State & National Parks, Rivers, Wildlife Refuges, 'right to roam' areas worldwide. Places you enjoy!

I'm not sure of the names for protected spaces in other countries but include those also in this category

Do you visit them?
Hike their trails?
Float the rivers?
Appreciate those wild spaces and wonders?

We live near the Buffalo National River now where there are extensive hiking trails and of course the beautiful river.
We used to float it as often as possible but have given that up and enjoy our hikes.

Blanchard Caverns Park on the Sylamore Creek...exciting trails and the caverns are amazing.

We got our senior passes for all the National Parks and hope we have an opportunity to visit a couple.

Having lived near these wonders for 50 years is feeling more and more special...when the boys were growing up we were able to take a day off and for free take the kids on a float or a hike...and as we get older we consider hiking those trails our health insurance.

what parks and rivers and refuges do you enjoy?

I'm in a state park (MN and WI) just about every week for a short hike, photography, foraging, etc. I use these kinds of natural resources when maintained on the national scale much less frequently -- less than one per year. Cathy and I did a six mile hike at Apostle Islands National Lakeshore last summer, but I bet our last NPS visit before that was Yellowstone maybe eight years ago. I've also been to a couple of Canadian national parks (though decades ago) and several Ontario parks (much more recently).

Christopher,
I just changed the title to add State Parks.

Unless you own quite a bit of acreage, public land can be a wonderful thing.

My family has spent generations hunting at a lesser known state forest and I am pleased to continue it. The stories I have been told by my grandfather about natural landmarks and the miles and miles of stone wall from the past are easily recalled in my mind.

I also love to at least get out on the Battenkill river every year for a nice afternoon float or kayak excursion. I know of several non-profit groups whose existence is being good stewards of these natural wonders. It is a blessing to be able to enjoy these things.

Jay Cooke State Park (named for the industrialist who funded the start of the Northern Pacific RR in nearby Carlton, MN) is 12 miles from my house.

About a dozen others are within a short drive.

We don't get out into the parks nearly as much as we used to. I've spent many days and nights off trail in the Smoky Mountains back when back country permits were available, don't know of that still the case.  Isle Royal in Lake Superior is great, Grand Teton in Wyoming and Volcanoes National Park in Hawaii are two that really stand out in memory. Now we stay mostly closer to home an enjoy hiking and fishing around Lake Monroe in central Indiana.

There is a tiny state forest, just 300 acres or so near where I live, I won't name it because not many people know about it, and I like it that way.  Some fellow in the late1800s bought it up and protected it from loggers and development and his widow gave it to the state. It's full of really big trees and wildflowers with a small river running through. We went there to see the total eclipse a couple years ago and it worked. The eclipse was total for over there minutes and I so glad we got to see it. The few other people there were there for the same reason as us, to experience it a natural setting and everyone remained perfectly quite during it and for a while after. Then we walked down to the river and found a big hunk of clean, yellow citrine quartz.  

I am glad you started this, I was just thinking about this yesterday as I was driving through "The Refuge" 13723 Bluff Lake Rd, Starkville, MS 39759.

We were full time in an RV for 3 years traveling and I have an access pass due to military service. We almost exclusively stayed at campgrounds on Rec.Gov which are federal parks normally controlled by the COE. Almost always part of a larger wilderness area and right next to some water feature such as a lake or river.

The first one we had stayed at was on the New River in WV. We went to the visitor center and one thing they mentioned was how you are not allowed to remove anything. My kids whispered to each other in fear because they had picked a bunch of flowers the day before. It was funny to explain that one in a balanced way.

The Refuge is about 20mins from our property and there are several spots with some nice native plants such as giant cane AKA river cane or american native bamboo. I am not saying I took any but I would say we have some on our property and if I would have purchased it, it is something like $70 for a small bunch 6' tall.

A person could hike the trails and find all manner of native plants. We love taking the kids to these places for a hike and picnic. I also still tent camp with the older kids so the access pass still comes in handy. The ones here are managed with controlled burns which IMO make them more stable and beautiful. Some really amazing old growth trees, etc.

Timothy Norton wrote:Unless you own quite a bit of acreage, public land can be a wonderful thing.

