National Park Tour Cert Questions

[Fun Bobby]

I need guidance on the National Park Tour cert. I'm 15 states and 28 National Park System passport stamps into the quest, but wonder if some of my passport stamps will count.

1) I collected the Zion National Park Springdale, UT and Zion National Park Kolob Canyon stamps earlier this week. I rode to each visitor center to collect the stamp. Does the two park stamps count as two park locations or are they considered one park stamp since they both have Zion National Park in their title?

2) I collected the John Day Fossil Bed National Monument stamp, but while at the visitor center, they had two additional stamps for other fossil bed locations. I did not have time to visit the two additional monument locations, so I didn't collect the passport stamp for the other two John Day Fossil Bed locations. However, I wondered if it was authorized or in the "spirit" of the National Park Tour cert to collect the stamp for all three locations at one visitor center even if you didn't physically stop at the other locations.

Cheers,

Rob, 2013 K1600GT
Navarre, FL
IBA 15661

 

[Ira]

I need guidance on the National Park Tour cert. I'm 15 states and 28 National Park System passport stamps into the quest, but wonder if some of my passport stamps will count.

1) I collected the Zion National Park Springdale, UT and Zion National Park Kolob Canyon stamps earlier this week. I rode to each visitor center to collect the stamp. Does the two park stamps count as two park locations or are they considered one park stamp since they both have Zion National Park in their title?

2) I collected the John Day Fossil Bed National Monument stamp, but while at the visitor center, they had two additional stamps for other fossil bed locations. I did not have time to visit the two additional monument locations, so I didn't collect the passport stamp for the other two John Day Fossil Bed locations. However, I wondered if it was authorized or in the "spirit" of the National Park Tour cert to collect the stamp for all three locations at one visitor center even if you didn't physically stop at the other locations.

Cheers,

Rob, 2013 K1600GT
Navarre, FL
IBA 15661

Keep in mind that the objective of the NPT is for you to visit the sites. The stamps are just a way to document your visit.

1) There are plenty of sites with multiple stamps. Although you can collect them all if you wish, only one will count toward to the 50 needed. The exception to this is sites that span several states. For example, there are several National Trails that do so. So picking up a different stamp in each state is acceptable.

2) As I said, the stamps are only to document the fact that you actually visited the various sites. In my opinion, picking up a stamp at a visitor center for a site you never visited is the same as sitting in your living room and obtaining stamps by mailing a request to the visitor center (I'm not sure they would even do that, but for argument's sake, let's assume they do).

Ira Agins
Iron Butt Association

 

[Fun Bobby]

Ira,

Your objective to visit the sites as part of the NPT is loud and clear. My conscience will not allow me to claim a park stamp without riding to the site. For example, the park stamps for the Brices Cross Roads National Battlefield Site and the Tupelo National Battlefield are located at one location -the visitor center at mile marker 266 on the Natchez Trace Parkway. However, I will ride to each location to meet the intent of the NPT.

In the case of Zion National Park, does the Kolob Canyon stamp count as a unique park location or is it considered part of the overall Zion National Park stamp? Or to ask another way, will Kolob Canyon and Zion National Park be counted as two park stamps? They were separated by approximately 40 miles and each has its own visitor center unique stamp. However, the Kolob Canyon stamp has Zion National Park across the top of the stamp with Kolob Canyon across the bottom while the Zion National Park stamp has Springdale, UT across the bottom.

Thanks for keeping me on track.

Rob, K1600GT
Navarre, FL
IBA 15661

 

[Ira]

In the case of Zion National Park, does the Kolob Canyon stamp count as a unique park location or is it considered part of the overall Zion National Park stamp? Or to ask another way, will Kolob Canyon and Zion National Park be counted as two park stamps? They were separated by approximately 40 miles and each has its own visitor center unique stamp. However, the Kolob Canyon stamp has Zion National Park across the top of the stamp with Kolob Canyon across the bottom while the Zion National Park stamp has Springdale, UT across the bottom.

Thanks for keeping me on track.

Rob, K1600GT
Navarre, FL
IBA 15661

According to the Zion National Park Web site, "The beautiful Kolob Canyon section is one of the popular trails in Zion National Park." So I would consider it another Zion stamp, not a separate site.

Of course, not only is the objective to visit the sites, we also encourage riders to actually spend time at them and enjoy their unique attributes. So by all means go to Kolob Canyon whether or not the stamp counts toward the total - it sounds like a very groovy place.

Ira Agins
Iron Butt Association

 

[Scott Parish]

groovy