'Occupy America:' Visitors at Utah's Zion National Park defy cones and Barrycades

misstripleem | 1:47 AM on October 06, 2013

News reports of tourists climbing Barrycades at Zion Natl Park today! Leave OUR parks alone Barry

— Deborah Lemieux ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (@DebbieLemieux) October 6, 2013

It’s not just the tourists at Mount Rushmore who are getting harassed for trying to enjoy the scenery. Visitors to Utah’s Zion National Park report similar treatment. And many are not taking the selective, politically-driven obstruction lying down.

A Twitchy reader on scene e-mailed:

I noted your Twitchy story about cones being placed at Mt. Rushmore so people couldn’t pull over. When we drove Highway 9, part of which passes through the outskirts of Zion National Park on Oct. 1, we were advised by the Park Ranger at the gate that we couldn’t stop our car at any time in the next 12 miles.

To ensure that we didn’t pull over at any of the scenic viewpoints, cones were placed at every turnoff. That didn’t stop people, however, as many were getting out, moving cones, and quickly taking pictures. People were incredulous at that restriction, as if they could somehow shutdown our ability to enjoy our surroundings.

At the other end of the road, there was another park ranger forcing people to move who had stop to photograph a small group of wild bighorn sheep. Because, you know, the government owns them too. All of this was happening on a public road.

I did enjoy seeing an elderly couple, in a display of civil disobedience, leave their car and walk hand in hand on the red rock.

While I can understand the concerns of liabilities of people getting lost or injured in the park, I see no reason why cars can’t pull over to the side of a public road and stand, take in the scenery, take a picture, and get back in their car.