We're so lucky in the UK to have public footpaths over much of the countryside, even outside of national parks - but they aren't the same of course as the North American National parks. I doubt there is any true wilderness left here. In Scotland we have a 'right to roam' which means that you can walk and wild camp most areas as long as you respect the place. I can walk up the hill behind my house and enjoy the moorlands anytime .

Nancy Reading wrote:In Scotland we have a 'right to roam' which means that you can walk and wild camp most areas as long as you respect the place. I can walk up the hill behind my house and enjoy the moorlands anytime .

I think the setting of the book is Ireland, but the same "right to roam" must exist there based on what I read in mark boyle's book the way home-tales from a life without technology.

That is really nice. Here, it offends people if you walk on there property no matter if that is the first footprint on that location in 20 years.

Nancy Reading wrote:

Timothy Norton wrote:Unless you own quite a bit of acreage, public land can be a wonderful thing.

We're so lucky in the UK to have public footpaths over much of the countryside, even outside of national parks - but they aren't the same of course as the North American National parks. I doubt there is any true wilderness left here. In Scotland we have a 'right to roam' which means that you can walk and wild camp most areas as long as you respect the place. I can walk up the hill behind my house and enjoy the moorlands anytime .

Often wish we had the same “right to roam” here in U.S., the national parks and other public lands are wonderful, but inaccessible to many.

MK, are these park inaccessible to many because they are remote?

I love State Parks, National Parks and National Forests.

These are great places to find hiking trails and places to camp.

Most state Park has something of value as to why it became a State/National Park.

I have been visiting towns and places along the Erie Canal State Park which runs from the Hudson River to Buffalo in New York, USA. There's free camping, toilets and potable water at most lock sites.

I found a boat club on the Hudson River, across from the Erie Canal entrance that charges $75 to store your canoe there for the year so I've put it on my bucket list to canoe a section of it. Maybe one day after I retire, I'll travel the entire way on my electric boat, using only solar power, like a modern day Hobo.


Source

We've missed the last three years, but before that my wife and I went to Acadia National Park in Bar Harbor Maine for a long weekend nearly every year.
We always avoided the peak season, preferring to hike the trails with less company.
Many of the trails can be very crowded during the summer, but mid-spring or the period between tourist season and leaf-peeping is ideal.
And while some of the downtown shops may be closed or on limited hours, an evening stroll through the streets and around the Shore Path is delightful to end a day.

During summertime/the warm months I'm in a creek/river/lake/the ocean every week to be in the water.  Natural areas are a must in my life, everything from city run parks to camping in the National Forest.  I partake as often as possible.

In the US the Antiquities Act protects these lands.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antiquities_Act

Do other countries have similar protections to prevent the loss of these areas?

National parks, national forests, state parks, city parks - all of these green spaces have value above and beyond providing trails to walk or bike or hunt.
They are filters for clean air and water, refuges for wildlife and birds, which are our "canary in the coal mine." When they can no longer survive neither can we.
What would the park areas look like if they were not protected? Walmart, subdivisions, and commercial districts would snatch them up. Hotels and trailer parks would fill the spaces in between.
Even if we live in the city, park spaces are a place to go and regain the peace of mind our spirits need.
Yellowstone National Park was established in 1872, planting the seed for preserving green spaces all over the world. I am grateful for those who initiated the system to preserve and protect our precious natural areas.

I used to live in the area of the Joshua Tree National Park in Southern California and would drive through and/or hike there frequently. It was a 10-15 minute drive, so it was an easy trip, and the children enjoyed it too. The Wonderland of Rocks was a great little place that supported primitive camping. There were often rock climber newbies learning basics on one of the large boulders.

For 3 consecutive years I spent time in late spring exploring Glacier (inter)National Park with my mom, while visiting her mom in a care facility mornings or evenings. The big thing mom wanted to show me was getting over the mountains through Logan Pass, driving the Going-to-the-Sun road, that was often still closed at the end of May. We'd Park and walk it for another mile or so for the many great photo opportunities.  Walls of dripping, flowing snow melt, pussy willows just beginning to swell, Bird Woman falls across the valley...
I went through 7-10 rolls of 36 exposure film every year, and about 10 shots were excellent and suitable for framing.

