Several years ago I took a solo trip to a popular, small mountain town in New Mexico. My family and I have frequented this charming place for fifteen plus years. t’s becoming increasingly clear to me that if you want to avoid the crowds you’re going to have to do what others are not willing to do. Whether that be hiking farther than most to a place with fewer amenities, or driving down roads more remote and difficult to travel.

As I alluded to in my previous blog, I am not anti-social, but I do not care for being surrounded by throngs of people who lack self awareness.

Back in September of 2019, I planned a trip to Zion National Park. It was to be be an adventure to my first “real” national park.

Although I would consider May peak season, I had made the decision chose to go in September to miss the crowds. I reasoned that it would be slightly off season and the

I asked a park ranger who happened by if it was always this busy. He stated the staff were wondering why it was so packed. He mentioned that by this time of year, the crowds had subsided, shrugged his shoulders a bit,

~ Post from REDDIT: “Read a National Park rating website about how Zion is so crowded (never been) that I'm rethinking including it on this particular roadtrip with young kids?”

”I went to Zion in late May, around noon, right to the front gate - pretty much the worst possible setup. And it was bad, it was really really bad. On the little intro hike it really felt like I was walking through a crowded shopping mall, it was shoulder to shoulder foot traffic for the first half mile. We went off towards angel's landing and it got MUCH better very quickly, but that first area felt packed like actual sardines.”

“If you go more than 1/2-1 mile into trails at "crowded" national parks you'll be away from most of the crowds. The majority do the quick, easy photo stuff and sightseeing then get tired of it quickly.”

Don’t Stand So Close to Me

Where To From Here