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.
Crater Lake National Park, OREGON
Score 72
"A hidden gem. Surrounding region appropriately developed." In summer, crowds do swamp the lodge site on the old volcano's rim, but otherwise, "Oregonians have pride in the stern stand to protect and preserve the lodge and prevent development on the rim."
"Blueish lake that makes you just stand and stare … Mount Mazama sure did a great job."
"A wonderful park with excellent staff and good interpretive services."
"Seasonally there are crowds, especially at the lodge, but the vistas and the setting are definitely worth it."
"Development has been controlled both on-site and through the gateway region, but much needs to be done to further interpret both the cultural aspects of the Native Americans and the history of the geological uniqueness of this, one of the worlds greatest geological oddities."
Death Valley National Park, CALIFORNIA
Score 67
"One of the most dramatic places in America." Reviewers deemed the ecology sound but at risk from soaring Las Vegas--based visitation, off-road vehicles, and bright lighting near the park. "Preserving the night sky should be a priority. Looking at the stars on a clear desert night is worth the trek to Death Valley."
"The cultural heritage of the Timbasha Shoshone is underrepresented in park interpretation. Smog from Los Angeles is a near-constant threat to the visual quality of the park."
"The remoteness and harsh conditions protect this unit to some degree. Nevertheless, water resources, native vegetation, and some geological resources are threatened by overuse and irresponsible visitor actions."
"With Las Vegas just hours away, the visitor pressure is up and will continue to grow."
"The use of off-road vehicles must be severely limited. This will require collaboration with local and state governments."
Denali National Park & Preserve, ALASKA
Score 71
"The secrets of Denali are well protected and the bus systems keep the hordes at bay. When Denali decides to peek out from the clouds, the sweeping vistas are largely intact."
"The gateway to Denali is a mess and getting worse, but the park is so big it almost doesn't matter."
"The landscape overcomes everything."
"Undoubtedly, Denali provides one of the premier wildlife viewing experiences in the world. The mandatory shuttle bus system on the main park road facilitates an opportunity to closely and safely view bears, wolves, caribou, moose, and other great mammals in a magnificent natural setting. A true delight!"
"A hundred steps from the road the most fundamental wilderness journey begins. The wildlife in the park is unequaled and the backcountry visit is managed very, very well."
Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve, ALASKA
Score 71
This "unspoiled paradise" has now limited cruise ships. Park land "is ecologically intact since most use is water-based." But "the native Tlingit story of 9,000 years of adaptation is not being told."
"Backcountry side needs to have flight-seeing discontinued."
"The move to limit the number of cruise ships was a good one. Need to direct even more use away from the main routes."
"The Hoonajh Tlingit story of 11,000 years of adaptation is also not being told. There is a wonderful diversity of important information to be obtained from this park that is currently not being delivered."
"Cruise ship and private boat traffic on the main bay precludes a wilderness experience, but otherwise this is a truly amazing park. Efforts to protect the park waters from commercial fishing must be lauded."
"Look beyond the tourist routes of the cruise ships. The rest of the park is a gem."
Grand Canyon National Park, ARIZONA
Score 53
At this "geological wonder of the world," South Rim throngs dominate the visitor experience. "The chances of finding a peaceful South Rim sunset spot are equal to winning at a Vegas casino." Many panelists also take points off for incoming air pollution, noisy overflights, too many cars generally, the failure to bring in trolleys instead, and disrupted water levels in the Colorado River. The Tusayan gateway is "filling up with fast-food and hotel chains with no sense of place."
"It's hard not to be awed by the amazing scenery and geology, but the crowds, almost constant noise (from airplanes and other visitors), unscripted development (in and outside the park), and visible air pollution make it difficult to find peace and renewal."
"The gateway region looks unattractive, filled with fast-foods and hotel chains with no sense of place at all."
"Try to keep helicopters down to a dull roar."
"What should be one of the greatest park experiences is suffering from tourism over-development, inadequate cultural interpretation, and a lack of connection between visitors and the wider ecological resources of the park."
"I felt I was in a Disney-fied theme park. It was too crowded, polluted, with noise levels unbearable during the peak season."
