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State parks blaze trails for wireless Internet service - USATODAY.com
<br />available. "It's unobtrusive, and you can choose to use it or not."
<br />Page 2 of 4
<br />Charles Spitz of Wall Township, N,J., doesn't believe Wi-Fi belongs in parks. "A park is neither the time nor the place for being connected to the
<br />Internet," says Spitz, who has visited two state parks since January 2007. "If you are that much of an Internet junkie, stay home or stay in your
<br />hotel room."
<br />Both attitudes emerged when Michigan's Holland State Park became equipped with Wi-Fi in September 2004. Some park users said, "'Wow,
<br />this is cool,'" says Harold Herta of Michigan's Parks and Recreation Division. But others said: "'What's the idea? People go to parks to escape
<br />this kind of stuff.' "
<br />Unlike many other state park officials, Herta does not see a bright future for Wi-Fi. Though five of Michigan's 98 parks have it, "it has not been a
<br />rousing success because people have to pay for it," and free Wi-Fi is available at many locations outside the parks, he says.
<br />Idaho is installing Wi-Fi at two parks this month, Ponderosa and Bruneau Dunes, says Kevin Zauha of the state Department of Parks and
<br />Recreation.
<br />The decision to provide it free was made atter an Internet survey of potential parkgoers. Of 211 people who responded, 64% favored the
<br />installation. More than half who wanted Wi-Fi said they would be more likely to visit a state park if it were available.
<br />Wi-Fi may not coming anytime soon to Alaska, where many of the 2.2 state parks are in remote areas. Says John Cotenas of the Department of
<br />Natural Resources: "We do not have running water and still use outhouses."
<br />Going wireless
<br />A 50 -state USA TODAY survey found that 28 states have installed Wi-Fi in at least one of their parks.
<br />Number of
<br />Number of parks with
<br />State parks Wi-Fi Parks with Wi-Fi
<br />Blue Springs, Buck's Pocket, Cheaha, DeSoto, Frank Jackson, Gulf, Lake Guntersville, Lakepoint, Monte
<br />Alabama 22 11 Sano, Oak Mountain, Joe Wheeler
<br />_..._.. _ _.._........_.._._...... ....
<br />Alaska 22 0
<br />Arizona
<br />30
<br />0
<br />Arkansas
<br />52
<br />6
<br />_..._._ _. .,..,..... .... ......... _._._...__ ......� __
<br />Bull Shoals, Crowley's Ridge, DeGray Lake, Lake Dardanelle, Mount Magazine, Queen Wilhelmina
<br />California
<br />278
<br />50
<br />see: parks.ca.govldetault.asp?page_id=23780
<br />Colorado
<br />42
<br />2
<br />Chatfield, Cherry Creek
<br />Connecticut
<br />106
<br />0
<br />_. .......
<br />Delaware
<br />15
<br />0
<br />_.._._.---- _ _w_ ----� ..___ - ....... .... ... ._._. _....._.. _..._........_.__ __ __
<br />Florida
<br />161
<br />0
<br />...... ..... ......,_._.------- ------ __-_- .- __... . ._ .............
<br />Amicalola Falls, General Coffee, George L. Smith, George T. Bagby, Gordon ia-Alatamaha, Indian Springs,
<br />Georgia
<br />45
<br />13
<br />John Tanner, Little Ocmulgee, Sapelo Island, Red Top Mountain, Skidaway Island, Smithgall Woods, Unicoi
<br />Hawaii
<br />54
<br />0
<br />Idaho
<br />20
<br />2
<br />Bruneau Dunes, Ponderosa
<br />Illinois
<br />44
<br />5
<br />Giant City, Pere Marquette, Starved Rock, Wayne Fitzgerrell, White Pines
<br />Indiana
<br />24
<br />7
<br />_____�---.-----...._..._—__.___. _�.�...._....mm...............
<br />Brown County, Clifty Falls, Fort Harrison, McCormick's Creels, Pokagon, Spring Mill, Turkey Run
<br />Iowa
<br />48
<br />0
<br />_._ ........ ...... .... .
<br />Kansas
<br />24
<br />2
<br />_._..._.._____...._._.___ __.W...... _ _...... .................. ......
<br />Elk City, Tuttle Creek
<br />.... ....... ..._. _._ __- -- .... ........ .....
<br />Barren River Lake, Blue Licks Battlefield, Buckhom Lake, Carter Caves, Cumberland Falls, Dale Hollow Lake,
<br />General Butler, Greenbo Lake, Jenny Wiley, Kenlake, Kentucky Dam Village, Lake Barkley, Lake
<br />Kentucky
<br />53
<br />17
<br />Cumberland, Natural Bridge, Pennyrile Forest, Pine Mountain, Rough River Dam
<br />Louisiana
<br />20
<br />4
<br />Bayou Segnette, Fairview -Riverside, Fontainebleau, Poverty Point Reservoir
<br />Maine
<br />32
<br />0
<br />........
<br />http:llusatoday.printthi s. cl ickabi lity. comlpticpt? action=cpt&title=State+parks+blaze+trails+for+wireless+In.:. 5/2/2008
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