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There has been a great amount of discussion regarding federal land and National Parks this year, with many politicians attempting to make a name for themselves by taking up the position that federal land should not belong to the federal government, and instead should be seized by the individual states that the land is bounded by.  This political posturing may be a difference of opinion between the parties, but the potential future of our National Parks may hang in the balance.  By the theory of federal land being transferred to the individual states, the outcome could be current National Parks being sold off to the highest bidders for a variety of activities including development, drilling, exploration, logging,  fracking and pipelines.  While this may seem like something worth considering as it could raise money for cash-strapped states, the consideration must be made to recognize the fact that our unspoiled National Parks cannot be recovered if any of these activities were to take place.  Once they are gone, they are gone forever. A prime example of this fight is happening in Colorado, where Republican nominee Bob Beauprez recently stated during a debate that he supported the seizure of Colorado’s national parks, forests and public lands by the state government, saying “this is fight we have to wage.” He went on to say that if the land were being leased from the state by the federal government, "we would cancel their lease."  His opponent Gov. Hickenlooper retorted by asking where Beauprez planned of acquiring the additional funding that would be necessary to maintain the additional land in question on a state level, pointing out that the additional burden to the taxpayers would be around $200 million annually.  If the costs of battling forest fires is to be addressed, the costs to taxpayers could be in the

All national parks have a birthday, a day when they were officially recognized by congress as a protected area in the United States, and would be governed by the rules set forth under the protection acts in order to forever keep their natural beauty intact for people to observe.  On October 1, 1890 President Benjamin Harrison signed into law a bill that gave Yosemite Valley a National Park status.  In this law, Yosemite National Park is preserved and protected, including more than 1,500 square miles of park area, Tuolumne Meadows, the high country, and Hetch Hetchy. Yosemite Valley and the Giant Sequoias of Mariposa Grove were still under the control of the State of California under the provisions of the Yosemite Grant (which was receded by California on June 11, 1906,) but the combination of the legislation and the existing Yosemite Grant makes up most of what Yosemite National Park as it is known today.  The Yosemite Grant itself is 150 years old, being signed on June 30 1864. Yosemite National Park is considered one of the most beautiful open spaces in the world, and one of the little known facts is that the Indian Village that once was home to residents of Yosemite was burned by the National Park Service in 1969, after the last residents were moved out.  The natives of the area were inhabitants for thousands of years, but upon being designated as protected land and being given the status of "National Park" the residents were not allowed to stay if they remarried, nor were children allowed to stay if the parental figures died.  Today, Yosemite National Park is enjoyed by thousands of visitors each year, and is cherished as an unspoiled example of the beauty of America.

Saguaro National Park officials have voiced their opinion that they are opposed to development of the land across from Rincon Mountain entrance.  The opposing opinion to the proposal of development hinges on the fact that it is in close proximity to the park, and is simply too close.  This opposition raises an interesting question regarding national park land, "should there be a development buffer zone around national parks?"  The question is going to be debated heavily from both standpoints, with examples of West Yellowstone at Yellowstone and Gatlinsburg at the Sugarlands entrance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park being used s examples.  In the example of Saguaro National Park, the potential development of the 45 acres of land across from the Rincon Mountain District is deemed by opposition as far too close. There are many examples of development happening within walking or short driving distance of national parks nationwide.  The development of Bar Harbor is within steps of Acadia National Park in Maine, the development of West Glacier is on the western border of Glacier National Park in Montana, Three Rivers Development is next to Sequoia National Park in California and Royal Front Development is steps from the northern entrance of Shenandoah National Park in Virginia.  In the majority of cases of development near national parks, the towns were established previous to the national park. At Saguaro, the disputed area is known as Bike Ranch development, and the opposing viewpoint is to  preserve open space around the entrance to the Rincon Mountain District. The property is located in the Pima County Buffer Overlay Zone, which preserves and protects the open space characteristics within one mile of public preserves, according to park staff. At the Pima County Hearing Administrator in May the proposal of development was strongly opposed by officials.  At

