1. Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming/Montana/Idaho
Yellowstone was the world’s first national park, and for decades, it felt like one of America’s last true wildernesses. But with over four million visitors a year, its famous geysers and wildlife have become almost impossible to enjoy in peace, Drew Magary complains in Outside Magazine. You’ll find yourself stuck in “bison traffic” as tourists block roads to snap photos, and good luck getting a front-row view of Old Faithful without a hundred other people jostling for space. The park’s infrastructure is struggling to keep up, with packed parking lots and trails that feel more like sidewalks in a city than paths through nature.
If you’re hoping for a quiet moment at a scenic overlook, be prepared to wait your turn. Popular spots like Grand Prismatic Spring are constantly surrounded by crowds, and the boardwalks can feel claustrophobic. Even backcountry trails aren’t immune, as more and more people venture deeper into the park to escape the madness. Unfortunately, increased foot traffic is also leading to environmental damage, with fragile ecosystems suffering under the weight of so many visitors.
2. Zion National Park, Utah
Zion is breathtaking, with its towering red rock cliffs and narrow slot canyons, but it’s also one of the most overcrowded national parks in the country, according to Julie Jag’s article in The Salt Lake Tribune. The park sees over five million visitors a year, and the main scenic drive is so packed that personal vehicles are banned for most of the year. Instead, visitors rely on shuttle buses, which means long lines and packed rides before you even set foot on a trail. Once you do, expect bottlenecks on famous hikes like Angel’s Landing, where narrow sections turn into frustrating standstills.
Camping spots book up months in advance, and even early morning starts won’t guarantee solitude. The Narrows, once a peaceful wade through a slot canyon, is now often filled with hundreds of people at a time. Social media has only added fuel to the fire, with viral photos inspiring more and more visitors to flood the park. The result? An experience that feels less like an adventure and more like a theme park attraction.
3. Yosemite National Park, California
Once a haven for climbers and nature lovers, Yosemite now feels like rush hour in a big city, Hugo Martin from The Los Angeles Times says. The park’s stunning waterfalls, massive granite cliffs, and iconic vistas draw over four million people annually, turning popular areas into chaotic scenes. Yosemite Valley, in particular, is packed with cars, tour buses, and hikers competing for space on overcrowded trails. Trying to park during peak season is a nightmare, and even getting a campground reservation can feel like winning the lottery.
Even lesser-known trails are seeing record foot traffic, leaving little room for solitude. Popular viewpoints like Glacier Point and Tunnel View are often swarming with tourists, making it hard to enjoy the natural beauty without someone’s selfie stick in the way. Trash and noise pollution are also on the rise, with some visitors showing little respect for the park’s delicate environment. If you’re hoping for a peaceful escape, you’ll have to head deep into the backcountry—and even there, you won’t be alone.
4. Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee/North Carolina
The most-visited national park in the U.S., Great Smoky Mountains sees over 12 million visitors annually, making it nearly impossible to find peace and quiet, Liz Kellar from the Knoxville News Sentinel shares. Once a misty, serene retreat filled with wildlife and rolling hills, the park now suffers from endless traffic jams and packed trailheads. The scenic drives, particularly Cades Cove, can take hours due to slow-moving cars stopping for photos. What used to be a peaceful drive through nature now feels more like a congested highway.
Hiking trails aren’t much better, with places like Clingmans Dome and Laurel Falls swarming with tourists. Even early morning hikes can be crowded, as more people flock to the park year after year. Wildlife sightings are now marred by hoards of people getting too close for comfort, leading to safety concerns for both animals and visitors. The magic of the Smokies is still there—you just have to work a lot harder to find it.
5. Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
The Grand Canyon is one of the most awe-inspiring places on Earth, but it’s also one of the most overrun. Each year, around six million visitors come to see the canyon’s vast beauty, and the South Rim, in particular, feels more like a crowded city sidewalk than a national park. Finding a quiet moment at popular viewpoints like Mather Point is nearly impossible unless you visit at sunrise. The constant noise, selfie-taking crowds, and packed shuttle buses can make it hard to connect with the park’s natural wonder.
