Not surprised...
Just read the entire announcement on the news page of the NPS site. Although it appears to sound like you can only obtain the permits via either phone or the national reservation website, the fact that they say the permits are free, except for the $1.50 charge to "obtain" them (bad choice of words), doesn't makes sense if the only way you can get them IS to reserve them -- cuz in that case, they are not free cuz you HAVE to pay to reserve them. So although the phone and web site are two ways to obtain them, perhaps what is implied, but not mentioned, is that they can also be obtained in person at the park (if not "sold out"), which is the only way they could be legitimately "free". I saw nothing in the NPS news announcement that specifically said you could NOT get them at the park in person. In-person obtaining of the permits wasn't even mentioned, which to me, is inconclusive on that point.
CaT
