National parks officials grappling with high volume as Instagram tourism booms - Horseshoe Bend | ABC News

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Pegasus

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This is a story on ABC News about the tourism growth in National Parks. Horseshoe bend has gone from having annual total visitors of 4,000 in 2015 to 2.2 million now! Over 4,000 PER DAY now!! That is only 300,000 less per year than Zions National Park per the story. That growth has to be unprecedented! And it all started with a few Instagram photos posted back in 2015. Amazing.

I'm just glad I was able to go see Horseshoe Bend before it became as "touristy" as it now is. And, note the photo of Zions Park narrows and the hundreds of people hiking it! That looks like a miserable day to me and spoils what the narrows really are, but I guess you take what you can get as a tourist on a set schedule.

Link to ABC News story (p.s. do watch the video also - it's pretty amazing)

Those of us with watercraft have it so good. To be able to head out onto Lake Powell, go up-lake, find a relatively secluded beach for a week at one of the most beautiful places on earth - we are so lucky. I tend to forget that people spend literally thousands of dollars to come for a 'once in a lifetime trip' and visit what many of us get to enjoy multiple times per year. Again, we are so lucky.🙏
 
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Agreed.

On a similar note, yesterday I found myself filled with similar thoughts about the ‘lake option’ after stopping by Lower Antelope Canyon. Hadn’t been to Antelope Marina via land for a couple of years. On the way out, I noticed Lower Antelope, like Horseshoe Bend, has quickly become a major tourist attraction.

I stopped in to find two separate tour companies operating onsite with buildings, concessions and large parking lots. Fees now $48-50 per Adult for scheduled guided tours. Just a few years ago there was just a hut/lean-to and unimproved parking area operated by the Navajo, and prices were about 1/2 current rates.

On the positive side, this expanded tourism will be vital to the local economy and Navajo Nation after NGS shutdown in December.
 
Another thing mentioned a few other times is simply population growth, especially in Utah...

www.sltrib.com

Utah ranks No. 1 for population growth this decade — adds nearly 400K new residents

Utah ranks No. 1 among the states for its population growth rate this decade — thanks to its high birthrate plus a strong economy that attracts people from other states and abroad.
www.sltrib.com www.sltrib.com

Everywhere is simply getting more crowded. There are a lot of factors. One thing I’ve noticed is the advertising. Especially in things like cars. It use to be that Subaru was the main car company advertising something to the affect of driving out to go camping, hiking, etc. opening a third door to let their kid dog out. Now even companies like Mercedes Benz and Lexus are doing the same thing. “Going out and having an adventure” is a huge advertisement right now.


Add in things like a good economy and it’s a recipe for all of the extra crowding everywhere. Look at Hite and what’s happened there. It would still sit relatively vacant if not for a good opportunity to help facilitate all the people. Leaving Hite last Sunday while parked in front of the store there were four different groups who came in, a couple bike groups and a couple Jeep groups extending all the way from canyon lands.
 
Well said Pegasus. I first went to Lake Powell as a Boy Scout in the early seventies and instantly knew I would have to keep coming back. I’m an addict and have made addicts of my children. My now grown kids have traveled the world, but if given an opportunity for one last “vacation”, they would always pick the beauty and allure of the lake. We are all truly fortunate to have such access available to us.
 
Headline coming soon:

Massive crash at Horseshoe Bend entrance
The speed limit is 65mph with NOTHING more than a tiny turning lane. I had someone cut me off last trip. Tourists are pretty clueless on traffic conditions. A crew cab diesel, doing 65, while towing a 24' boat isn't a great vehicle to be hit by.
A pileup is coming. THEN they will address it.
 
Who says the great train wreck hasn't already happened at HB? It has, many times. The state will need to lower the speed limit in that area at some time. That will help a lot but stupid drivers do stupid things there.
 
Leaving Page this morning doing 60 mph (65 mph limit) in the right lane. I was passed by two cars, both merged right and braked to 25 mph in front of me at the HB entrance, then sped up again.

Both then again braked hard at the adjacent Navajo HB tour entrance and did U-Turns...smh.
 
I’ve been to horseshoe many times over the years, and I have always enjoyed the entire area in silence. My last trip was earlier this year and what a complete out of control experience - the crowds were like Disneyland. The ridges were fully lined with people trying to get as close as they dare - no fences and no common sense is not a good mix.

Horseshoe was on borrowed time before critical mass hit. It was plastered on apple computer screens a long time ago, but no one knew what it was or where it was.

In time the trail will probably be under a shade canopy and you will be able to buy an icy cola near the fenced edge. For those who explore and seek adventure, there are other amazing silent places. With this one so close to easy access it would be silly to not take advantage of the revenue potential for the local area and to also share the American West experience on those visiting.

I expect more people will die in cars entering and leaving the parking lot then falling off the cliffs.
 
BTW the city of Page owns the land and parking lot. I heard that they spent $5mil on the project there, Don't know for sure the exact figure, only "heard".

BTW, has anyone noted the plethora of new hotels but the dearth of places to eat in Page? 2 of the biggest restaurants are closed right now. But those 2 actually only dealt with the tour bus crowd. The tour bus crowd has changed over the last couple of years to now we are seeing lots of smaller tour buses and trains of rented vehicles on tours following one another making for more vehicle traffic

There are 5 agencies that can and do write tickets from Greenehaven to the dam. If it says 35 you'd best be doing 35 (at least in the summer time).
 
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