Improving Transit Access to Parks and Trails

Too often, national parks and other recreational spaces in the United States are difficult or impossible to access without a car. Some parks are working to change that.

1 minute read

July 21, 2023, 6:00 AM PDT

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


White shuttle bus picks up passengers in Zion National Park, red cliffs and mountains in background.

A park shuttle picks up visitors in Zion National Park, Utah. | Jim / Adobe Stock

In a piece in Millennial American Dream republished in Streetsblog USA, Michael Moore describes how Rocky Mountain National Park and Glacier National Park provide exemplary models for providing parks access to people who don’t own cars via bus shuttles.

By providing convenient transportation options, these parks reduce traffic congestion, minimize pollution, and make it easier for visitors to access hiking trails and attractions. Implementing similar shuttle services in popular US parks could significantly enhance accessibility and alleviate parking woes.

Moore also suggests making more in-park lodging, such as European-style hiking hostels, available to tourists to reduce the need to drive in and out. Additionally, parks can reduce economic barriers by providing affordable gear rentals and boosting connectivity to public transit. “Establishing reliable bus and train connections from major US cities and airports to lesser-known parks is crucial for achieving better access and dispersing visitor flow,” Moore writes. 

Parks access shouldn’t be limited to people who own cars. “Implementing transit connections, alternative transportation options, in-park accommodations, small cabin hostels, refreshment options, gear rentals, and long-distance transit links can transform the way we experience nature in the US.”

Thursday, July 20, 2023 in Streetsblog USA

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Aerial view of single-family homes with swimming pools in San Diego, California.

San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule

The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.

March 9, 2025 - Axios

Green electric Volkswagen van against a beach backdrop.

The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan

Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.

March 3, 2025 - ABC 7 Eyewitness News

Canadian flag in foreground with blurred Canadian Parliament building in background in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

Has President Trump Met His Match?

Doug Ford, the no-nonsense premier of Canada's most populous province, Ontario, is taking on Trump where it hurts — making American energy more expensive.

March 11, 2025 - Toronto Star

Aerial view of Honolulu, Hawaii coastline at dusk.

Honolulu's Iwilei Center Plans for Redevelopment Into Mixed-Use Space

Striving to expand affordable housing options for Oahu residents, Honolulu's Department of Land Management requests to redevelop the Iwilei Center into a mixed-use space.

March 12 - Spectrum News

Orange Biketown bike share bikes parked at station on sidewalk in Portland, Oregon,

Biketown Lives

Despite public perception of its decline, Portland’s bike share system is alive and well.

March 12 - Willamette Week

Quiet tree-lined street in Stockholm, Sweden in summer.

‘Stockholm Tree Pit’ Saves Dying Urban Trees

After noticing that two-thirds of its trees were dying, Stockholm developed a new planting method to protect trees surrounded by concrete.

March 12 - Reasons to Be Cheerful