It’s just about vacation season, and after being cooped up for a couple of years (thanks, COVID!) we are beyond ready to hit the open road and visit some National Parks. Camping, hiking, wildlife, and those amazing post-hike meals are just a few of the reasons we always choose National Parks for our vacation spot, and because we love National Parks so much, we always want to make sure we do our part in keeping them better than we found them, and there are actually a lot of ways we can all pitch in! Let’s take a look.
(image via: our escape clause)
You know the phrase about only leaving footprints and taking only pictures? Well, do that! If you know or even think there’s a chance you’ll be camping or enjoying a meal or two in a National Park, make sure everything you bring is reusable rather than needing to be disposed of. This way, there isn’t even a chance you’ll accidentally leave behind any trash.
Always maintain a safe distance from any wildlife you may encounter. We totally understand wanting to hug all of the animals and boop their noses, but just as some animals pose a threat to us humans, we pose a threat to them. Remember, you’re in their home, so you must be respectful. And absolutely, under no circumstance, should you feed the animals. We know, we know. Those chipmunks are precious and they would probably love a corner of that garden veggie cracker you’re munching on, but it’s not good for them, and we want to keep them happy and healthy.
Have shuttle bus will travel. There are a lot of parks that allow visitors to park, then run a shuttle bus to various campgrounds. If and when you can take advantage of this, we encourage you to do so! Gas guzzlers wreck havoc on the ecosystem, and a major bonus, these shuttle buses are typically free. A win-win!
(image via: all that’s interesting)
Never go off-trailing. Not only is veering off trails bad news for you if you get lost, but it’s not good for the land either. Think about it: at any given National Park what if everybody could just walk around as they pleased? A lot of things would get squished and carried to other parts of the park, it would simply be chaos, so enjoy each and every trail to the hilt, just so long as you stay on it.
Once you know which park you’re visiting, start doing your research and check out the visitor guide; this will have a ton of info for you and yours to have the best visit possible.