"Issues surrounding the management of the Colorado River below Glen Canyon Dam and management of river rafting are contentious and highly political. Visitor crowding on the South Rim will get worse. Although much of the Canyon is and will continue to be in fine shape, the visitor experience for most folks has deteriorated over the years."
"The whole river system is seriously threatened by the operation of the Glen Canyon dam."
Great Basin National Park, NEVADA
Score 77
Wheeler Peak rises from the remote east Nevada desert here, a region uncrowded, unspoiled, and able to mitigate such threats as grazing and advancing development. "Tourism is sustainable." "Camping at 10,000 feet is fantastic; the bristlecone pine forests are worth the hike.
"Very high quality montane environment with light use. Minor threats of erosion in developed areas. Tourism is sustainable here under current and even higher levels."
"Great Basin contains Mt. Wheeler, the highest peak in Nevada. Camping out at 10,000 feet is fantastic; the bristlecone pine forests are worth the hike."
"There are still opportunities to manage the park and the region in a manner that is more sustainable than most other parks in the lower 48."
Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and Haida Heritage Site, BRITISH COLUMBIA
Score 88
Gwaii Haanas might seem to rate its excellent 88 due simply to light traffic: Fewer than 3,000 visitors a year make it to the park in the soggy, remote Queen Charlotte Islands. But there's more: a unique partnership between Parks Canada and the native Haida people. "High cultural integrity," says one panelist. "Haida are very involved in park management. Residents display a real stewardship ethic." Authenticity, too: "Archaeological and historic artifacts are left to their natural processes as per Haida tradition, which surprises visitors who expect 'preservation.'" "Beautiful and intact. A great model for other regions."
"One of the most spectacular parks in all of Canada—unique in the co-management with the Haida Nation and their well-developed watchman programs."
"Thankfully it's soggy and remote enough to keep visitation low."
"Perhaps one of the best examples in Canada of a mutually beneficial relationship between the government and local indigenous peoples—the Haida Nation."
"The strong co-management of the park with the Haida people has significantly improved the management of this park, and it largely retains its wilderness character and cultural significance. Tourists undertake some cultural education before they enter the area."
"One of the most beautiful, bountiful, and unbelievably hard places to access I've ever visited. South Moresby Island and Archipelago are a natural paradise. They should remain as is forever."
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, HAWAII
Score 75
The Big Island boasts the survey's highest-scoring subtropical park. "Given its location on an island where tourism reigns supreme, the park's unspoiled quality is remarkable." Invasive species and coastal development threats are the only concerns. "Gateway area is fine."
"Authentic, unspoiled, but in danger of rapid development around it. The park has excellent preservation and interpretive qualities for volcano, native forest, and Hawaiian culture. The adjacent coastline has been discovered and developers are starting to purchase thousands of acres. This was seen to be Hawaii's unofficial National Seashore because of its isolation, but unless it is preserved, it will be the last open space along the coast to be developed."
"The biggest threats are from the introduction of exotic/weedy plants and introduced animals in this delicate and unique island environment."
"The aesthetic appeal of Volcanoes Park is excellent due to the stark and amazing natural structures, as well as the rare opportunity to view a live volcano."
Joshua Tree National Park, CALIFORNIA
Score 63
"I found peace at Joshua Tree." "Truly undiscovered backcountry." The park's popularity with rock climbers draws mixed reviews, and panelists criticize smog from L.A., growing weekend crowds, and new houses and plans for a huge landfill next door.
"Air quality issues and haze generated from Palm Springs and Los Angeles often impact the visitor experience."
"Joshua Tree remains beautiful, breathtaking, and hot."
"Encroaching suburbia will turn this park into an urban playground."
"Still awaiting resolution to litigation attempting to stop the Eagle Mountain Landfill that would significantly impact the southeast boundary of the park."
Kenai Fjords National Park, ALASKA
Score 70
Visit by water: "an incredible place to see marine wildlife and seabirds." The gateway town, Seward, "has embraced the park." But: "Cruise traffic needs to be checked."
"The character of the places is quite touristy. However, they can be attractive and do incorporate environmental education centers, museums, and other information into the national park experience."
"So far there don't seem to be too many boats, and the park is an incredible place to see marine wildlife and seabirds. Seward is a nice community from which to launch, and they have embraced the park."
