GNP backcountry permits

[Jeff Gerke]

I emailed a question to the GNP backcountry rangers after submitting a couple of applications for backcountry camp sites.  I found out that they had 1500 applications in the first five minutes of opening.  I knew they got a lot of applications but I was surprised at 1500 in five minutes.  I had my applications submitted within in the first 10 minutes and thought I would have a good chance but now I think I better start planning some alternate trips.  The national parks are crazy crowded. I took the family to Arches over presidents day weekend.  It was the middle of February and raining and there was still lots of people, even had trouble finding parking in some places.  Just a few years ago we could go on presidents day weekend and hardly anyone was around.  Times are changing.

[Matt V]

I went there last year. I was able to get a permit for a random itinerary (not any of the ones I had come up with, but that turned out to be OK), and the backcountry experience was incredible. We were harassed by goats at one of the campsites, but that’s another story. Besides the backpacking, the trip was really frustrating. The park was way over-crowded. I wasn’t able to get a reservation for a campsite. The first morning we went to one of the campgrounds around 9am, and there were already people circling like vultures, and all the spots where people were leaving were claimed. The other campgrounds were either already full, or we suspected similar outcome even if they hadn’t reported being full yet. We camped on forest service land outside the park every night, so that was a couple hours of driving every day. There’s also not that much public land to camp on, so it takes some good public-land-finding skills. The shuttle for highline loop was extremely crowded, and we waited probably an hour. The shuttle to start our backpacking trip was a similar wait plus a long ride and two transfers. The parking at Logan Pass also filled up early in the day.

They need a shuttle system like Zion where everyone must park at one of the visitor centers, and a shuttle takes you through the park. Part of the problem is that only short buses can go to Logan Pass on the west side, but they should run more of them since seats are very limited.

They should also put out salt licks for the goats.

Just about all the parks (except Zion, which is perfect) need better shuttles. In Rocky Mountain National Park, the Bear Lake trailhead is extremely popular, and parking fills up early. There is a shuttle, but it doesn’t serve any large parking lots. To take a shuttle from the visitor center you have to transfer, which is ridiculous. They should build a large parking lot at the visitor center, run shuttles every 10 minutes, and make everyone take the bus unless they are disabled or staying overnight. It’s a short drive (11 miles), so it wouldn’t take many buses.

[Justin Baker]

The high sierra national parks (yosemite, kings canyon, sequoia) don’t have designated campsites. As long as you can get a trailhead permit, you can camp anywhere in the expansive wilderness areas for as long as you want. Walk up permits are very possible.

Car campgrounds another story, just insane!! Really makes me wish I had a comfortable dirtbag van to sleep in a pullout somewhere.

[USA Duane Hall]

Go later like September helps some. I napped a campsite at 1030 on a week day or into town.
Duane

[April W]

You HAVE to be flexible with itineraries and dates. Don’t book tickets before you got your permit. Or be ready to go up to the ranger’s station and reserve trips based on availability. GNP is a popular destination for sure.

Last year, I applied as soon as the application was open and got my 2nd trip choice.  We went in late July and early August. I booked a motel the day we arrived and went into backcountry the next day. My MIL had vertigo by Lake Ellen (?) so we had to change the itinerary. The rangers were extremely helpful, they bended all the rules they could to accommodate us. We ended up getting our 1st itinerary choice anyway (the 1st part of both trips were the same, the 2nd half was different)! At the end of the trip we camped at one of the campgrounds in Apgar. They do have tent spots for backpackers. So basically in addition to those car campers’ spot, they have limited sites for hikers on foot. IIRC there were three tent spots (wooden rims, filled with sand) for each of those sites, and a few sites per campground. We had two tents and used one tent spot.

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