Metro to Mountain Journal

Camping in a large campground is always interesting. As we sit in our tent a mere few feet from the campground road, we hear many noises. Automobiles are passing. Trucks are passing. Motorcycles are passing. The Park Service golf cart is passing. People are passing. All make their own noises.

Back home I know that Jake, the dog, knows the cars that pull into the driveway long before we see who it is. He has already figured out if it is one of his favorite people or if he should be cautious.

After a week listening to the campground road, I too have tuned my ear to identify passerby's. Now, I sit in the closed tent and know which vehicle is passing and have come to recognize walkers and their faces. If Amy had better hearing, we could make it a game.

Some of the noises are quiet and others are loud. The Park has quiet times established, but it is up to the campers to regulate themselves. There are no noise monitors, which is a good thing at least I will not get arrested for snoring.

It is a delight to listen to the birds and the little critters like the chipmunks and prairie dogs. It is a joy to watch walkers, runners, and bicyclists pass by. The quite noises are the Park.

There are also noises which are not the Park. The loud, monster diesel trucks and motorcycles power through the campground. They make more noise than a band of children playing nearby and are not nearly as delightful to watch. Last night in the middle of the night a car alarm went off. It was minutes before it was deactivated. These are not Park noises.

We love the campgrounds and the quiet noises of the Park. We hope that some day noise regulations will help reduce the non-natural noises. I guess my snoring is natural, but there have been reports of recent bear encounters.

Happy quiet campground trails.