For the 2006-2007 season, snowmobile visitation to Yellowstone National Park has increased by 7.30%. A report from the park, ending March 11, 2007, shows that there were 30,940 visitors in the 2006-2007 season vs. 28,833 visitors in the 2005-2006 season. Snowcoaches increased to 20,206 from the previous season's number of 19,856, a 1.76% increase.
Even with the restrictions placed on riding in the great park, snowmobiling has found a way to thrive in Yellowstone. Will it continue? A new winter use plan for Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks was released for public review and comment yesterday. The plan will have a 60 day public review, and comments will be accepted through May 31, 2007.
The BlueRibbon Coalition and its partners from the snowmobile community will be reviewing the winter use plan's Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) and recommending areas to comment on.
The Park Service preferred alternative is similar to the temporary rules which have guided winter use in the parks the last 3 years. Two changes that are being considered are the maintaining of the commercially guided only requirement for all snowmobilers and that the Park Service is closing the East Gate to snowmobile access completely.
For more info visit
www.saveyellowstonepark.com or
www.sharetrails.org.
To take a look at the DEIS
click here.