Quote
Ryno98
If we could also find a way to keep any children, elderly, or disabled people out of the park so that only able-bodied hemp necklace wearing vegans with backpacks could access the valley (but only for 2 days per week for 6 hours at a time) that would be great too. Seriously, I'm all about wilderness preservation, but for an established (i.e. developed) section of a national park there is no need to allow access only by foot, bike, or bus. I'd personally rather see a permit/reservation system for limited car access before anything that extreme.
I'm not advocating that private cars not be allowed in Yosemite Valley, but there is precedent in the NPS that doesn't shut out those with mobility difficulties.
At Zion NP, there is a mandatory shuttle for most of the peak visitation summer months. The parking lot at the entrance fills up quickly, although there is an additional shuttle that operates from most of Springdale to the entrance. Reserved guests at Zion Lodge can receive parking passes that allow them to drive from the entrance to the lodge, as well as park only at the lodge. In addition, drivers transporting a person (including possibly the driver) with a disabled placard can park at the various parking lots. In the non-peak months, anyone can drive into Zion Canyon.
At Grand Canyon NP, there's a mandatory shuttle on Hermit Road starting at Grand Canyon Village and ending at Hermit's Rest. Again - anyone with a legitimate disabled placard can be transported via private motor vehicle.
Even in Yosemite NP, there are areas where the disabled can gain access by motor vehicle while most people have to walk or travel by bike. The Happy Isles Loop Road is open to those with disabled placards/plates. I've been on the Mirror Lake Road with a car with disabled plates passing by most of the pedestrians.
http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/upload/access.pdf