NYFalls.com Talk

The NY State Park Policy on trash... or more specifically the lack of trash management withing the parks is designed to save money.

Do you think it leads to more trash finding its way into our creeks, lakes, forests?

The policy doesn't seem to hold at Niagara Falls or near NYC, as those parks have trash cans everywhere.

Most states I have been in, as well as Most National Parks, have trash service.

Is this a new policy? Most state parks I've visited have trash cans I believe (if not on the trail...then at the entry/exit point) ...of course I guess I haven't been paying attention as I always carry a backpack.

What I have noticed is that when I do see Carry In Carry Out signage...it usually is followed.

Thacher Park has no trash cans that I recall, except maybe near the snack stand, and the carry in carry out signs are pretty scarce, there is one at each end of the park on the road where 99% of the people won't see it, and there may be one or two around the park. There's generally not a lot of trash around, though. The worst being near the main overlook where people think it's great to throw things off to see them disappear over the cliff edge, I guess. Some of them don't make it and land on the small grassy area beyond the fence but before the cliff edge. There's also stuff at the bottom along the Indian Ladder trail, where the slope drops sharply from the trail, but from what I remember, there's less than there used to be when I was a kid.

I think it is a bad plan. We always carry out but recently we were at a Delaware beach and their policy is the same. They have a shower house and it was absolutely disgusting. People threw trash in the sinks, the showers, and a huge pile against the building wall. Not that it is the park's fault that people are pigs, but if they raised the entrance fee by $1.00 it would most likely more than cover the cost of trash service.

PA parks are clean and have trash service. They also are free, so what are NY and Delaware doing wrong?

I know watkins glen has this carry out policy... but there are a few trash bins along the gorge trail.
Which is it, NY?
I say.. we need full trash service. People aren't just pigs, they are stupid. I don't think most visitors even know about the policy when they go to the park.