National Park openings

[AJMike]

I looked at the websites for both Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks and both seems to say that all (or most of) the National Parks are being reopened or, at least, the restrictions are being eased, but neither gave any information about a schedule or when this might actually happen.

Does anyone know where there might be some proposed schedule posted?

[theSane]

I do not know, but the sooner they open the Tonto National Forest recreation area parking lots the better. Currently people are parking on the shoulders on both sides of the road and climbing down the cliffs to get to the water. Very hazardous situations all the way around.

[Morich]

Yes, that is what is happening here in Texas and that means that it will have to be a much more harsh reaction the next time around. Here, the state has ruled that no fines can be used to enforce the rules they have put out, so the trend of the spread is still going up dailly, even as they open.
One of those cases where we have to ask ourselves a question.
If we can't stand to do it right the first time, how will we ever do it over?

[AJMike]

Originally Posted by Morich

If we can't stand to do it right the first time, how will we ever do it over?

Sure, but the question is what does it mean to "do it right"?

I was under the impression that Texas was opening back up. Is that not correct?

[theSane]

The lock-down was not created to prevent everyone from getting sick, it was created to prevent hospital overcrowding.

In that regards, it was successful, though there are Nobel prize winning biologists arguing it was not needed even for that.

[AJMike]

Originally Posted by theSane

I do not know, but the sooner they open the Tonto National Forest recreation area parking lots the better. Currently people are parking on the shoulders on both sides of the road and climbing down the cliffs to get to the water. Very hazardous situations all the way around.

I have never seen the Tonto National Forest boondocking sites as busy as they apparently are now. We drove on Forest Road 405 and pretty much every available camping space had at least one camper on it and the Black Canyon Rim boondocking area was chock full of people.

There are also fire restrictions in effect although I am not sure why. There is standing water all over the place so they must have had some strong rains in the last week or so.

[theSane]

Originally Posted by AJMike

I have never seen the Tonto National Forest boondocking sites as busy as they apparently are now. We drove on Forest Road 405 and pretty much every available camping space had at least one camper on it and the Black Canyon Rim boondocking area was chock full of people.

There are also fire restrictions in effect although I am not sure why. There is standing water all over the place so they must have had some strong rains in the last week or so.

We have not had any rain in the valley, but the Salt River system is full. Nice to see the reservoirs so full this late in the year. I still get worried about how we will maintain the water capacity we will need for the next 30 years, let alone the 100 years the city planners are supposed to prepare for.

[AJMike]

Originally Posted by theSane

We have not had any rain in the valley, but the Salt River system is full.

I was not referring to here in the valley, but rather to up on the rim. If you drive along 260 toward Heber you see standing water everywhere and some areas, especially near the entrance to the Woods Canyon Lake area, it looks like there are small lakes all over the place. That only happens when there is good rain so if the ground is that wet (and it was in some boondocking areas around there) I don't understand why there are fire restrictions in place.

Of course we followed the rules, but I still don't understand the need right now.

Originally Posted by theSane

I still get worried about how we will maintain the water capacity we will need for the next 30 years, let alone the 100 years the city planners are supposed to prepare for.

That is a different story. It is hard to see how the area can supply enough water for the present growth if it extends over the next 100 years. One look at Lake Powell is enough to scare me.

[AJMike]

Originally Posted by theSane

though there are Nobel prize winning biologists arguing it was not needed even for that.

This is a highly contentious issue but it seems to me that we are only dragging out the inevitable. Unless they keep the lockdown in effect for the next 6 months to a year, a clear impossibility both politically and economically, the virus is still going to slowly spread to the rest of the population.

To me it seems that the main question is whether we are suffering more from the effects of the virus now or will suffer more from the effects of the depression that will result from our own actions. Being in the high risk age group I am not particularly anxious to get this thing but I do assume that eventually most of us will be exposed so it just seems like a question of now or then.

I have the feeling that in 3 or 4 years people will be shaking their heads and asking how we were so foolish as to force an economic catastrophe on our society when it made no difference in the end infection rate, but then perhaps I am a pessimist.

[theSane]

Originally Posted by AJMike

I was not referring to here in the valley, but rather to up on the rim. If you drive along 260 toward Heber you see standing water everywhere and some areas, especially near the entrance to the Woods Canyon Lake area, it looks like there are small lakes all over the place. That only happens when there is good rain so if the ground is that wet (and it was in some boondocking areas around there) I don't understand why there are fire restrictions in place.

Of course we followed the rules, but I still don't understand the need right now.



That is a different story. It is hard to see how the area can supply enough water for the present growth if it extends over the next 100 years. One look at Lake Powell is enough to scare me.

I would guess any time the temp hits 100 degrees, the fire warning is mandatory.

The state has an exception on fires for cooking, do you know if that applies to the federal land as well? We have a propane grill we use, and the state rangers said it was legal so long as it was used for cooking only.

Hopefully the new Drought Contingency Plan (DCP) will help with the Colorado river reservoir water levels.

[Journey39n]

Every time I make reservations, all seems good, then the 1st of the month comes around, and the reservations get cancelled.

Question is, do you want to be out and travelling, only to have no good place to go to? Yes, there is lots of pressure to get folks back to work, yes, let them if all reasonable safety precautions can be taken.

As one of the oldsters in the vulnerable bracket (and a wife with many risk factors), I plan on avoiding all the mask-less yahoos that I can, for as long as I can. (hey, the masks others are supposed to wear, are to protect me, thank you) I figure, eventually, they will have effective treatments, if I can avoid getting infected, long enough.

In the mean time, travel if you can, but I expect this summer, is going to be a real mess on what can be open, what is actually open, and what stays open. And if you are out and about, and get sick in a sparse area, what are your treatment options going to be?

Good luck to all, and be safe out there!

[AzLady]

Originally Posted by AJMike

I looked at the websites for both Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks and both seems to say that all (or most of) the National Parks are being reopened or, at least, the restrictions are being eased, but neither gave any information about a schedule or when this might actually happen.

Does anyone know where there might be some proposed schedule posted?

This is the information I found. I hope it helps. Zion and Bryce are amazing places to visit. Have a wonderful time.
https://universe.byu.edu/2020/05/07/...rks-reopening/