Comments on: N.M. Senators Bingaman and Udall ask National Park Service to study feasibility of assuming management of Valles Caldera http://VallesCaldera.com/archives/1341 Featuring visitor's guide, maps, 360° panoramas, vistas from air & space, books, movies, and information about the Caldera's geology, wildlife, and history. Located in the Jemez Mountains of Northern New Mexico, the "Yellowstone of the Southwest" features the Valle Grande, Redondo Peak (elev. 11,254), the East Fork of the Jemez River, the San Antonio River, hot springs, thousands of elk, hunting, fishing, and hundreds of square miles of stunning natural beauty a mile and a half high. Mon, 19 Oct 2009 15:51:10 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Stephen Lee http://VallesCaldera.com/archives/1341#comment-1734 Stephen Lee Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:01:22 +0000 http://vallescaldera.com/?p=1341#comment-1734 I, for one, applaud this action. The focus of the NPS management should be on three things: access, access, access. Do away with, or minimize to only where required (not sure where that would be, however), reservation-only hiking and provide significantly opened up access to the public in much the say way as other national parks are managed, including Bandelier which is directly connected. I would also like to see work connecting trails from Los Alamos county to this area, all of which are blocked now. I worry that NPS staffing and initial processes (e.g. NEPA) will actually restrict access more, at least initially. So the focused intent here should be on public access under the NPS umbrella of resource protection. I have never liked the way this area is managed now and, as a result, have stayed away with the exception of the trails near the outer boundaries where I can just show up and hike on my schedule. I know many other people that also very much dislike the current management model. I, for one, applaud this action. The focus of the NPS management should be on three things: access, access, access. Do away with, or minimize to only where required (not sure where that would be, however), reservation-only hiking and provide significantly opened up access to the public in much the say way as other national parks are managed, including Bandelier which is directly connected. I would also like to see work connecting trails from Los Alamos county to this area, all of which are blocked now.

I worry that NPS staffing and initial processes (e.g. NEPA) will actually restrict access more, at least initially. So the focused intent here should be on public access under the NPS umbrella of resource protection. I have never liked the way this area is managed now and, as a result, have stayed away with the exception of the trails near the outer boundaries where I can just show up and hike on my schedule. I know many other people that also very much dislike the current management model.

]]> By: Valles Concerned http://VallesCaldera.com/archives/1341#comment-1637 Valles Concerned Mon, 29 Jun 2009 23:37:02 +0000 http://vallescaldera.com/?p=1341#comment-1637 This could be good to see what the Park's can realistically do. If they take over would we go through a period of no access again, while they go through their NEPA process? I have a feeling it will be years after they take over, before there would be access like some folks are expecting. This could be good to see what the Park’s can realistically do. If they take over would we go through a period of no access again, while they go through their NEPA process? I have a feeling it will be years after they take over, before there would be access like some folks are expecting.

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