Proof That Stupid People Exist — Especially When It Comes to Our National Parks!

by Tom Shafer

April 12, 2020

So, someday I may try to figure out how many miles I have travelled to visit our national parks and monuments. But first, I will have to assemble that list of national parks and monuments. Suffice it to say, I have seen many, many, many of them, and love to share my experiences at all of them, from best hikes and campsites to most scenic areas for photography to best activities for every family member. And, suffice it to say again, I have found all of these places to be engaging, captivating, and stunning.

However, as is true about everything, “to each his or her own.” Some people who travel to these same places don’t find them as remarkable as I do, and some even dislike them. In fact, they dislike them so much that they are willing to reveal their feelings to websites like Yelp and Tripadvisor. Last year, Yelp actually released the funniest (and most vicious!) reviews and complaints about our majestic national parks, and trust me, they are hilarious – and completely ridiculous!

Frankly, after reading the “reviews,” I wanted to do something to defend these places that I love so much, maybe even hunt these people down and give them Saguaro Swirlies or Wind Cave Wedgies. Or maybe write some beautiful, inspirational prose that would set the world on fire, rousing people from their collective slumber, stirring them to visit our parks in numbers never witnessed before.

Ultimately, I did nothing and felt bad about it.

Enter illustrator Amber Share. Amber had always wanted to honor our national parks in some way but had never stumbled across the proper form or medium. However, when she discovered that people across America had submitted one-star reviews for every single park, she knew what she had to do. Just last week, she revealed her “takes” on our great parks in an article titled “I Illustrated National Parks In America Based On Their Worst Review And I Hope They Will Make You Laugh” on boredpanda.com. Below, I have provided a few samples of her amazingly witty work, but if you want to see more, check out her article.