NPS trail restrictions

Exit Zero · Post by **Exit Zero** » Wed Jan 30, 2013 12:25 am

http://stthomassource.com/content/news/ ... re-species
An article worth reading for any off trail hikers.

betsyv · Post by **betsyv** » Wed Jan 30, 2013 8:36 am

Thanks for the info...Noted!

toes in the sand · Post by **toes in the sand** » Wed Jan 30, 2013 11:34 am

Thank you for posting this. I have been interested in finding a white cliffs trail ever since I read a post a month or two back on another fourm where someone asked about this "trail" I can now give up my search. Hopefully closing this area will allow nature to repair the damage of man. I just wish that I could hike to the white cliffs.They are so majestic from afar.

Lovermont · Post by **Lovermont** » Wed Jan 30, 2013 12:43 pm

Interesting. We tried to find the White Cliffs Trail in both 2010 & 2011 without much luck. 2010 ended with a trip to Myrah Keating after I impaled myself on a branch from a tree, and 2011 we hiked about 1/2 mile up from Europa Bay, but couldn't follow the trail at all, so we returned the way we came. While I respect what the National Park service is trying to do, I personally feel that if trails are well marked and maintained, people are more likely to stay on them, and not venture off the trail and quite possibly impact endangered foliage. That's just my personal opinion.
Thanks Exit for the heads up.

toes in the sand · Post by **toes in the sand** » Wed Jan 30, 2013 2:01 pm

If I read and understood the aritcle correctly, there was no NPS White Cliffs trail. Someone had cut a trail there and continued to use the trial even after efforts by the Park Service to stop use of the unauthorized trail. Least that is how I understood the article.

hugo · Post by **hugo** » Wed Jan 30, 2013 3:33 pm

You are totally correct, Toes.

toes in the sand · Post by **toes in the sand** » Wed Jan 30, 2013 3:38 pm

So, closing this area really doesn't change access to the general public. We are not allowed off trail anyway, correct?

StLytho · Post by **StLytho** » Thu Jan 31, 2013 10:27 am

Some interesting views on the trail closure are up on Gerald Singer's site today.

http://seestjohn.com/st_john_life/

toes in the sand · Post by **toes in the sand** » Thu Jan 31, 2013 10:49 am

StLytho wrote:Some interesting views on the trail closure are up on Gerald Singer's site today.

http://seestjohn.com/st_john_life/

While I see and apreciate Bob Garrisons take on the closure I cannot (from my chair here so far from StJ) condone the cutting of trails by persons other than the NPS. I find it interesting that Eugenia earhartii is considered a rare plant but not on an endagered list but still worthy of protection for unspecified reasons. Hopefully the NPS will keep all (without permit) out of this area and not all but a select few.

usvi-on-line