The National Parks of the United States are in process of great development as regards the building of roads and trails and the operation of hotels and camps. It is likely that from year to year additional trips will be scheduled and new camps established. The rates given are from the latest data available and may be considered stable, although they are likely to vary slightly from year to year in sympathy with general fluctuations in prices.

Railway rates are given for side trips to all the Parks from the main transcontinental lines, and through rates are given to the important Parks from the principal gateways. The rates are the latest ones in effect and are quoted in order to give the reader a general idea of the cost. The latest rates and combinations of tours may be obtained at any coupon ticket office or from the passenger representatives of the roads tributary to the Parks. There is given on pages 427-31 a schedule showing the cost of side trips on the regular transcontinental tours.

Railroads to the National Parks and the Grand CaÑon

Yellowstone Park: Northern Pacific to Gardiner, Montana; Oregon Short Line to Yellowstone, Montana: Chicago, Burlington & Quincy to Cody, Wyoming.

Yosemite Park: Yosemite Valley to El Portal, California.

Sequoia Park: Southern Pacific or Atchison, Topeka & Santa FÉ to Visalia, California.

General Grant Park: Southern Pacific to Sanger, California.

Mount Rainier Park: Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul to Ashford, Washington.

Crater Lake Park: Southern Pacific to Medford or Kirk, Oregon.

Glacier Park: Great Northern to Glacier Park or Belton, Montana.

Mesa Verde Park: Denver & Rio Grande to Mancos, Colorado.

Rocky Mountain Park: Union Pacific to Fort Collins or Greeley, Colorado; Colorado & Southern to Boulder, Loveland, Longmont, or Fort Collins, Colorado; Chicago, Burlington & Quincy to Longmont or Lyons, Colorado; Denver & Salt Lake to Granby, Colorado.

Grand CaÑon: Atchison, Topeka & Santa FÉ to Grand CaÑon, Arizona.

Lassen Volcanic Park: Southern Pacific to Red Bluff or Westwood, California; Western Pacific to Keddie, California.

Hawaii Park: Steamer service from Honolulu, Hawaii.

Mount McKinley Park: No railroad connection until government railroad across Alaska is completed.

Hot Springs Reservation: Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific; St. Louis Iron Mountain & Southern; and Memphis, Dallas & Gulf to Hot Springs, Arkansas.

Casa Grande Ruin: Southern Pacific to Florence or Casa Grande, Arizona.

Wind Cave Park: Chicago & Northwestern or Chicago, Burlington & Quincy to Hot Springs, South Dakota.

Platt Park: Atchison, Topeka & Santa FÉ or St. Louis & San Francisco to Sulphur, Oklahoma.

Sully's Hill Park: Great Northern to Devil's Lake, North Dakota.

Railroads to Canadian Parks

Rocky Mountains Park: Canadian Pacific to Banff or Laggan, Alberta.

Yoho Park: Canadian Pacific to Field, British Columbia.

Glacier Park: Canadian Pacific to Glacier, British Columbia.

Jasper Park: Grand Trunk Pacific or Canadian Northern to Jasper, Alberta.

Revelstoke Park: Canadian Pacific to Revelstoke, British Columbia.

Waterton Lakes Park: Canadian Pacific to McLeod or Pincher Creek, Alberta.

Buffalo Park: Grand Trunk Pacific to Wainwright, Alberta.

Elk Island Park: Canadian Pacific to Lamont, Alberta.

St. Lawrence Islands Park: New York Central to Clayton, New York; Grand Trunk to Kingston, Ontario.

Fort Howe Park: Canadian Pacific to St. John, New Brunswick.

Cost of Side Trips on Trans-Continental Tours

Route A. Principal National Parks:—

To Seattle or Tacoma via Great Northern, Northern Pacific, or Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul; to Portland via Northern Pacific, Great Northern, or Oregon & Washington Railroad & Navigation Company; to San Francisco via Southern Pacific; to Ogden via Southern Pacific or Western Pacific; to Denver via Union Pacific or Denver & Rio Grande; any road to starting-point. Round trip from Chicago, $90. Round trip from St. Louis, $87.50. Round trip from Kansas City, $89.57.

Route B. Principal National Parks and the Grand CaÑon of the Colorado:—

To Seattle or Tacoma via Great Northern, Northern Pacific, or Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul; to Portland via Northern Pacific, Great Northern, or Oregon & Washington Railroad & Navigation Company; to San Francisco via Southern Pacific; to Denver via Atchison, Topeka & Santa FÉ; any road to starting-point. Round trip from Chicago, $90. Round trip from St. Louis, $87.50. Round trip from Kansas City, $89.57.

Yellowstone Park—side trips from Routes A and B:

On tickets via Northern Pacific: From Livingston, Montana, via Northern Pacific to Gardiner, northern entrance, and return, $3.00.

On tickets via Great Northern: From Havre, Montana, on west-bound tickets and from Shelby, Montana, on east-bound tickets via Great Northern and Northern Pacific to Gardiner, northern entrance, and return, $15.70.

On tickets via Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul or Northern Pacific: From Butte, Montana, via Oregon Short Line to Yellowstone, Montana, western entrance, and return, $12.25.

