Panelists exchanged comments, which were kept anonymous to maintain survey neutrality during the rating process. These excerpts offer a glimpse of panelists' varied points of view and the reasoning behind each score. They are not the views of the National Geographic Society.

Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, WISCONSIN
Score 78

Light tourism traffic and long Lake Superior winters help keep the Apostles healthy. "In good shape ecologically. Not over visited." "No man-made lights visible. Bayfield is a most delightful gateway community, providing authentic Great Lakes atmosphere."

"Bayfield is a delightful gateway community providing authentic Great Lakes atmosphere. Visitation to the Apostle Islands is limited to boats or other small watercraft, keeping them in natural, pristine condition. The aesthetic appeal of the land and water interaction is both dramatic and comforting. Local heritage and culture, (town of Bayfield, etc.) remains intact and appropriate."

"This IS the future of sustainability in terms of park issues right now."

Hot Springs National Park, ARKANSAS
Score 55

"This urban park preserves the tradition of 'taking the waters.' Bathhouse Row is an architectural wonder" —which needs "millions more for renovation." The town's historic district is compatible, but not sprawl on the fringe.

"There is a lot of touristic development in the vicinity of the park, but it does not really detract too much from the historic district preserved within the park."

"The National Trust for Historic Preservation placed Bathhouse Row on the Eleven Most Endangered List for 2003. A number of the buildings have been mothballed, but there is a need to find ways to redevelop the bathhouses in a sensitive way and find viable adaptive reuse strategies."

"Without strong, enlightened local leadership, the city and the park will continue to flounder. The city needs a comprehensive preservation plan, and the park needs to be at the core of such a plan."

Mammoth Cave National Park, KENTUCKY
Score 58

"Heavily used, well-managed" sums up sentiment on Mammoth, where guided tours thwart widespread visitor damage. "Gateway communities have retained their small-town appeal," but local culture suffers from "trinketization." Chemicals in polluted water erode the formations.

"The site itself is beautiful and interesting, but the surrounding development is really encroaching on it."

"Mammoth Cave NP is threatened by poor air quality (acid rain) and exotic/invasive species that threaten the numerous endemic species that live there (aquatic and terrestrial). However, they have proactive leadership and are moving to address these problems."

"Visitation in the cave is well managed. Cave tours are readily available. Interpretation is generally very good."

"Local development is distracting and out of step with the purpose and intent of the park. Cooperation and partnering with local government to plan and control development, design, and signage is needed."

Mount Rushmore National Memorial/Badlands National Park, SOUTH DAKOTA
Score 54

"Two different experiences. Badlands is relatively remote and unspoiled; Rushmore is like a shopping mall." Rushmore can still stir the patriotic blood, but gateways are "cheesy and sprawling" and relations with the Lakota Sioux, who claim part of Badlands, are "edgy."

"Changes around Mt. Rushmore have made the cultural setting more attractive. Ecological compromises have been made, but for a cultural/historical monument, that might be expected. In contrast, the Badlands appear almost like you would expect they would 200 years ago."

"Far too many retail outlets sell 'commodities' rather than authentic products."

"The Badlands are awesome, a massive expanse of rolling hills and dunes that lead into South Dakota's Black Hills. Largely ignored by most tourists to the Black Hills and virtually uninhabited by humans, this ecological system appears to be quite healthy. On the other hand, Mt. Rushmore is an aesthetically unappealing tourist trap stuck in the middle of the Black Hills."

"… Badlands is relatively remote/unspoiled; Mt. Rushmore is like a destination/shopping mall. I'm concerned about both areas, however, because of energy development proliferating upwind."

"A proliferation of tourist 'joints' surrounds Mt. Rushmore. Badlands lacks financial backing."

Point Pelee National Park, ONTARIO
Score 53

"Heavily impacted by the feet of birders" and ecologically isolated between farmland and Lake Erie, tiny, stressed Point Pelee's birding fame has made bird habitats regionally popular, as in the lauded gateway town of Leamington.

"A day-use area for tourists and a wildlife staging area for migratory birds."

"Ecological integrity is always in question because of Point Pelee's small size and the surrounding farmland and urban development."

"The gateway community of Leamington provides day-trippers and tourists with an interesting variety of shops and restaurants."

"Severe visitor stress during periods of peak birder visitation."

"An island in a sea of rural agricultural development."

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, MICHIGAN
Score 60

The majestic dunes on Lake Michigan are "getting more crowded every summer." "Environmental quality has improved, but there appears to be no end to the demand for second homes, retirement communities, and vacation estates." Still, local towns were thought to fit in well and to be supportive of the park.

"Getting more crowded every summer as the Traverse City area booms."

"Resort developments like the Homestead, as well as other encroachments that do not recognize the dynamic quality of dune landscapes, makes for a low score on sustainability. There appears to be no end in sight to the demand for second homes, retirement communities, and vacation estates for northwest Michigan."

"The diversity of habitats on the mainland and the islands is extraordinary. It is a young park with many areas in need of active restoration."

"There's a lot more to enjoy than the Dunes. Great cultural resources, but my last visit showed no improvement in the interpretive effort at the main visitor center."

Tallgrass Prairie National Park, KANSAS
Score 63

"The interpretation of what the tallgrass prairie once was will stagger the imagination—a great stop for cross-country drivers." Too small to portray the vastness it represents, the park drew panelist calls for "more of everything."

"A tiny piece of what once was middle America. The area is too small to do justice to the ecology, but it is certainly better than nothing."

"The tallgrass prairie and the associated ranch structures make for increased appreciation of what was once an expansive ecosystem."

"Hopefully the park will encourage broader protection of rare prairie resources. The landscape is breathtaking."

"All that is needed is more of everything, more land protected, more history in the local communities, more of what the NPS and the National Park Trust are trying to do."

Theodore Roosevelt National Park, NORTH DAKOTA
Score 69

"If you like big skies, prairie, wildlife, and a feel for the Old West, this site is worth the drive." Medora, the gateway town, is not conducive to a "contemplative visit," but "its Pitchfork Fondue and Medora Musical is an experience."

"The remoteness of this national park has allowed it to maintain its environmental, cultural, and aesthetic integrity."

"The gateway community of Medora, though small by comparison with many gateway towns, is not developing in a way that encourages a contemplative visit."

"Medora is attractive, if filled with tourist shops and without good restaurants. The main part of the park is largely unspoiled and the North Unit is superb."

"The NPS needs to spend some money to provide decent access and interpretation of Roosevelt's ranch site—a shame it's not afforded more attention given his importance to conservation."