I live at the base of a National Forest. I can't even drive up without a permit. Outrageous.

Great update Todd! Thanks for keeping tabs for us, we need more folks involved at all levels.

Overcrowding is a serious problem throughout the NPS. Limiting visitors is necessary to reduce environmental impact, and to preserve the park lands for future use. I visited Rocky Mountain about 5 years ago and it was mobbed. Long wait times to drive, to find a pull out at an overlook or visitor center, made for an unpleasant experience. It felt like rush hour in the city. It has been a growing problem for many of the popular parks for years now.

Just as you kept all of us more up to date on Yellowstone flooding and closures much more than the park service site, you are now providing us good info on issues that the public should certainly have input on. Thanks.

Truly sad & greedy. Keep up the good work Thx for the info. Heard about you from The hiking guy. RVmiles also reports some news

I really don't like the reservation system at Rocky Mountain National Park. You really can't spontaneously visit, even with a yearly pass. The available slots are very limited and disappear quickly. You have to know how to game the system. It's very concerning to hear that the whole reservation system is run by a corporation and not the Parks Service.

who makes final decisions who holds the gavel ..that is who to motion with ideas and then vote if it will do any good u see this technology res system stuff they think is the coolest stuff ever look someone is taking a payoff and getting wealthy by messing us up good luck me i personally would never vote for one thing in this country it is the saddest i have ever been in this crud..good luck Todd there is something there to consume your time..thanks for posting for us much appreciated

'Bout time we saw some cool PJ merch! Just placed my order.

Todd, I want to apologize for the comment I previously left. After thinking it through I realized that my wording was too strong. I appreciate your knowledge and the information you provide and it was my error to present my thoughts in the manner I did. Thank you and look forward to viewing future NPS Newscast comments.

Thank you for these videos. I discovered you when seeking information on Yellowstone flood updates. Ended up going to RMNP instead and what a challenge getting into the park as it was a spontaneous trip. I don’t imagine ever visiting again based on the reservation system alone. What a shame as it is a beautiful park. You are correct that it would be so much more fair to use license plates to manage in high traffic areas. Having said that, I hope they never ruin beautiful Yellowstone or Grand Teton with such draconian systems.

Great update - thanks!

I can understand the need for an online reservation system for the busier parks. No one wants to drive to Yellowstone and not be able to get a reservation. That said, there has to be a better way than rec dot gov.

I didn’t even know Rec.gov was a private company, thanks for sharing

Love the merch! Merry Christmas kids! 😎

Eye opening Info

I'd love to know who directly benefits from rec dot gov. Perhaps we should be writing to our congressmen and requesting an investigation?

Very informative Todd! I'm glad you do this so others can make a public comment in the various parks and recreational areas. Back in 1998 I applied for a hiking permit to do a Rim to Rim, South to North. (Yeah I know, the hard way...lol.) pack it in, pack it out This was the most memorable hike I've ever done. I remember having to fax my app numerous times in the morning. What a pain. But we got the days we wanted. This hike my best friend and I planned for, for over two years. And everything we wanted to do fell into place. I relish the memories. Compared to hiking the John Muir back in 1973, the Grand Canyon was easily my favorite hike. We never had to get permits for John Muir. But more and more people go to the parks now than they ever did. I spent a honeymoon at Sequoia NP and often went to Yosemite to stay in the cabins there in winter. My old stomping grounds were in Death Valley. But my heart will always remain in Grand Canyon NP. I know my eldest granddaughter does a lot of hiking in Rocky Mountain NP, so I'll share this with her. Again, thank you Todd!

Hey Todd, thanks for another update. After watching your video, I’m so thankful that we were able to visit every National Park in the lower 48 before these reservation systems were put in place. Be safe and have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. 🎉

Thanks for sharing important info and I'll be sharing it as well. I'm curious what that money is going.

Thanks for the deets Todd!

What about taking still pictures and videos for private purposes? When they going to change that stupid law? Now! Do it! Now!

