April 27, 2011
How to Experience National Parks - Without a Car
Robert Doyle READ TIME: 6 MIN.
DENVER, April, 2011 - Millions of travelers will enter national parks in their personal vehicles this summer, and most of those visitors will not wander beyond a park's close-in viewpoints and parking lots - often with their cars well within sight. An intrepid few, however, will leave the comfort of their vehicles and experience parks by paddling, peddling, diving, walking, running, climbing, casting, hiking or swinging.
"I've heard National Park Service rangers say that most visitors barely wander beyond 50 yards of their cars, and many of those visitors only stay in a park for a few hours," said Dave Hartvigsen, vice president of sales and marketing for Xanterra Parks & Resorts, operator of concessions in several parks. "Although there is certainly nothing wrong with driving through a park, when travelers go beyond the viewpoints, they are treated to sights and sounds of wilderness that cannot be experienced unless you get a little physical."
And visitors do not necessarily have to be in top-notch physical condition in order to have these human-powered experiences, Hartvigsen added. "Although there are plenty of more extreme experiences - such as climbing the cliffs in Zion National Park or hiking to the top of Mount Washburn in Yellowstone - there are also numerous experiences for travelers in average physical condition," said Hartvigsen.
Here are some human-powered activities recommended by Hartvigsen:
This wildlife-rich area is adjacent to the park's Thorofare Region which has been designated as the most remote wilderness in the continental United States. The shuttle service is available from mid-June to early September, and it can be booked one-way, round-trip or for any point-to-point service from five drop-off points as well as to or from Bridge Bay Marina. Arrangements can be made by calling 1-307-242-3893.
Travelers can wander the trail on their own or join a free interpretive walk led by a National Park Service ranger. Some lucky visitors may get a glimpse of a mountain goat precariously perched on the cliffs. Cap the experience by enjoying a "Monumental Scoop" of hand-dipped or soft-serve ice cream cone from Memorial Team Ice Cream Station, a Xanterra-operated shop named in honor of the baseball team formed by the Mount Rushmore carvers.
A difficult but highly gratifying ride is Artist's Drive, a hilly, nine-mile, one-way paved road named for the palette of colors - from red to green - caused by the oxidation of minerals within the volcanic rock. Guided scenic downhill bike tours are also available. Bicycles can also be rented at the Old Faithful Snow Lodge in Yellowstone National Park. The 33-mile rim drive circling Crater Lake in Oregon's Crater Lake National Park is also a stunningly popular bike ride.
Xanterra Parks & Resorts has been committed to the preservation and protection of the environment for many years. Through its environmental program, "Ecologix," Xanterra Parks & Resorts has been recognized repeatedly for environmental leadership in the hospitality industry and is the recipient of many honors, including major awards from the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Environmental Protection Agency, Travel Industry Association of America, American Hotel and Lodging Association, National Parks Conservation Association, Conde Nast Traveler, National Geographic Traveler, Colorado Department of Public Health, State of Arizona, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality and Utah Department of Environmental Quality.
Xanterra Parks & Resorts is the country's largest park concessioner. Xanterra Parks & Resorts has operations in the following locations: Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Zion, Crater Lake, Rocky Mountain and Petrified Forest National Parks, Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Furnace Creek Resort in Death Valley, Kingsmill Resort in Williamsburg, Va. and eight Ohio State Park Lodges as well as the Geneva Marina at Ohio's Geneva State Park. Xanterra Parks & Resorts also operates Grand Canyon Railway in Williams, Arizona.
For more information about Xanterra Parks & Resorts, links to individual properties and reservations numbers, visit www.xanterra.com.
Long-term New Yorkers, Mark and Robert have also lived in San Francisco, Boston, Provincetown, D.C., Miami Beach and the south of France. The recipient of fellowships at MacDowell, Yaddo, and Blue Mountain Center, Mark is a PhD in American history and literature, as well as the author of the novels Wolfchild and My Hawaiian Penthouse. Robert is the producer of the documentary We Are All Children of God. Their work has appeared in numerous publications, as well as at : www.mrny.com.