Now we have 40 or so acres on steep hillsides to conquer and explore on the other side of the continent. Building the homestead is plenty of work and enjoyment!

I grew up in Bozeman, MT, which is surrounded by National Forest land. We were close enough to Yellowstone, that everybody just called it "the Park."

I now live in Salt Lake, and we go to public lands weekly, if not daily.

Our land in Southern Utah is near the Grand Staircase - Escalante Monument, which is presently under threat (again) of being reduced. The Monument contains some of the most spectacular scenery in the world. When we need to cool down in the summer we either head to waterways within the Monument or we go to the reservoir abutting the Petrified Forest State Park.

So many places to go nearby. The Alvord Desert is very close and at night from horizon to horizon nothing but stars. Daughter had to get Life Flighted to Boise one weekend after crashing on a motorcycle but still a place we like to go to.

A friend sent me this picture. I think he said he was able to harvest some native plants in a nearby wilderness area.

If it was not private property and he did not have permission, he could really be in a fix but I think he got $280 worth of plants next to the road for free.

Too bad state and federal areas do not allow us to remove any anything from the property.....

Josh Hoffman wrote:A friend sent me this picture. I think he said he was able to harvest some native plants in a nearby wilderness area.

If it was not private property and he did not have permission, he could really be in a fix but I think he got $280 worth of plants next to the road for free.

Too bad state and federal areas do not allow us to remove any anything from the property.....

This is why state and federal lands are protected

The point being under state or federal protection we can still see some native plants that grow no where else and rock formations that are spectacular, all sorts of things for generations to enjoy.

In addition, this is why the  watersheds of rivers are protected from farm runoff, etc.

It's the same old story, where one person taking a few things doesn't seem like much but if everyone did that these protected areas could be harmed.

Many of these areas are priceless and irreplaceable.

edit:
in some areas they offer permits to cut firewood and I think even harvest mushrooms?
You could ask if anything like that is available in your area.

Judith Browning wrote:

This is why state and federal lands are protected

Maybe this is a standard talking point? This area that my friend removed the plants from was a 12 mile creek that had thousands of the same plant. In a county with 10K people, not enough care about the native plants to make a difference if they all removed them.

I am not sure this is a valid defense of the overregulation of our wild areas. Do you have an instance where this was an issue? In your area?

Josh Hoffman wrote: I am not sure this is a valid defense of the overregulation of our wild areas. Do you have an instance where this was an issue? In your area?

Goldenseal powder is wonderful to use on injuries on chickens. You may consider it an extreme example, but its econiche is quite narrow and particular:

Found in southeastern Canada and the eastern United States, the plant grows in mesic forests under deciduous trees

These forests are under considerable pressure.

Due to over harvesting:

Canada, as well as 17 of the 27 U.S. states where goldenseal grows natively, have declared it as threatened, vulnerable or uncommon.

From: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goldenseal#cite_note-CoffinPfannmuller1988-6

I've heard similar about wild garlic.

The difficulty is how to teach, monitor, and maintain each species. It's easier to say, "none", than open up a situation where damage might occur.

There are different levels of regulation on public land here. Closest to me is some designated as a Fish and Wildlife Area.  It is largely for hunting but foraging for mushrooms, berries and the like is allowed, you can also collect seeds. Digging things up is frowned on, as I believe it should be. Other areas like state parks and those designated National Wildlife Preserve are much more restricted and I'm fine with that as well, although no one is going to care if you pick and eat a blackberry beside the trail, just don't wander off the trail and take them all. Some particular plants like ginseng are very protected, even collecting seeds is a no no, I think.  

As far as right to roam, I'm pretty sure we don't have that, except along the river. I don't know it for sure, but I have aways operated that as long as you get there by boat instead of land, you can camp about anywhere you want. No one has ever complained but I only choose spots where no one would even know I was there anyway. I wouldn't test it by pulling my kayak up to camp beside somebody's boat dock.

I visit New Mexico every year to camp, backpack, raft and tour.
The BLM lands there are very beautiful, accessible and least restrictive, we don't really have those in the Midwest (NE).

