How to reach DV administration?

[AlanMcR]

I'd like to express my opinions to the DV administration.  Mostly about the new permit requirements and designated campsites along Echo and other park 4x4 roads.  Anyone know names, numbers or email addresses?

...Alan

[Brice]

You missed the official public comment window on that topic, but this page has contact info at the top which may be of some use.

https://www.nps.gov/deva/learn/news/prop...ermits.htm

[Beardilocks]

It’s hit & miss over the years but eventually you get somebody that might transfer you to somebody.

760.786.3200

I find emails generally get ignored but occasionally find the right person.

Deva_information@nps.gov

[AlanMcR]

Thanks.
What a terrible system.
And the plan appears to be to move to recreation.gov. Even worse, in my opinion.

[DVexile]

You should of course always feel free to give your opinion to the powers that be.

That said, as someone who has camped along those roads for a couple of decades:

1. They were being overrun by people. Idiot people who would pull in at 10 pm and camp 50 yards from you.
2. This kind of camping close to a developed area in a NP is already rather rare and is an unusual accommodation.
3. I'm not a fan of the recreation.gov option myself, but many other people have pointed out the extreme inconvenience and environmental impact of long round trip drives to the VC to get permits in person.
4. The more typical NPS approach to the issues they had along these roads would be to simply prohibit any camping at all - which of course they have the power to do and have already done along many roads.

I make these comments not to argue with you, but rather since you seem to be rather late to the party on a topic that already went through a public comment period and made its way into the park master plan, to instead give you context so that whatever input you do provide the park won't simply be trivially dismissed by them as unworkable and already addressed in previous public comments.

Again, please by all means still comment!

[Beardilocks]

IIRC the plan for this has been in place for decades. They held off pretty long to be honest.

Not that I approve of the change. But with the skyrocketing visitation to the park and the general unpreparedness/lack of common sense something had to done I guess. Covid camping spike just pushed it over the edge finally.

[MojaveGeek]

Yes, the place is not what it was like in the old days 20-30 or even 10 years ago. Visitation is way up. And there's now guide books, and tons of info online. You used to see no one once you were 100 yards from any road. I hear there was a disgusting amount of human excrement removed from the Echo road. I have a few concerns - like where do you park to hike to the Slit since the normal parking places are now designated campsites - and I can foresee issues contacting recreation.gov from the valley floor - I never get cellular data there without pricey roaming - but I'm not sure there's a good alternative.

[Beardilocks]

Well, at least we’re not contributing to all the info online making it look like DV is a fun place to come to…

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[John Morrow]

Thanks. 
What a terrible system. 
And the plan appears to be to move to recreation.gov.  Even worse, in my opinion.

Is that accurate, I am unaware of the move to Rec.gov?  In early December I used the present system of day of walking in to the VC for the free permit.   I found I am generally supportive of the system.  The front desk is well prepared and trained with binders holding the permits complete with files for each campsite.  The past few autumns that I've searched for sites, both of these particular roads were packed with campers; and traffic of folks searching continued through the night.  For a long time the "mile from pavement" rule was little known.  Not anymore.  After seeing enough unburied poop and TP in the common dispersed sites, and the clusterf__k of folks driving 1.1 miles and cramming in, I saw the writing on the wall that NPS had to corral it.
If you call the VC they may be able to send you a form that is "Comments to the Superintendent".  This particular superintendent seems genuinely attentive to public concerns and thoughts.  I hope it doesn't get overused to the point where he does not have the capacity to respond directly.

John

[AlanMcR]

Thanks. 
What a terrible system. 
And the plan appears to be to move to recreation.gov.  Even worse, in my opinion.

Is that accurate, I am unaware of the move to Rec.gov?   In early December I used the present system of day of walking in to the VC for the free permit.   I found I am generally supportive of the system.  The front desk is well prepared and trained with binders holding the permits complete with files for each campsite.  The past few autumns that I've searched for sites, both of these particular roads were packed with campers; and traffic of folks searching continued through the night.  For a long time the "mile from pavement" rule was little known.  Not anymore.  After seeing enough unburied poop and TP in the common dispersed sites, and the clusterf__k of folks driving 1.1 miles and cramming in, I saw the writing on the wall that NPS had to corral it.
If you call the VC they may be able to send you a form that is "Comments to the Superintendent".  This particular superintendent seems genuinely attentive to public concerns and thoughts.  I hope it doesn't get overused to the point where he does not have the capacity to respond directly.

John

Walk in is great if you happen to be in Furnace creek between 9-5.  Not so helpful when you are pulling into the park long after dark.  

The move to Rec.gov was discussed by the ranger I was talking to on my second attempt to get a permit.  I pointed out that the permits are cheap enough that people will just book several different days. Then leave them booked. Frankly, there is no way to book, or release reservations from the park anyway.  Thus preventing anyone else from camping the empty spots.  
I've been roaming this park for >50 years, mostly in the back country.  I have yet to see a ranger anywhere but a paved road.  I didn't worry about getting cited because I treated the park well.  Heck, I come back from each trip with a bag full of other people's trash.  My friends and I even refilled Marble Bath.  Now, the designated campsite rule makes it such that citations are issued for simply being parked.