Parking fees coming to the Smokies Park?

[lampern]

Looks like parking fees will be coming to the Great Smokies?

https://www.ncleg.gov/Sessions/2021/Bills/House/PDF/H1170v0.pdf

 

[trad bow]

That’s just a big insult to the people born and raised around and in the parks confines. That property is owned by the taxpayers in this country and in no way should anyone that pays taxes should be charged anything for amenities or parking. At any state or federal land.

 

[NCHillbilly]

That’s just a big insult to the people born and raised around and in the parks confines. That property is owned by the taxpayers in this country and in no way should anyone that pays taxes should be charged anything for amenities or parking. At any state or federal land.

I am one of those people. I can about see the park line from my house. Part of the deal of my ancestors giving up their land and homes to build that park is that they would never charge entry fees, according to the government. Charging a parking fee is the exact same as an entry fee. I'm glad to see the NC general assembly fighting this. Whereas a tourist that comes from Chicago pays it once, a local like me whose ancestors had their lands taken for the park will have to pay repeatedly every time I enter the park, which is probably 75-80 times a year, at least.

 

[trad bow]

I am one of those people. I can about see the park line from my house. Part of the deal of my ancestors giving up their land and homes to build that park is that they would never charge entry fees, according to the government. Charging a parking fee is the exact same as an entry fee. I'm glad to see the NC general assembly fighting this. Whereas a tourist that comes from Chicago pays it once, a local like me whose ancestors had their lands taken for the park will have to pay repeatedly every time I enter the park, which is probably 75-80 times a year, at least.

I agree with you completely and understand as my people still live up in The Snowbirds

 

[NCHillbilly]

I agree with you completely and understand as my people still live up in The Snowbirds

I spent from last Thursday morning to midday Sunday camping smack-dab in the middle of the Snowbirds. Where are your people from?

 

[trad bow]

Any where from Unaka , Beaverdam and Hanging Dawg. Really from up above those communities.

 

[NCHillbilly]

Any where from Unaka , Beaverdam and Hanging Dawg. Really from up above those communities.

Love it out in that corner of the state. Beautiful country from Slickrock to Hanging Dog.

 

[trad bow]

My ancestors were living there from the 1790’s on. Reading up on my direct line of ancestors my fifth grandfather was in the first census of the newly formed Bencumbe County

 

[trad bow]

Probably misspelled Becoumbe county again.

 

[NCHillbilly]

Probably misspelled Becoumbe county again.

It's Buncombe, but that's ok. Sounds like our ancestors were mingling considerable. Mine have been here since then, too. We might be cousins, for that matter.

 

[trad bow]

Could be but I’m sure we have the same mind set about things just like our ancestors.

 

[trad bow]

Just realized I typed Dawg instead of Dog. No offense intended.

 

[Clarksville snit]

Like everything else; in Georgia you pay a parking fee at every state park and some National Forest sites charge a user’s fee.

 

[flyrod444]

I wonder how court would go if someone gets a ticket for parking while they are visiting their ancestors graves. I have a few great uncles and aunts buried up deep creek. I did read some where that a year pass would be available fairly reasonable.

 

[gobbleinwoods]

I already have a lifetime National Park Pass so I don't have to pay at parks that charge an entry fee. Are they going to hire employees at every entrance to enforce this parking fee?

 

[NCHillbilly]

Like everything else; in Georgia you pay a parking fee at every state park and some National Forest sites charge a user’s fee.

This isn't a Georgia state park. This is a national park that was created by forcing out the tens of thousands of people who lived there, who had farms, lives, and homes. People's families are still resting in the ground there and are visited regularly. Part of the original agreement deal that the states of NC and TN made with the federal government when giving up the land was that there would never be a charge to enter the park. Yes, this is a very, very, very big deal, and a direct slap in the face to the local people of TN and NC whose families were forced to give up their homes and land and legacy.

 

[NCHillbilly]

I wonder how court would go if someone gets a ticket for parking while they are visiting their ancestors graves. I have a few great uncles and aunts buried up deep creek. I did read some where that a year pass would be available fairly reasonable.

There are still annual decoration days on Cataloochee, Little Cataloochee, and Hazel Creek that I know of. I'm sure there are a lot more. Charging an old man or woman to visit their parents' or siblings' graves is reprehensible.

 

[trad bow]

Reprehensible is the government’s way

 

[Browning Slayer]

I am one of those people. I can about see the park line from my house. Part of the deal of my ancestors giving up their land and homes to build that park is that they would never charge entry fees, according to the government. Charging a parking fee is the exact same as an entry fee. I'm glad to see the NC general assembly fighting this. Whereas a tourist that comes from Chicago pays it once, a local like me whose ancestors had their lands taken for the park will have to pay repeatedly every time I enter the park, which is probably 75-80 times a year, at least.

The government will never stop screwing people out of land. And then charging them back for it. Just sickening.

 

[lampern]

Next they will charge an entrance fee or try to