Long article but still interesting.https://www.nationalparkstraveler.org/2018/12/updated-national-parks-working-figure-out-how-best-manage-crowding

Since many of us remember going on those summer road trips to the National Parks around 1960 I'll use that for a start...Tourist Arrivals to the US(from overseas) for 2016 was 75.6 MILLION people (UNWTO)This is for the USA ONLY.Tourist arrivals in 1960: 16.7 Million (This is for ALL of the AMERICAS including North America, Caribbean and South America!US Population in 1960 was 180.7 MillionUS Population in 2017 325.7 MillionGiven the above, overcrowding should be no surprise to anyone.

I agree they are way overcrowded. On our way up to Alaska this year we stopped for a week at the Grand Canyon and a one day stop at Zion. Both were extremely crowded. Zion now can really only be seen via bus as you can only drive straight through now. Similar to Denali.Over our lives, we have visited 51 of the 58 major NP's. We have definitely seen the evolution of the increasing crowds.In 2016 35.4% of the visitors to US national parks were non US citizens.Ken

Been a number of years since we have been to a NP. Makes you wonder if it is worth the hassle any more.

Makes you wonder if it is worth the hassle any more.It definitely is. You just need to know how to work the crowd. I do agree, though, that capping visitors may be a solution. No one will like it but sometimes you just have to do something.

We hear that complaint all the time. Funny thing is, the people who complain the most are long time repeat visitors who often stay at the parks for weeks at a time nearly every year. They don't like the most obvious solution of limits on visitation length and limitations on frequency of visitor passes administered either by lottery or by you falling to the bottom of the list if you have visited in the past. I haven't heard of any cures for overcrowding that aren't worse than the disease.

National Parks overcrowding. | Good Sam Community

29 Replies

Beentherefixedt
Explorer
Dec 31, 2018
drsteve wrote:
Beentherefixedthat wrote:

But to remove the posts of those of us who pushed back against the odious posts seems to equate the two which is certainly not the case.

Well, since the mod took out the trash, there's really nothing left to push back against. If those posts were left, folks who come along later will wonder who the comments are directed at.

Yes I get that completely, and agree, but not all pushback was off topic and included other points.

I fully agree it was the right thing to do in this case.
drsteve
Explorer
Dec 31, 2018
Beentherefixedthat wrote:

But to remove the posts of those of us who pushed back against the odious posts seems to equate the two which is certainly not the case.

Well, since the mod took out the trash, there's really nothing left to push back against. If those posts were left, folks who come along later will wonder who the comments are directed at.
Beentherefixedt
Explorer
Dec 31, 2018
dedmiston wrote:
The suggestion to limit attendance to US citizens was nuts and the reactions were predictable and then confused. I deleted that part of the conversation to bring the topic back on track. Please don’t resume that weird part of the discussion.

Thank You for moderating this discussion in a more surgical and thoughtful manner with a much appreciated explanation of what you did and why so that those of us still here understand.

But to remove the posts of those of us who pushed back against the odious posts seems to equate the two which is certainly not the case.

But Cheers to you for your effort here. This is a welcome shift in approach.
drsteve
Explorer
Dec 31, 2018
Many backcountry areas already operate a lottery to award camping permits. We may eventually see more of that for visits of all sorts.
dedmiston
Moderator
Dec 31, 2018
The suggestion to limit attendance to US citizens was nuts and the reactions were predictable and then confused. I deleted that part of the conversation to bring the topic back on track. Please don’t resume that weird part of the discussion.
ppine
Explorer II
Dec 30, 2018
One of the answers to consider, is increasing the cost of admission. Nearly all NPs are way behind on their maintenance. They need more revenue. It might decrease visitorship somewhat. Compared to the cost of tranportation, camping fees, and groceries and other costs, higher admission fees would be minor.
RGar974417
Explorer
Dec 29, 2018
If you go during peak summer months then yes, they will be over crowded. Go in spring and fall and things are much better.
goducks10
Explorer
Dec 29, 2018
shelbyfv wrote:
Over population causes lots of problems. Can't see an end to it as long as we continue to think our own DNA is so special we need to pass it along to 10 kids....

Families have on average 2.4 kids in the US. Maybe it has to do with a finite amount of Ntl Parks and a normal increase in population along with 10 years of RV sales that have been off the charts. Millennial's that like the outdoors, overseas economies that are strong, allowing it's citizens to travel abroad.
bobsallyh
Explorer II
Dec 29, 2018
You know KM ROLLING, we spend usually about six weeks in the West Yellowstone area. We go into the park at least four times a week. We're like you, don't see the issue. Yep, people that wait until 10 AM then hit the West Gate have issues, get off your posterior and get going. We may go in early or after lunch, or around 4 PM. Only traffic at 4 PM is everybody exiting, going the opposite way of us. Old Faithful, and several other sites are "busy" during mid-day, but so many other areas are not "busy" such as Lamar Valley.
KM_Rolling
Explorer
Dec 29, 2018
We spent 5 days wandering around Yellowstone last June. We stayed in West Yellowstone and went into the NP each day.

Traffic/crowds were not bad at all. Only got stuck in stop n go traffic twice, both times due to bison walking down the middle of the road stopping the traffic. :)

Had a great time!