The famous Bright Angel and South Kaibab Trails are often congested with hikers, mules, and even the occasional rescue team responding to unprepared visitors. Tourists hoping for a quick photo often ignore safety warnings, leading to dangerous situations at cliff edges. The North Rim offers a slightly more peaceful experience, but even that’s changing as more visitors seek out less crowded alternatives. If you want solitude at the Grand Canyon, you’ll have to hike deep into the backcountry—or visit in the dead of winter.
6. Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
Rocky Mountain National Park was once a quiet sanctuary for those looking to experience Colorado’s alpine beauty, but today, it’s anything but peaceful. Over 4.5 million visitors cram into the park every year, overwhelming its limited roads and parking areas. Trail Ridge Road, a scenic drive through the mountains, is often a slow-moving procession of cars. Meanwhile, parking lots for popular hikes, like Bear Lake and Emerald Lake, fill up before sunrise.
Hiking trails that used to be serene are now as busy as shopping malls on Black Friday. Even areas that once required significant effort to reach, like Sky Pond, are seeing record foot traffic. The sheer number of visitors is taking a toll on the park’s fragile ecosystems, with widening trails and increased litter becoming serious problems. Unless you’re willing to go deep into the wilderness, expect to share every view with a crowd.
7. Arches National Park, Utah
Arches National Park used to be a quiet desert paradise where visitors could wander among the red rock formations without seeing another soul. Now, it’s so crowded that the park often has to turn people away at the entrance. Delicate Arch, the park’s most famous landmark, is almost always surrounded by a sea of people waiting for their turn to take the perfect photo. The once-quiet trails leading to iconic formations like Landscape Arch and Double Arch now feel more like tourist highways.
Finding parking is a battle, especially during peak season when lots fill up before 8 a.m. The park’s small size—only about 76,000 acres—means that it simply can’t absorb the massive influx of visitors without feeling overwhelmed. Many once-pristine trails are now showing signs of wear, with widening paths and increased erosion. If you want any sense of solitude, you’ll need to venture deep into the park at sunrise or visit in the scorching off-season.
8. Acadia National Park, Maine
Once a peaceful retreat on Maine’s rugged coastline, Acadia National Park now feels more like a crowded resort town. Each year, more than four million visitors squeeze into the park’s relatively small area, leading to packed parking lots, traffic jams, and long lines for everything. Cadillac Mountain, famous for being the first place in the U.S. to see the sunrise, now requires reservations due to overwhelming demand. Even if you snag a spot, expect to share the view with hundreds of others, cameras at the ready.
Hiking trails like the Beehive and Precipice are often so packed that they resemble single-file escalators rather than wilderness paths. The famous Park Loop Road, which winds past stunning coastal views, can become a bumper-to-bumper mess during peak season. Bar Harbor, the nearby gateway town, is also feeling the strain, with hotels and restaurants constantly booked up. The park’s beauty is still undeniable, but finding a peaceful moment requires patience—or a visit in the dead of winter.
9. Glacier National Park, Montana
Glacier National Park was once known as the “Crown of the Continent,” a remote haven of towering peaks, pristine lakes, and grizzly bears. But with over three million visitors a year, it’s getting harder and harder to find that untouched wilderness experience. The famous Going-to-the-Sun Road is constantly congested, with cars crawling along as people search for elusive parking spots. If you want to hike popular trails like Hidden Lake or Grinnell Glacier, expect crowds that make it feel more like a theme park than a national park.
The increase in visitors is also putting serious strain on the park’s delicate ecosystem. More foot traffic means more trail erosion, more litter, and a greater chance of human-wildlife conflicts. Campsites fill up months in advance, and even backcountry permits are getting harder to come by. The park’s glaciers are already disappearing due to climate change—unfortunately, its sense of solitude is vanishing just as quickly.
