National Parks

Montana's "Gateway" communities are struggling with tourism impacts

With trails, campsites and state and national parks so crowded now that the COVID pandemic is on the wane, UM researchers are using the website recreation dot gov to see how and why people choose certain campsites.

It will be a partial opening.

Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke welcomed Montana Senator Steve Daines along with Tennessee Senator Lamar Alexander and six other senators to propose legislation use revenues from energy production on federal lands to help pay for the over $11 billion maintenance backlog at the parks.

The Natural Resources Defense Council has begun a series of television ads in Montana that are highly critical of President Donald Trump and his Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke over several different issues.

The National Park system began a new initiative this week, which allows some school students to gain free admission to Glacier, Yellowstone and other national parks.

This year was another strong year for tourism in Montana.

A new study says national parks and monuments boosted the economies of surrounding communities in Wyoming, Montana and Idaho by a combined $1.15 billion last year.

After Interior Secretary Sally Jewell announced last Thursday that states could reopen national parks by using state funds, Montana Governor Steve Bullock was asked if he would push to open the parks. At the time, Bullock said "Of course not," but now Congressman Steve Daines is trying to sweeten the deal by proposing a bill that would shift the tab to the federal government.

U.S. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell has announced today, October 10, that states may be able to re-open national parks within their boarders as long as they pay personnel costs with state funds. However, Montana is unlikely to do so.