Yeah, I think we better not go. Minimal contact is not no contact. Better not be yet another vector zipping around the country.
Also, hopefully we’ll end up staying at your place someday! Have only been to Big Bend once, in 1995. And also, how near are you, really? My impression was that nothing out there was truly near anything else, in the traditional sense of that word.
Completely dark at night. Lots of rattlesnakes. Beautiful, but in a very back-to-nature kind of way.
From 45, of course, and his buddies with the mining & drilling equipment. Thank goodness they won’t be trapped until January (or for however many years rights to resources were granted). 
Still - it’s in Texas. No real interest in visiting there.
Charitable Interpretation
Clueless David Bernhardt: “Man, with this Corona virus thing people will be miserable at home. I wish there was something the Parks Service could do… Maybe if we open the parks for free, they’ll be apart from each other in a beautiful place at least. Score!”
Cynical Interpretation
Trump: “Polls are slipping! Dem hoaxers got me on the ropes with this China Virus bear market fiasco. What?”
Bernhardt: “If I may sir, a few feathers were ruffled when you tried to jack up park prices early in your reign (ever may it last). Maybe a free holiday would brighten their moods?”
Trump: “Free parks for good Americans! Yes! Do it! I’ll out-welfare-state those dirty Democrats yet come next election. Did Obama give them free parks? No he did not.”
Try going up north into Maine. Ain’t nobody up there but a logger named Pierre.
Is it ironic that a Secretary of the Interior appears to not know the purpose of land he’s responsible for and what, accordingly, happens there? Nah. Not if you’re in THIS administration.
I want to go there for stargazing
ETA not anytime soon.
It’s been decades since I’ve been to Texas. Not really better or worse than where I am now.
Me too. It’s probably the best stargazing site in the US.
Just messing with them.
I’m supposed to be in Texas right about now, but, you know, Coronavirus.
A friend shared a post from someone who lives near Big Bend who expressed this exact concern. They already have limited resources in that area and any visitors who may bring the virus there and cause any of the stores to have to close, etc would be putting residents in an even more tenuous situation. The timing of this free National Parks announcement is definitely unfortunate and hopefully not purposeful.
A lack of trash disposal and playground monitors.
Thanks, now that everyone is afraid to leave home…
As a foreigner, I’m having a hard time getting my head around the fact that it is not normally free. Charging for access to National Parks is not a concept that makes sense.
Not disagreeing with you on principle. This link should explain the rationale behind fees:
also @hecep
You know, there are different ways to organise these things, right?
I’m used to a very different organisation - I can, for example, enter any of our national parks from any point of the compass, I don’t have to tell anyone I’m there, where I’m going, what I’m doing, or how long I’m doing it for.^ And I don’t have to pay one red centime at the point of consumption or show a receipt for anything.
^ although all that is strongly recommended from a safety perspective.
Yeah, it should be simple enough: pack it in, pack it out, leave no trace; be careful and don’t be stupid. However…
Here in Ontario, there are many options if you don’t need hand-holding.
I agree that they should be free, but the U.S. is far from alone in charging entrance fees for many of its National Parks. I’ve been charged similar fees when traveling in Switzerland and Korea. There are plenty of places I’ve been to around the world that didn’t even have free public toilets.
Sounds like you came from somewhere more fortunate. May I ask what your country of origin is? Are there awesome parks that I can come visit there?
I have lived in UK, New Zealand, Japan and currently live in Australia. Free National Parks is the norm for me.
Sure some servers in the parks are charged but access to the park itself is free.