10. Joshua Tree National Park, California
Joshua Tree was once a quiet desert retreat, a place where artists, climbers, and wanderers could escape into the wild. Now, it’s overrun with visitors who come for Instagram-worthy photos and weekend getaways. The park sees over three million visitors annually, leading to severe overcrowding at campgrounds, trailheads, and scenic spots. Parking lots fill up early, and it’s not uncommon to see long lines of cars waiting to enter the park.
The surge in visitors is taking a toll on the fragile desert environment. Graffiti and vandalism have increased, and some visitors have even damaged Joshua trees for the sake of a selfie. Campgrounds that once offered peaceful stargazing are now packed with noisy groups, making it difficult to experience the solitude that once defined the park. Unless you venture deep into the backcountry, don’t expect much peace and quiet.
11. Mount Rainier National Park, Washington
Mount Rainier’s breathtaking alpine meadows and glacier-covered peak used to offer a true escape into the wild. But with more than two million visitors a year, the park is struggling to handle the influx. Paradise, the most famous area of the park, is often anything but—parking lots fill up early, and trails like Skyline Loop are packed with hikers. Even lesser-known spots are seeing increased foot traffic, making it tough to find solitude.
Summer weekends are particularly bad, with lines of cars snaking down the mountain just to get inside. The park’s fragile wildflower meadows are suffering from trampling, as people ignore signs to stay on designated trails. Backcountry camping used to be a guaranteed way to escape the crowds, but even those permits are getting harder to secure. If you want to experience Rainier’s beauty in peace, your best bet is a midweek visit in the off-season.
12. Shenandoah National Park, Virginia
Shenandoah’s rolling mountains and scenic Skyline Drive once offered a quiet escape for those looking to immerse themselves in nature. Now, thanks to its proximity to Washington, D.C., and other major cities, it’s become a hotspot for weekend warriors. Skyline Drive, the park’s most famous attraction, is often clogged with cars, especially during the fall when leaf-peepers descend in droves. If you’re hoping for a peaceful drive through the mountains, be prepared for slow-moving traffic and packed overlooks.
Popular hiking trails like Old Rag and Stony Man are often so crowded that you’ll be hiking in a single-file line. Even backcountry areas are seeing increased foot traffic, making it difficult to find the solitude that once defined the park. Wildlife sightings, once a magical experience, are now often accompanied by large crowds trying to snap the perfect shot. While Shenandoah is still a beautiful place, its growing popularity means it’s harder than ever to find a quiet moment.
13. Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii
Once a mystical and untamed landscape, Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park is now one of the most overrun destinations in the Pacific. The park’s dramatic lava flows and craters attract over two million visitors a year, leading to congested roads and crowded trails. The once-otherworldly Chain of Craters Road is often filled with bumper-to-bumper traffic, making it hard to appreciate the scenery. Even remote lava fields that were once peaceful now see a constant stream of tourists.
Hiking trails like Kīlauea Iki and Thurston Lava Tube are frequently packed, taking away from the park’s sense of wild isolation. Visitors hoping to see lava flows up close are often met with large crowds jostling for the best view. Increased foot traffic is also taking a toll on the fragile volcanic ecosystem, with more people veering off trails and damaging delicate landscapes. For a quieter experience, you’ll have to explore less-visited areas—or visit during off-peak hours.
14. Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, California
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks were once peaceful sanctuaries where you could stand in awe of the world’s largest trees without a crowd. Now, these sister parks are feeling the pressure of increasing tourism, especially in Sequoia’s Giant Forest. The area around the famous General Sherman Tree is often packed with people, making it difficult to fully appreciate its grandeur. Parking is a nightmare, and shuttle buses are often standing-room-only during peak season.
The congestion isn’t just limited to the trees—hiking trails, campgrounds, and scenic drives are all feeling the strain. Even Kings Canyon, which was once considered the quieter alternative, is seeing a surge in visitors. More people mean more damage to delicate ecosystems, as some visitors venture off-trail or leave behind litter. While these parks are still home to some of the most breathtaking landscapes in the country, finding solitude among the giants is becoming increasingly difficult.
