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Show : iz D. . mmmiihi' iimi"i"T-"'r'"T(i iriiipn'iwii mii . -m L.iii i. . .,. ,ii.iiwiWWMw,w1m.w.i.ii., rM I;. . I v "i : J ' I 'iX. k ' IX . v 1 ; j Tourists crowd the visitors center in Bryce Canyon Na- tures, attending a free slide presentation and going I tional Park seeking information, buying books and pic- through the museum. Visits Up at Bryce Canyon , BRYCE CANYON NATIONAL PARK Bryce Canyon National Park visitation for the month of May was 64,445 according to park ranger Ken Kerr, an increase of 8.7 percent over last year. Year-to-date visitation is 185,928 an increase of 4.06 percent over last year. Kerr pointed out that California schools are due to close 9 about June 15 and that will bring a vastly increased visitor schedule to the very popular and beautiful park. Most visitors, he said, stay an n average of 24 hours. , Over 465 back-country permits ? were issued and Kerr pointed out 1 that during the month of May 1404 j campers enjoyed a tenting ex-' ex-' J ! perience. j Kerr said that the back-country 'permit issuance has increased 70 percent. J At the National History I, Association in the park LaKay Quilter business manager said that NHA sales of maps, brochures, pictures, books and other items are staying up, and she too is girding for the expected influx of additional visitors when the California schools are out. A new chief resource and interpretation in-terpretation manager has joined the park staff. She is Susan Colclazer who recently transferred from the Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona. When asked how BCNP compared to her last station she wryly said "the trees are all standing stan-ding up here." She said, "You don't get many forest fires in a petrified forest and you don't move the trees around a great deal." Her husband is currently employed with the Department of Public Safety in Arizona and is seeking similar employment in Utah. Sandra Key superintendent of BCNP said that one of the prime priorities of the people of Garfield County should be to take note of the scenic wonders that cannot be seen anywhere else, and capitalize on them. She said that Bryce Canyon has the greatest world visitation (visitors from other countries), than any other park in the country. She also noted that the state of Utah has more national parks, national monuments and state parks than any other state. She said that one of the most important tourist attraction could be the Mormon mystique. She said that ; many people visit this Mormon state wanting to ask questions but either are afraid to ask or don't know whom to ask. 1 Some of things that she said might be a way to showcase the Mormon culture would be to close off Panguitch's Main Street, reroute the traffic and convert the entire block from Center Street to First North and restore the East side to resemble the west side and open shops showing tourists the many talents the nativesa here have, such as quilting, cooking, painting, needlecraft and the like. She said the townspeople could could wear the old fashioned clothing and bring many very interested people into the area. Key also said that there are so many places of interest in the county that visitors could spend days here and not see them all. The Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management have thousands of acres of land that are virtually untouched by tourism. |