National Parks 



207 



The small areas of land in the Merced and Tuolumne Groves of 

 Big Trees which the Government owns are surrounded by patented 

 lands, valuable only for their timber. There is considerable acre- 

 age of patented land lying in the western part of the park and, gen- 

 erally speaking, between the Big Oak Flat Road at the Tamarack 

 Creek crossing and Hetch Hetchy in the area upon which the depart- 

 ment has authorized grazing. 



It is recommended that the timber in the "grazing area" referred 

 to and on the acreage surrounding the big-tree groves referred to, 

 be cruised and that an effort be made to effect an exchange to the 

 end that the timber in the vicinity of the big trees be preserved. 

 Incidentally, the difficulties heretofore encountered through private 

 ownership of land in the western part of the park might be satis- 

 factorily settled without the surrender of any park lands lying east 

 of the eastern boundaries of the private holdings in that vicinity. 



It is believed that the retention of the "grazing area" in the park 

 is a necessity for the future enjoyment of the people. A road con- 

 structed through there will rival the beauties of the Wawona Road. 



Log refuge cabins should be built near Merced Lake and Lake 

 Tenaya for the accommodation of lost or belated tourists. These 

 are needed especially for women who often come to the park alone 

 and wander off without adequate knowledge of the trails. 



Owing to the complaints that the trails were not well marked, about 

 173 signs of varying length, from 2 to 34 words, were painted and 

 erected at necessary points on the ledge trails, as far as Hetch Hetchy 

 and the Tioga Road on the north and Merced Lake on the east. 

 Although these signs have been placed since July ist, they have already 

 begun to mysteriously disappear. From this experience, it is beheved 

 that metal signs, riveted to iron posts, securely embedded in the earth 

 and rock will be less expensive and more enduring. There are many 

 forks and crosses on the trails in the outlying parts of the park 

 where it will be necessary to place guide signs to direct the travel 

 which it is confidently hoped will increase each year. 



There were a total of 13,735 visitors to the park during the period 

 September i, 1912, to October 31, 1913. 



Wm. T. Littebrant, 

 Major, First Cavalry, U. S. Army, 

 Acting Superintendent Yosemite National Park. 



Extracts from Report of the Acting Superintendent of the 

 Yellowstone National Park. (1913.) 



Grand total of travel, season of 1913, 24,929. 



A census of elk in and along the north line of the park was taken 

 between April 9th and May ist. The count showed 32,229, after having 

 shipped 538, as noted below, making a total of 32,767, or an increase 

 of 2,866 over the number found by the count of April, 1912. 



