Online sources report that last year over 327 million travelers visited America’s national parks and historic sites. The majority of the crowds were found in Zion, Yellowstone, and the Great Smoky Mountains. If you want to avoid these crowds, here are 10 alternatives to America’s most visited national parks.
1. Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Instead of Zion National Park
Zion National Park is almost a rite of passage for 4.5 million backpackers and hikers. The struggle against trashed and congested trails, especially in The popular Narrows, is never-ending. Less than 50 miles east of Zion is a striking desert landscape of gravity-defying rock formations and fiery sandstones. It’s the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and is found on the border of Arizona and Utah. This place attracts under 25 percent of the travelers Zion draws and includes an area nearly seven times the size.
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