Our National Parks are getting ruined by private enterprise; hotels, lodges and restaurants - its like being in a small city or tourist town instead of out in nature. Its the same old crap - private corporations taking public property, just helping themselves to get richer - the parks should be almost free, n private corp involved at all.

Old Rag is a beautiful hike, until you have to wait in line for two hours just to get through the more narrow/difficult areas of the rock scramble. So many people you may as well have walked the Mall in DC. You can imagine what happened when covid closed everything but the National Parks, it was a nightmare!

I gotta get me one of them park junkie T-shirts…!

Hi,,we are the federal government,,,and are here to help you…..

Bears will go where the food is. So what’s the food in those areas? Wise up!

About the Everglades, I’ve heard that there are islands that are designated as bird sanctuaries and people are not allowed there….can you confirm this?

Thanks for the great info as always!

Todd. Thank you for the information!!!!

Who owns REC GOV? that will answer your question as to why we have to pay, let us know Thanks

The Everglades is my church ❤

Yellowstone started w/Xanterra and then the games began with everyone and his brother booking the parks....some scamming with websites titled with the name Yellowstone....use to make a fortune from people's lack of knowledge about the park. Now the average tourist is smarter (I hope)

RecDotGov is EXTREMELY frustrating!!! I hate it.

Love what you do. Question and suggestion. Question, does your sweatshirt run ture to size or a little bigger/smaller. Suggestion, your tab for the store was way down at the bottom. Move it to the top. Have a great Christmas.

Sounds like money laundering, some one is making money.

Is Yellowstone park sold off in any portion??

Not finding t-shirt link on your website.

I love the info you are conveying but I think you could improve your delivery, you repeat things and there are way too many 'ahs' it would be ashame to turn you off mid-stream because of losing attention due to the unnecessary extras

I totally disagree with you on the reservation system. In 1872 when Yellowstone was set aside, there wasn't several million people a year passing through the gates. I am most familiar with Yosemite. The Valley which is the most visited is 7 miles long. There are only so many parking places. The one and two lane road only has the capacity to allow for so many vehicles. The employee housing is extremely limited so the ability to have enough rangers to supervise and manage so many visitors. The list can go on and on but in other words the carrying capacity of the park is limited. If you don't balance the the users of the park they miss use it. They climp over barriers, they pull over and park anywhere they please, campground full no problem just pull off anywhere and of course leave a mess. Nature has a balance, the reservation system helps to maintain that balance, the parks are not here to rape and pilalage. The respect for the wilderness you request in this video falls on deaf ears, when it comes to park visitors. Sorry dude but I hope you rethink your opinions.

I hope I misinterpreted your remark about species being reintroduced as being a healthy way to manage animal populations. I grew up in Idaho and witnessed first hand the catastrophe of bringing in Canadian wolves to “balance” the numbers. They have nearly destroyed the elk population. Desk jockeys are not the answer to this issue. Manage hunting the way you suggest the parks should be managed. Hopefully I misread your remark.

Thank you for the links. I have thought recreation.gov is a terrible idea since the beginning. Attempting to get passes to RMNP was a nightmare and I can't imagine how anyone without internet access or a job would be able to spend the time it takes to fight for a ticket. My husband and I have both had Senior passes, which we both paid for. But, it seems they keep adding free passes for different groups. My husband spent 20 years in the military, and now they are free for all veterans, but he is not going to get his pass monty back. Also handicapped. I am fine with taking turns entering the parks, but no wonder they're losing money!

Who owns Rec.gov ?

Hey Todd, thanks for the updates. It seems like rec.gov has become the Ticketmaster of the National Park System. I'm guessing you've read Matt Stoller's essay "Why Is Booz Allen Renting Us Back Our Own National Parks?" One thing you said really hit home with me regarding the impact of the reservation system: it kind of kills the ability to enjoy the parks spontaneously. That's a problem when I'm on road trips and I basically decide what to do when I get up in the morning. I'll definitely hitting those public comment links to provide feedback. By the way, I like your lava lamp. Happy trails!