National Parks

Religious missionaries and political activists will have more freedom to speak out in Yosemite, Yellowstone and other national parks under an appellate court ruling. The decision, released Friday, struck down a longstanding National Park Service requirement that activists obtain permits before they demonstrate, distribute brochures or engage in other "expressive" activities in parks. "These regulations penalize a substantial amount of speech that does not impinge on the government's interests," wrote Judge Janice Rogers Brown of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

As long as Congress places a higher value on tobacco plants than ancient pines and alpine flowers, it is going to entertain corporate wishes to purchase the goodwill of our national parks through corporate sponsorship (Sept. 16). This generation has a mandate to care for our nation's treasures, not exploit them. Those in Congress who say that this trust must pay its own way ignore that our parklands are at the heart of tourist-driven economies and recreational industries across the nation.

"Opening Parks to All of America" (Nov. 25), on the national park system and its lack of minority visitors, reinforced what I had been thinking about for several years now. I have visited many national parks, monuments, sites, etc., throughout the country. And although I'm not a race-conscious person, I often notice that I am the only non-Anglo American on a trail, beach or at a historical site. The non-Anglos are usually tourists from East Asia or Latin America. The fact that one-quarter of blacks and Latinos are poor is one reason one does not see these groups.

Re "Camp? Outside? Um, no thanks," Nov. 24 The Times seems to paint a bleak picture in its article on the 10-year decline of national park visitors. But it seems like just yesterday that articles were touting our parks as being overpopulated and overrun. Although I think it is important that everyone gets in touch with the majesty of nature in our awesome national parks, I am grateful that the crowds are thinning. Let the boomers take their cruises and families hit the themed commercial parks.

When Secretary of the Interior Gale A. Norton and her assistants fanned out to celebrate Earth Day on April 22, the headline on the press release proclaimed in part, "Cherishing our National Parks." Norton visited Yosemite National Park, declaring in effect that the Bush administration was emulating Teddy Roosevelt in caring for the nation's natural treasures. In fact, this administration is the worst in decades in protecting and maintaining the park system. The National Parks Conservation Assn.

These places offer exceptional quiet, according to the National Park Service: Arizona Chiricahua National Monument Fort Bowie National Monument Grand Canyon (off-season) Tonto National Monument California Death Valley Colorado Dinosaur National Monument Hawaii and Samoa Haleakala National Park Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Kalaupapa National Historical Park National Park of American Samoa, Tau and Tutuila Units Nevada Lake Mead National Recreation Area New Mexico Aztec Ruins Chaco Culture

Cabrillo National Monument, 1800 Cabrillo Memorial Drive, San Diego, CA 92106-3601; telephone (619) 557-5450, fax (619) 557-5469, www.nps.gov/cabr. Channel Islands National Park, 1901 Spinnaker Drive, Ventura, CA 93001; tel. (805) 658-5700, fax (805) 658-5799, www.nps.gov/chis. Death Valley National Park, P.O. Box 579, Death Valley, CA 92328; tel. (760) 786-2331, fax (760) 786-3283, www.nps.gov/deva.

Veterans Day may be best spent outdoors because national parks and forests offer free admission Thursday and state parks are marking the day with some special events. National parks will waive admission fees Thursday in honor of Veterans Day. In addition, some will have special ceremonies. For example, Valley Forge National Historic Park in Pennsylvania will have a moment of silence and wreath-laying ceremony in tribute to Revolutionary War veterans. Go to the National Park Service website to find out more.