[JumpCrisscross]

> I’ve backpacked into several parts of the Cascades without a special permit, because none were required, and never been hassled by a ranger

I mean, yes. You followed the rules. If you wandered somewhere that does require a permit, you'd have been at risk of being stopped.

I live around national parks. A single obnoxious tourist can disrupt the life cycle of dozens of protected species by running feral through their mating and nursery grounds. (It's also not obvious that you're re-routing e.g. a herd of pronghorn from the safe valley whose floor you're on into the territory of a new pack of wolves.)