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The problem with card-only payments is that every card swipe discloses your location to dozens of third parties and creates a timestamped tracklog.

The park doesn’t require your identity to enter; everyone who can pay is allowed to enter without identifying themselves.

Payment cards are strong identity, thereby deanonymizing park visitors.

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America the Beautiful Passes (which gives access to national parks and federal recreational land) require a valid photo ID with each pass, so it's not like cash alone solves this issue.

If that's true it's so poorly enforced I had no idea they checked ID for the yearly national parks pass.

At JTNP we'd just get waved through the gates without even stopping by presenting one on approach. It's common for the locals to loan theirs to friends/family/guests...

They don't scan your ID. The park employee just checks the name you wrote on the pass against the name on your ID and hands it back to you.

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