Kootenay/Yoho National Parks, BRITISH COLUMBIA
Score 77
On B.C.'s side of the Rockies, "development and transportation corridor problems are not as intense" as in neighboring Banff (55). The mountains dominate Yoho, the forests Kootenay. As for gateways, "Invermere or Golden support a pleasant stay in the area."
"The challenge is working with adjacent land management agencies to increase the broader conservation and recreation values of the park."
"Virtually unspoiled. I'd head here before Banff or Jasper. Great day hiking, good campgrounds, and tiny gateway towns."
"Surrounding areas are being developed to create buffer zones to ensure that impact on wildlife is mitigated."
"Environmental quality in these parks remains very high. Tourism development thus far is appropriate, although more aesthetically pleasing buildings should be a focus for the future."
Mount Rainier National Park, WASHINGTON
Score 63
This "attractive, well-preserved and stewarded area" has support from local communities. Reviewer praise for the rugged park's good ecological quality mixed with bitter remarks about traffic jams in both summer and winter.
"Spending a winter's day in a traffic backlog to get to 'paradise' for a day of crowded skiing was not the image I like to cherish about a unit of the National Park Service!"
"A very well managed park that is struggling to retain its unique attraction in the face of suburban sprawl."
"Gateway community development is a severe threat, but the level of concern among park visitors is also high."
"Benefits to local communities appear limited."
North Cascades National Park, WASHINGTON
Score 65
This lightly visited park "needs a better trail network." Scenery and wildlife look fine, but "the quality of some gateway settlements was disturbing. I have memories of concrete."
"Access and development are closely associated with the cross-Cascades highway. Mountain scenery is excellent. Relationship with local communities is limited."
"Combined natural and artificial beauty of lakes, dams, road passes, peaks, and viewpoints make it an enjoyable ride. The neglected trailer communities on the outskirts are a bad introduction. The latter is slightly improved when reaching Winthrop."
"A good park, but the Forest Service areas beyond it are more appealing. Needs more day hiking opportunities and a better trail network."
Olympic National Park, WASHINGTON
Score 69
Soggy but wonderful, a "beautiful park with a less than beautiful gateway." Panelists like the park but disagree about nearby logging. "Gateway towns are laid-back; Forks once claimed to be the 'Logging Capital of the World.'"
"One of the great jewels of the Pacific Northwest, threatened by the large amount of logging on the nearby National Forests and private timber lands."
"A reinvestment in park visitor infrastructure, both at the portals (into campgrounds) and along the interior access trails, is needed to maintain a strong positive visitor experience."
"Need to get off the beaten path to appreciate."
"Interpretation facilities were among the best encountered."
"Water, vegetation, glaciers, and ocean all combine to make this park a rare experience."
Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, BRITISH COLUMBIA
Score 65
A "stunning, wild, and beautiful" but fragmented park scattered along the edge of Vancouver Island, Pacific Rim seeks cultural integrity in part by employing staff from local native communities. Challenges include rising visitation and new development, plus clear-cut logging areas nearby.
"Gateway communities of Tofino and Ucluelet are facing heavy development pressures with escalating house prices and problems of affordable employee housing."
"The introduction of a quota system has largely maintained the quality of the recreational and aesthetic experiences in the park. However, the small size and narrow shape of the park, and the extractive activities—particularly logging—surrounding the area are major problems."
"Stunning, wild, and beautiful place. Getting crowded and less remote."
"Most impressive national park for its variety of habitats and units. However, two main problems: increasing demands for services and forestry occurring too close to park boundaries."
Petrified Forest National Park, ARIZONA
Score 64
In an exemplary effort, locals and the Park Service cooperated to more than double the size of this fairly healthy park. The biggest problem, despite Herculean efforts by park staff, "continues to be theft of petrified wood."
"This park's austere beauty is underappreciated."
"Theft and disturbance of Native American artifacts continues, as does disturbance of petrified wood deposits."
"I-40 cuts through the park like a knife through a visitor's heart. Only the colorful vistas of Painted Desert repair slightly what the interstate damages."
"The recent expansion is a major victory for sustainability, for both the park and the neighboring communities. The interstate highway and theft remain major concerns."