On tickets via Burlington to Billings, thence via Northern Pacific or Great Northern to Seattle or Tacoma, there is no charge for side trip via Cody, Wyoming, to eastern entrance.

On tickets via Northern Pacific: From Billings, Montana, via Burlington to Cody, Wyoming, and return, $6.90; stage fare to Park entrance extra.

Yellowstone Park—side trip from Route A only:—

All tickets on this route read via Ogden, Utah; side trip via Oregon Short Line to Yellowstone, Montana, western entrance, and return, $12.25.

Glacier Park—side trips from Routes A and B:—

On tickets reading via Great Northern, stopover may be obtained at Belton or Glacier Park Stations without extra charge; no side trip necessary.

On tickets reading via Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul: From Butte, Montana, via Great Northern to Belton or Glacier Park Stations, and return, $13.35.

On tickets reading via Northern Pacific: From Butte or Helena, Montana, via Great Northern to Belton or Glacier Park Stations, and return. From Butte, $13.35. From Helena, $13.15.

Mount Rainier Park—side trips from Routes A and B:—

Tacoma via Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul to Ashford and return, $4.00; stage fare Ashford to Paradise Valley and return, $5.00.

Crater Lake Park from Routes A and B:—

Stopover allowed at Medford or Kirk on Southern Pacific without extra charge. Stage fare: Medford to Crater Lake and return, $16.50; Kirk to Crater Lake and return, $6.00; Medford to Crater Lake, thence Kirk or vice versa, $11.25.

Lassen Volcanic Park from Routes A and B:—

Stopover allowed at Red Bluff on Southern Pacific without extra charge; stage fare to Park $10.00 in each direction.

Lassen Volcanic Park from Route A only:—

On tickets reading via Southern Pacific: From Fernley, Nevada, via Southern Pacific to Westwood, California, and return, $6.85; stage fare[1] to Park $6.00 round trip.

On tickets reading via Western Pacific stopover allowed at Keddie, California, without extra charge; stage fare[1] to Park $14.00 round trip.

Yosemite Park—side trip from Route A:—

San Francisco via Southern Pacific or Atchison, Topeka & Santa FÉ to Yosemite Village, round trip, rail and stage, $23.00.

Yosemite Park—side trip from Route B only:—

Merced via Yosemite Valley Railroad to Yosemite Village, round trip, rail and stage, $18.50.

Sequoia Park—side trip from Route A:—

San Francisco via Southern Pacific or Atchison, Topeka & Santa FÉ to Visalia and Giant Forest, round trip, rail and stage, $24.00.

Sequoia Park—side trip from Route B only:—

Visalia to Giant Forest, round trip, rail and stage, $13.30.

Yosemite and Sequoia Parks—side trip from Route A:—

Tourists should buy ticket to Giant Forest, stopover at Merced in one direction, and buy side trip to Yosemite. San Francisco via Atchison, Topeka & Santa FÉ or Southern Pacific to Giant Forest and return, round trip, rail and stage, $24.00. Merced to Yosemite Village, round trip, rail and stage, $18.50.

General Grant Park—side trip from Route A:—

San Francisco to General Grant Park and return, rail and stage, $20.00.

General Grant Park—side trip from Route B only:—

Stopover at Sanger may be obtained without extra charge; stage fare to Park, round trip, $8.00.

Grand CaÑon—side trip from Route B only:—

From Atchison, Topeka & Santa FÉ at Williams to Grand CaÑon, round trip, $7.50.

Mesa Verde Park—side trip from Routes A and B:

Denver via Denver & Rio Grande to camp in Park, round trip, $35.00.

Mesa Verde Park—side trips from Route A, and only on tickets reading via Denver & Rio Grande:—

From Grand Junction to camp in Park, round trip, $33.30. From Montrose to camp in Park, round trip, $28.90. From Grand Junction to camp in Park, thence to Denver via Antonito and Alamosa, $30.00.

Rocky Mountain Park—side trip from Routes A and B:—

Denver to Estes Park and return, rail and stage, $9.60.

Equipment

As all the scenic Parks are in high mountain country, the tourist should be sure to wear warm clothing suitable for rough outdoor use. Woolen trousers or riding-breeches are desirable, not only because of their warmth, but also because they offer better protection in rainy weather. Woolen underwear is recommended because it prevents the body from becoming chilled when a rest is taken when the climber is perspiring; nothing is more uncomfortable or dangerous than cotton underwear wet with perspiration. Women who expect to climb should wear riding-breeches, as bloomers get caught on bushes and offer too much resistance to the wind. A flannel middy blouse allows free use of the arms and body and is far superior to the shirt-waist. A felt hat is best for both men and women; it may be pulled over the eyes as a protection from the sun, and it is far superior to a cap during a rainstorm. Heavy, comfortable shoes and woolen socks or stockings are essential for those who are going to tramp. Wet shoes may be worn if the socks are dry; the shoes will feel cold and clammy at first, but a little brisk tramping will soon make the feet warm and comfortable.

Motorists should bear in mind that the high altitude causes a marked reduction in the power of the engine, so that much more gasoline will be required than at sea-level. Care should be taken that the engine does not become heated on long grades.