Many Coloradans Reject Idea To Add Wi-Fi & Food Trucks To National Parks

DENVER (CBS4) - For a lot of people, heading into nature is a way to unplug. However, a new proposal could bring Wi-Fi and even food trucks to campgrounds at national parks.

"It's peaceful," explained Scott Allen, looking at the scenery at Rocky Mountain National Park. "I would describe it as very peaceful out here."

If you're anything like Scott, Jesse and Angelika, when you go hiking or camping it's to get away from the busy city life.

"I think the goal of camping is to get away from all of that and to unplug a little bit," Jesse Allen explained.

An advisory committee, which has been looking at ways for private businesses to operate on public lands, recently introduced the idea to modernize campgrounds to the Interior Department. The report stated that campgrounds don't meet visitor expectations. It recommended national parks could benefit from amenities like Wi-Fi, running water, or even food trucks.

Angelika Lintner said her biggest concern would be people using Wi-Fi to stream music or movies at nearby campsites.

"I think noise can be a form of pollution," she told CBS4. "And people get out here to get fresh air, but also to enjoy the tranquility."

The three did admit they know a few people who would more likely go camping if these amenities were available. While they said they would rather "rough it," the idea to add running water did catch their attention.

"Hot showers appeal to me very much," Litner said. "They could be the difference between a two day camping trip and a one week camping trip in my case."

The idea is that modernizing campgrounds could attract more overnight visitors to national parks. The committee suggested selecting five to 10 national park sites by December, including those with low visitation numbers, for a pilot project on upgrades.

The Interior Department isn't obligated to enact the recommendations, but has said it doesn't have the money to modernize the more than 1,420 campgrounds in its system nor does every campground need upgrades.

"Once the report is reviewed, we'll respond accordingly," department spokesman Nicholas Goodwin said.