Point Reyes National Seashore, CALIFORNIA
Score 72
"An hour's drive from San Francisco takes you back in time
to farming, fishing, and lighthouse life." This
accessible park draws praise despite weekend crowds: "high biodiversity," "splendid exhibits," "beautiful natural vistas," and tasteful, restrained gateway towns "except recent development east of Tomales Bay."
"The National Parks Conservation Association's State of the Park report for Point Reyes shows very high biodiversity—over 1,500 plant and animal species, including 100 plant and animal species considered rare. About 45 percent of the park is congressionally designated wilderness. Nonnative invasive species are a problem. Diseases afflict elk and deer. Sudden Oak Death may be on the verge of infecting numerous species. The park has an excellent environmental education program for schools."
"Gateway region is still limited to a few locally owned oyster bars and B&Bs off Hwy 1. Approach to Point Reyes is an uncluttered detour off Hwy 1, to an excellent visitor center set away from the shoreline. Point Reyes remains an unspoiled stretch of coastline bordered by ranchland and farms."
"Point Reyes National Seashore, even with the numbers of tourists and area residents who flock there throughout the year, manages to retain its mystery and beauty."
"It never ceases to amaze me that this gorgeous park remains in such good shape even though it is within easy day-tripping range of a huge population in one of America's most heavily developed urban regions."
Redwood National and State Parks, CALIFORNIA
Score 68
"Sleepy, foggy fishing villages, bays, and coves; remote, unspoiled, charming, and attractive." "The magnificence of the redwoods is unparalleled, but logging and now tourism have created a degraded mosaic of landscapes."
"The parks are a patchwork of public and private land. Tourism development on the public lands is appropriate in scale and character, but on private lands is often shoddy or altogether lacking."
"A nice balance of the touristic infrastructure and natural attraction. The disturbing thing was the traffic on Highway 1."
"This is a well managed set of parks and communities. The test will be the challenge of maintaining and enforcing existing land-use and zoning regulations."
Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, CALIFORNIA
Score 62
"Natural resources that rival or surpass Yosemite—magnificent forests, wild rivers, the High Sierra." Caretaking inside the parks has improved. Gateways, however, get mixed reviews. Crowds and severe smog hurt the score.
"Smog is the killer here, and reconciling this is a state/federal problem."
"The experience in these two parks is still dazzling, but the impact of heavy visitation is also clear in worn paths, markings on trees, etc."
"The roads and campgrounds are congested, but the backcountry trails are still well managed and regulated."
Wrangell–St Elias National Park & Preserve, ALASKA
Score 77
"One of the magnificent mountain wilderness parks in the world!" "The Kennicott mine and town are an amazing national historic treasure and deserve preservation." Other panelists agree, but raise new issues: Bus tours from cruise boats overlook native Ahtna peoples, and "recreational ATV riding is permitted on 13 trails; it's a mud-boggin' mess."
"Great environment. Leave it as it is. Develop better access to front country and leave the wilderness wild."
"The cruise boat industry is rapidly moving in with buses that take pictures but leave the Athna peoples totally forgotten and completely overlooked."
"One of the great protected areas on the planet. One brilliant point: There is no ONE concessionaire, but rather many approved and monitored ones."
"A fascinating park on all levels, with very little in the way of tourism development. The sheer size and ruggedness of the park limit development and thus keep it in good shape."
Yosemite National Park, CALIFORNIA
Score 56
Backcountry areas get high marks, but Yosemite Valley reels under enormous popularity: "still breathtaking, but visitor crowds produce an urban feeling." Corrective park plans bog down in local "political gridlock." Though tourism is big in the gateway region, the industry grows "without any connection to the park."
"Yosemite is two-faced: Skiing the backcountry does not prepare one for the front country, and vice versa. The development that plagues the valley disappears into the mist from skiing the backcountry."
"Overcrowded—too much day use, campsites erode riverbanks, air and noise pollution cause habitat loss and affect aesthetic appeal. The gateway region suffers from an excess of construction without any connection to the park, such as casino development, new housing projects, etc."
"Yosemite is a great park; Yosemite Valley is a tragedy."
"More effort with gateway communities in terms of planning, design, and marketing needs to occur."
"Where to begin? Complete the Yosemite Plan with the bus system extended to the entire valley, no roadside parking, and the former lower and upper river campgrounds should be completely restored."