get people to submit stories about self-propelled vacations they have taken. Here are last year's entries. Check them out and get inspired.

MEC Self-propelled Adventure Story Contest

Jennifer Klenz

by jklenz at 6:48 PM on 18 May 2005

Buses? Carbon neutrality?

Someone already mentioned Green Tortoise.

As a non-driver (I don't drive; I don't have a license) I consistently find this to be a problem when vacationing in the U.S.

The train service in the U.S. is not convenient, in my experience, for anywhere other than major centres. I pretty much rely on Greyhound to get me from A to B if I'm going somewhere off the beaten track.

The place to head for is hostels. Typically backpackers don't travel by car - so if you (for example) head to a hostel in Flagstaff, AZ, you will find a way of getting to the Grand Canyon which doesn't involve a car.

Whichever mode of transport you take you can use online calculators to calculate your GHG emissions. You can then buy trees or green tags etc thereby offsetting the CO2 your journey generates. Its not as good as staying at home, but it offsets some of the eco-guilt from travelling.

by Snowsurvivor at 2:50 PM on 24 May 2005

Yes, a bike!!

I definitely second the idea of visiting by bicycle. You can get a trailer for your bike from www.BoBTrailers.com. I love these trailers, they can hold a whole lot and don't make your bike all wobbly like panniers.

Not only will you not be burning up all those fossil fuels, but you get to take your time and go the back roads and see the country on your way to the parks.

by ecocyclist at 12:56 PM on 25 May 2005

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Parks and Ride

On whether to visit national parks