One of the most interesting touring experiences that visitors to the Southwestern United States have at their disposal are Bryce and Zion tours. Both the Bryce Canyon National Park and the Zion National Parks are within a short drive from the comfort of Las Vegas, making it a perfect trip to factor into your next vacation to the area. You can start with the bright lights and comfort of Las Vegas and all it has to offer, and then spend a few days getting away from the city with a tour through two of the most unique spaces on earth. Bryce Canyon National Park is a smaller and less traffic-heavy space encompassing roughly 50 miles of hiking trails in Utah. The picturesque beauty of the park is well on display throughout the entire ecosphere, but is most prominently displayed on the 18 mile scenic trail that is a must-do for hiking enthusiasts. The park is open year round, and should be visited at different times of the year in order to get a completely different perspective each time. The Hoodoos of Bryce are a truly unique experience that can be found nowhere else in the world. Only a short 83 mile drive from Bryce Canyon is Zion, which is a must for anyone who wants to experience first hand the landscape of the protected areas of the United States. The rock climbing in Zion is worldwide recognized as some of the best on earth, and avid climbers will travel thousands of miles to experience it. Horseback riding and ATV touring are also quite popular in Zion. The true beauty of Bryce and Zion tours are their accessibility to Las Vegas as a starting point. Tours which spend full days at both parks can be completed in a three day timespan,

TAKE ACTION: URGE THE BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT TO PROTECT PUBLIC LANDS IN SOUTHERN NEVADA! Southern Nevada is an amazing landscape of desert, mountains, and wildlife that offers room to hike, hunt, fish and enjoy the natural scenic beauty. Most of these lands—about 3 million acres—are publicly owned and held in trust for all Americans to enjoy. Overseen by the Bureau of Land Management, they contain designated wilderness areas, important habitat for desert tortoises, rich archeological sites, and many other environmental and cultural treasures. Because these special places belong to us all, we have a say in how they are managed. SOUTHERN NEVADA’S PUBLIC LANDS ARE IN YOUR HANDS—MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD! In Nevada, only 230,000 acres of public land has been permanently safeguarded as wilderness. The land use plan that is being considered and is available for public review and comment by citizens, and  the Bureau Of Land Management has fallen short in properly assessing additional wild areas that are still in need of protection. The BLM identified only another 7 percent of those 3 million acres as having wilderness qualities, and it has proposed to set aside an even smaller fraction—just 1 percent. Numerous areas deserving of protection are either not identified as having wilderness characteristics or not slated for conservation, including Billy Goat Peak and Bitter Ridge in the Gold Butte area, the Middle and North McCullough Mountains, Arrow Canyon, Amargosa Valley, the Virgin Mountains, and Buffington Pockets. These lands not only provide a variety of recreational opportunities, but they also are home to desert tortoises, gila monsters, and kit foxes. URGE THE BLM TO PROTECT WILDERNESS IN SOUTHERN NEVADA. SEND YOUR COMMENT TODAY!

244,970 acres of new wilderness areas are now protected by Congress, as of a few days ago. Land conservation legislation has been a problem in Congress for the past five years, which has failed to pass any meaningful legislation that would impact the wilderness areas that are protected from industrialization and development.  With mounting pressure from President Obama and growing frustration from local communities impacted by encroachment, Congress has finally acted and supplied a package of dozens of land conservation bills to the President for signature.  The bills protect more than 1 million acres of national parks, wilderness areas and rivers.  Although the victory is slightly tainted in that these measures needed to be attached to the defense spending bill in order to pass, conservationists are taking the victory.  It is the first bit of substantial protection offered since 2009. House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD) stated “In addition to setting aside nearly a quarter million acres of wilderness in the American West, it also expands more than a dozen of our national parks to protect more of this country’s natural splendor for future generation.,” These bills include protections for 244,970 acres of new wilderness.  Some of the more significant additions were to the Bob Marshall Wilderness in Montana, the creation of the Columbine-Hondo Wilderness in New Mexico, the Pine Forest Range and Wovoka Wildernesses in Nevada, and the Hermosa Creek Wilderness in Colorado.  Additionally, the bills also designate 208,160 acres in Montana as the Rocky Mountain Front Conservation Management Area, along with protection of 70,650 acres in Colorado as the Hermosa Creek Special Management Area.   More than 100 miles of rivers have additionally been added to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. During his signing of a proclamation in May that used executive order to protect a national monument in

