National Park Notes 



363 



cent territory. It represents an increase in both local travel and in pat- 

 ronage of tourists from distant States and foreign countries. The tour- 

 ist traffic of the railroads possibly did not increase, but it is not prob- 

 able that it decreased appreciably. Many of the railroads enjoyed an 

 increased tourist patronage. Private automobile traffic increased tre- 

 mendously in every park. . . . 



Our travel reports also disclose an astounding increase in what we 

 choose to call park-to-park travel. Hundreds of parties during the past 

 summer visited more than one National Park; just how many it is im- 

 possible, of course, to ascertain, and scores visited groups of parks, such 

 as the parks in the Rocky Mountains, the Pacific Coast parks, the north- 

 western parks, the southwestern members of the system, etc. . . . 



Many pages might be written on the automobile routes to the various 

 national parks and the accommodations that have been provided for the 

 traveler along the way. . . . The efforts of the automobile clubs, high- 

 way associations, and other organizations to accurately and completely 

 sign the roads, leading over mountain and plain, are worthy of extended 

 comment, and the projects of the State highway commissions, involving 

 extension and improvement of road systems, are closely related to the 

 subject of motoring in the parks, and I regret sincerely that they can 

 not be outlined here. Briefly, I may state that the highways in National 

 Park States have been greatly improved during the past year. . . . 



The National Parks Highway Association, with headquarters in Spo- 

 kane, has this year assumed the leadership in this movement, and dur- 

 ing the spring mapped and sign-posted a route from its terminus of last 

 year in Mount Rainier National Park to Crater Lake, thus connecting 

 Yellowstone, Glacier, Mount Rainier, and Crater Lake National Parks 

 by what is known as the National Parks highway. In connection with 

 the latest link added to this important system the beautiful Columbia 

 River highway has been marked as a side trip, and I believe that all of 

 the parties that have traveled over the National Parks highway this year 

 have not overlooked the opportunity to see the wonderful scenery of the 

 Columbia River gorge. This park-to-park highway should now be ex- 

 tended and marked in California, Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, Color- 

 ado, and Wyoming and the circuit completed. When the work of desig- 

 nation has been accomplished all interested in the development of travel 

 to the National Parks can join hands in securing the improvement of 

 the highway. In more than one sense this road will become a national 

 asset. . . . 



Conditions for motoring in the parks themselves during the 1917 sea- 

 son were most favorable. With one possible exception the park high- 

 way systems were in better condition than ever before. Every effort was 

 made to safeguard travel on the roads. When automobile traffic was 

 particularly heavy, extra traffic rangers were assigned to regulate the 

 movement of cars, and all traffic on dangerous grades was carefully 

 checked to eliminate all possibility of accident. Free automobile camp 