 As far as right to roam, I'm pretty sure we don't have that, except along the river. I don't know it for sure, but I have aways operated that as long as you get there by boat instead of land, you can camp about anywhere you want. No one has ever complained but I only choose spots where no one would even know I was there anyway. I wouldn't test it by pulling my kayak up to camp beside somebody's boat dock.  

I've always understood that 'navigable' waters were considered public.
The question might be 'navigable in what?' and many private land owners do disagree and put up fences, etc.

I think 'right to roam' is a European term for walking through and on private lands.

Judith Browning wrote:I've always understood that 'navigable' waters were considered public.
The question might be 'navigable in what?' and many private land owners do disagree and put up fences, etc.

I used to canoe a lot and camp overnight for at least 1 or 2 nights. Technically, you can camp on lower riverside gradients up to the high water mark. I did this at first until we got disturbed so many times by the private property owner and them calling the police. We were always in the right and were vindicated by law enforcement but knowing you are "unwelcome" did not make for a fun sleep.

We eventually just stuck to camping on sandbars and islands. This took more care to make sure we could find one and also be pretty certain about the weather. Flash flooding while camping on a sandbar could be a disaster. Some private property owners also think they own the river but it came up less frequently than camping on the side gradient.

Judith Browning wrote:

 As far as right to roam, I'm pretty sure we don't have that, except along the river. I don't know it for sure, but I have aways operated that as long as you get there by boat instead of land, you can camp about anywhere you want. No one has ever complained but I only choose spots where no one would even know I was there anyway. I wouldn't test it by pulling my kayak up to camp beside somebody's boat dock.  

I've always understood that 'navigable' waters were considered public.
The question might be 'navigable in what?' and many private land owners do disagree and put up fences, etc.

I think 'right to roam' is a European term for walking through and on private lands.

Mark Twain is credited with saying "Whiskey is for drinking, water is for fighting over."

That rings true in the Mountain West. Yes, waterways are supposed to be open to the public, but landowners and fishers have argued over whether that means access to the waterways is open. That, of course, is just one of many arguments over water.

A bunch of friends and I were starting a hike through the Dirty Devil River, and right smack on the trailhead from the parking lot, a couple guys had set up camp. They were off in the bushes shooting rifles when we arrived, and they came quickly to their campsite.

They whined about how we were walking through their campsite. I pointed out they were camped on the trailhead and this was public land. One of the guys retorted: "Yeah, BLM land. The Bureau of Land Management!" He seemed to think he'd just check-mated me.

Kyle Hayward wrote:I visit New Mexico every year to camp, backpack, raft and tour.
The BLM lands there are very beautiful, accessible and least restrictive, we don't really have those in the Midwest (NE).

My family love NM and we subscribe the New Mexico magazines for years though we never live there. We usually take different routes though NM while traveling between AZ and MO and stop at various NWR and state parks. The Bosque de Apache NWR is my favorite place for birding.

Last September we drove from our place near Duluth, MN to Neys Provincial Park on the north shore of Lake Superior in Ontario. I documented that trip, including 13 pictures from in the park over here: https://permies.com/t/265362/Vacation-panos

It's a gem of a park and our traditional family camping spot. We first stopped there just because it was getting late in early October of 1997 while doing the Superior Circle Tour -- the park was still open but the plumbing was shut off and we were very nearly the only ones there. And it's been a regular destination ever since.

Josh, I hadn't read these regulations in awhile and I expect most National Parks in the US have similar regulations depending on conditions....doesn't sound too restrictive to me?
I don't see any mention of digging plants though...maybe I missed it?
We harvest winter mushrooms and I've gathered windfall usnea after storms.
It sounds as though it's only prohibiting harvest for commercial purposes.

The page of regulations I've linked to continues on to camping, hunting and fishing and trapping.
We know to wear hunter orange for our winter hikes.

https://www.nps.gov/buff/learn/management/general-regulations.htm

  III. General Regulations
CFR §2.1 – Preservation of Natural, Cultural and Archaeological Resources
(a)(4) Dead wood on the ground may be collected for use as fuel for campfires within the park in the following areas:

• In all areas of the park

(a)(5) The following conditions are in effect for the walking, climbing, entering, ascending or traversing the listed archeological sites or cultural resources, monuments or statues.

