I hike for the same reason other people attend church. Naturally, my version of religion depends upon unimpeded access to my church. For 30 years, the national forests and wilderness areas have been the only place I could gain this direct access. The trailhead fee thus represents an intolerable bureaucratic barrier between me and the practice of my spirituality. The wilderness legacy in this country has played an important part in forming our national identity.
Many visitors enjoy parks from behind windshields.
At the same time the national parks have sought to guarantee a safe and sanitized outdoor experience, in what amounts to a passive conspiracy, media giants, software firms and Internet prophets snip away at the last strands of our connection to the real world. Against these alarming trends, the national forests have stood as perhaps the last direct, real experience available. Unfortunately, the Forest Service overlooked or does not understand the important role of immediacy in the human relationship with the wilderness. Even having to think about and plan around the purchase of a pass constitute bothersome interference that completely changes the nature of the wilderness experience. Furthermore, the fee is too high.