Archived Opinion

Another broken promise about national park

To the Editor

The National Park Service says we need to charge for backcountry camping. After hundreds of letters and several public meetings, with the majority of people saying no to fees, the fee is being implemented anyway.

In 1934 when the Great Smoky Mountain National Park was first established, an agreement was made by the federal government that there  would be no fee to enter the park. Some people might say this is not charging to enter the Park, but I disagree. Some backcountry campers might enter the Park by walking in along the trails. This sounds to me like another agreement broken by the National Park Service.

The Swain County Commissioners asked in a written resolution for the National Park Service not to charge the fee, but it is going to anyway. Citizens, if we do not all stand against this, in the near future the national park will break another contract and start charging everyone just to drive into the park. They will say it is done in other national parks and will call it a toll road. Is that what we want?

David Monteith

Swain County

Smokey Mountain News Logo
SUPPORT THE SMOKY MOUNTAIN NEWS AND
INDEPENDENT, AWARD-WINNING JOURNALISM
Go to top
Payment Information

/

At our inception 20 years ago, we chose to be different. Unlike other news organizations, we made the decision to provide in-depth, regional reporting free to anyone who wanted access to it. We don’t plan to change that model. Support from our readers will help us maintain and strengthen the editorial independence that is crucial to our mission to help make Western North Carolina a better place to call home. If you are able, please support The Smoky Mountain News.

The Smoky Mountain News is a wholly private corporation. Reader contributions support the journalistic mission of SMN to remain independent. Your support of SMN does not constitute a charitable donation. If you have a question about contributing to SMN, please contact us.