Signs 'O' Da Times

BISON HAVING GOOD TIME

Road Construction In Full Swing

visitation near new record

WALLPAPER: GO FAST-PASS BUS-YEE HAW !!

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.. Yellowstone National Park is not a petting zoo. Nor is it set aside as a playground for fly fishers only.
.. Visitors take selfies with their backs turned to the bison just 20' feet away. Fishers stop traffic as they struggle into their waders in the middle of parking lots and narrow roads.

PRIMITIVE PARKING

.. It could be truly entertaining to watch if it wasn't so dangerous. Vehicles pass each other on blind curves. Parking lots are so full that plans are being discussed to expand several of them. Tour buses are larger and more full than ever before. Only the brave venture into the park during "HIGH SEASON."
.. A fifth visitor was gored and trampled by a bison yesterday. The park news service is busy with their standard press release - again, (LINK-1.)
.. Statistics for visitation for the first half of the year show increases for every month. Rate of increase ranges from 4.90% to 48.61%, (LINK-2.)

CIVILIZED PARKING

.. Traffic jams are compounded by the increase in pedestrians and fishers in the road and the multiple construction projects around the park, (LINK-3 , LINK-4.)
.. Parking lots are so full that cars and mobile condominiums are parked in the traffic lanes. Drivers circle the lots for lengthy periods just hoping for a safe place to park.
.. It can take more than 25 minutes to travel the distance through town to the West Entrance Station of the park.

FIREHOLE FUN

.. The buzz and speculation is that the increase is due mostly to lower gasoline prices. That may be a factor.
.. There are others: America's population boom, an affluent generation here just got rid of kids and enjoy the summer to themselves, the burgeoning middle class in China is discovering the world, tour operations present an easy opportunity for good money; AND - Global warming. The park is crowded and will remain that way for decades to come.

MORE FIREHOLE FUN

.. By the way: Disney is now conducting tours of Yellowstone National Park. How long before they run the place? Probably in 2019 or 2020 right after their new Shanghai attraction is finished, (LINK-5.)
.. Injuries from wading and swimming in the Firehole River are on the rise. A woman died by drowning just a few years ago, (LINK-6.)
.. Despite the common misconceptions that the rivers are only for fishing there are many visitors that enjoy playing in the water in the hot Summer.
.. One response by the National Park Service to the increased visitation is an increase in park fees. As of June 1, 2015 the fees have jumped up a notch and are expected to provide an increase in revenue of $3,000,000.00, (LINK-7.) That would make the total take from entrance fees about $15,000,000.00/year.

GREAT BIG SIGN - OFTEN IGNORED

.. National parks are setting records across the country. NOAA has correlated this, (partially,) with warming trends in climate and "good" weather, (LINK-8.)
.. We've been advised that a bellwether condition exists at Arches National Park and Cayonlands National Park, (LINK-9.) Parking is a problem. Bus loads of people are a problem. Congestion and the "visitor experience" are major topics of concern.
.. In our neighborhood the state and the town are already responding. We have new traffic controls including lane assignments, signage, and road improvements.
.. The National Park Service is taking baby steps to address these problems, (LINK-10.) These are small parks compared to Yellowstone National Park. They are feeling the pinch.
.. Yosemite has responded. We can only hope that Yellowstone responds rapidly - right now would not be too soon. [[Thanks to J.C. for the heads up.]]

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.. The fish are doing well in Grayling Creek, (LINK-11.) We've seen them and hope to catch a few in a year or two.
.. These are not the adfluvial Grayling that were dumped in Grebe Lake and move down the Gibbon River. These are native Montana fluvial Grayling from the Big Hole River that are housed in the  refugium of Axolotl Lake near Ennis, Montana.

TRY THIS

.. Caddis are the star attraction on the Gallatin River right now. Even in the rain and during the overcast the little skinny ones are happening. Tie a blade of dead grass on a small hook and catch a dozen fish per hour. How good is that?
.. The recent spate of cool weather has slowed down the ants and beetles. The hoppers are slower but still moving and swimming the backstroke. They should finish their molt in a week or two.
.. Now might be a good time to catch the sunrise in the Lamar Valley.

Then again . . . .

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