As I pulled up to the gate at Monadnock State Park in Jaffrey, New Hampshire, the first thing I noticed was the nearly-full parking lot. It was mid-March, and there was still plenty of snow on top of Mt. Monadnock. Perhaps I shouldn’t have been surprised – Mt. Monadnock second-most climbed mountain in the world, slightly trailing Mt. Fuji in Japan. Emerson, Thoreau, and Twain all stood on its round, rocky summit.
The Park Ranger handed me two entry tickets to display in my windshield. Printed on the tickets was the following statement:
“We have provided a safe and attractive environment consistent with our mission to preserve and protect park resources. The necessary knowledge, skill, and equipment for a safe visit are your responsibility. Please enjoy your visit to New Hampshire’s State Parks and come back often!”
How brilliantly simple! In three sentences, the New Hampshire State Park service has shared their mission statement, established expectations, and encouraged repeat business. I particularly like the wording of the first sentence, “We have provided… consistent with our mission…” They’re not talking about a future fulfillment, they’re publicly declaring that they are successfully fulfilling their mission. Now that’s confidence.
It’s confidence that is well deserved. The New Hampshire State Parks website is the best I’ve ever seen. It has a great design, easy-to-navigate content, maps, frequently-updated trail conditions, camping information, etc. They make it easy to visit by answering all your questions and providing all necessary information in one place. My visit to the park was an excellent experience.
The State Park that Does Things Right
My favorite part of their statement was part of their mission statement involves responsibility on the part of those using the park.