Bindlestiff Tours is one of the premier touring companies specialized in the National Parks of the Southwestern United States, and as such provides an inclusive and immersive hiking experience of Zion National Park as part of the "Bryce And Zion Overnight Tour."  This tour is provided as a walking tour, structured in a way so as to provide a full day at each location which can be spent in a variety of activities.  Day two is an excursion into what is considered Utah's finest National Park, Zion.  For hikers of all levels, there are trails that will provide beautiful scenery and challenging hiking. There are several hikes of note, but for the purposes of this article we will concentrate on the main hikes of Zion.  Each has it's own unique features and scenery, and in addition to those hikes discussed here, there are many others which are outside of our typical geographic area of choice that can be explored on private tours through our sister company Bindlestiff Private Tours. Angel's Landing: This is considered one of the most epic trails in Utah, and is the favorite among most of our guides.  The path itself winds through steep switchbacks and through Refrigerator Canyon, which displays cooler temperatures than the remainder of the hike.  Not to be missed is "Walter's Wiggles," one of the more interesting and unique geological formations in Utah.  You will ascend more than 1500 feet above the valley floor as you hit the ridgeline.  The trail ends at a dramatic perch with an unbelievable 360 degree view of Zion Canyon. Emerald Pools: Across from Zion Lodge is Emerald Pools, one of the most popular and heavily trafficked trails in Zion.  Considered mild in nature, there is dramatic scenery including waterfalls and the pools themselves.  Popular aspects of the

Monument Valley Navajo Hotel Owners Open New Area Monument Valley tours are not only an important source of experience based touring of the southwestern United States, but additionally a source of income to the indigenous people of the area.  In the case of Monument Valley, the Navajo Indians have inhabited the area for thousands of years.  It is important for Navajo businesses to benefit from tourist spending in order to continue to remain culturally intact, so when a Navajo owned business expands in the area and creates new opportunities for employment for the local population, it is important to bring awareness to the projects.  One of these projects is the expansion of "The View Hotel" to include a new type of camping experience. The view of Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, which is situated on the northern outskirts of the Navajo Nation in Monument Valley, is unmatched anywhere else in the world.  There is a single hotel within Monument Valley called "The View Hotel" which opened for business several years ago, catering to guests who wanted to be able to relax with the spectacular view of the rock formations of Monument Valley in the distance.  After considering feedback from guests over the last successful years, the owners of The View Hotel Armanda decided to offer a different experience for those who wanted to experience the same view while feeling a little closer to Mother Nature, and built a campground and cabin area called "The Cabins At The View."  This new concept is located north of the hotel, and features 29 cabins perfect for a more "camping" type of experience. In addition to the cabins are 30 RV spots and wilderness campsites which are more appropriate to those who want to experience a more authentic Navajo historical feeling, embodying the perfect

Zion National Park is a recognized National Park, and is open for tours in the Southwest US.  The park is located near Springdale, Utah. Here is a list of some of the interesting facts about Zion National Park: The park is named after the Hebrew word, “Zion.”  This word translates as “a place of peace and relaxation.” In Zion National Park there is an area called Weeping Rock.  In this area, the water that can be seen oozing from the rock surfaces has taken more than 1,000 years to travel through the stone from its source in a natural, underground spring. The popular movie “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” was filmed near Zion National Park, at the ghost town of Grafton. The Virgin River which runs through the park has four native fish species: Virgin River Spinedace, Speckled Dace, Flannelmouth Sucker, and Desert Sucker. Over 124,000 acres of Zion were declared by the US government as wilderness in March 2009, which protects the area against any future development and guarantees the preservation of its natural beauty. One of the most endangered species of bird, the California condor, as well as peregrine falcons are among the many bird species found in Zion.  Currently, there are 288 bird species known to exist in the park. The world’s longest tunnel is 1.1 miles long.  It is located in Zion National Park and is known as the Zion-Mt. Carmel tunnel.  It was opened and dedicated on July 4, 1930. In 2002, the Olympic Torch passed through Zion National Park on its way to Salt Lake City. One of the word’s largest freestanding natural arches is located in Zion’s backcountry.  Kolob Arch measures about 287 feet in length. There are many canyons in Zion that are so well hidden that most early surveyors missed