• Entering a historic structure or archeological site not open to the public is prohibited.

(b) Hiking or pedestrian traffic is restricted to the trail or walkway as listed in Section 1.5 of this document

• All established trails except in Wilderness areas. Shortcutting trails and/or removing vegetation and/or creation of social trails is prohibited in any area.

• Hunters may leave trails when pursuing game in legal hunting season.

(c)(1), (c)(2) The following fruits, nuts, berries or unoccupied seashells may be gathered by hand for personal use or consumption, in accordance with the noted size, quantity, collection sites and/or use or consumption restrictions:

• Edible species of fruits, nuts, mushrooms, and berries may be gathered by hand for daily personal consumption. Collection for commercial purposes is prohibited.

Determination: Reasonable quantities of fruits, berries, or nuts of all edible species may be gathered for personal use or consumption. Based on professional judgment and available information, the Superintendent has determined that gathering the fruits, nuts, mushrooms, or berries of edible plants within Buffalo National River boundaries for personal use will not adversely affect park wildlife, the reproductive potential of any of those species, or otherwise adversely affect park resources. It is not expected that large numbers of people will gather edible fruits, nuts, mushrooms, and berries in the park. In addition, there are many open and forested areas adjacent to the park which has better access and in some cases, more abundant edible plants. No rare, threatened or endangered plants are included in this listing.  

We have obtained harvesting permits for National Park properties. Mushrooms, deciduous plants, evergreens, mistletoe, even lava/pumice rocks. Checking in with the Forest service the quantity and type of plants available from a certain area are clearly defined in our experience.

National/State Parks are awesome! My first clear memory is camping at one with my brother and parents. It was by a giant statue nearby of a historical figure (Sam Houston) and I remember my dad telling my brother and me that we were camping there because it was HIS statue! After that, we saw the visitor center, played giant chess with a park ranger, camped out, went on hikes (I remember the mosquitos were super bad for me, but not for anyone else, so we joked that I was the sacrifice), and canoed/fished. Everyone should have some experience like that outdoors at least once.

Judith Browning wrote:Josh, I hadn't read these regulations in awhile and I expect most National Parks in the US have similar regulations depending on conditions....doesn't sound too restrictive to me?

Thank you, Judith, for taking the time to check. The Refuge has the nicer office that is staffed while it is open and has exhibits and such. The Tombigbee forest has a Ranger station.

I talked to the personnel at both. At the refuge, one of the Rangers came and look at the specific plant I was asking about. It was funny because he said the policy is nothing can be removed but when we got to the plant, you could see a bunch of stalks from past cuttings. He laughed and said as long as he is not around and looking in my direction, he does not care.

The Rangers at the forest had a short "no" for an answer.  

At both locations I brought the USDA policy up and was met with irritation by the representatives so I did not press any further. They technically have a free permit and paid permits but I could tell from the reactions from the reps that our conversation was over.

https://www.fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/ethics/permit.shtml#:~:text=Permits%20to%20collect%20plants%20or,and%20if%20so%20what%20type.

When I was younger and between jobs, I spent a year volunteering with the local parks department.  It was mostly going for a walk each day and reporting any incidents with the trails or helping lost people find their way back to the car.  That kind of thing.

But what it did have was A LOT of free training on how nature works here.

That training and observing nature, taught me so many useful things I still use to this day.  Things that can be applied to a permaculture frame work.  

Like how nature here builds soil is very different than how nature builds soil where most permaculture and gardening authors live.  How the leaves fall and it's too cold  and/or too wet for bacteria to function and break down the leaves .  When it finally becomes warm enough, there isn't enough moisture.  Leaves break down mostly through mechanical means and anywhere the leaves build up a thick layer, the soil dies to dirt (thus reducing competition near the established trees).  And people here wonder why mulch doesn't work well here.  Because nature doesn't work like that here unless we live in a dense fog patch like the local salmon estuary, then mulch is awesome and this environment can be reproduced through heavy irrigation.

The parks taught me how nature works without much interference from humans so I could use that information to make my garden work without as much effort from me.