4 of Utah’s national parks — including Zion — fail to rank in top 20 list. Here’s why.

ST. GEORGE — Bryce Canyon National Park has made the list as one of the nation’s most crowded parks but ranks No. 1 for visitor reviews, a park spokesman said.

Crowds at the entrance to The Narrows, Zion National Park, Utah, date not specified | Photo courtesy of the National Park Service, St. George News

“We’ve heard people from Utah to Uruguay describe Bryce Canyon as their favorite national park, and these positive experiences are reflected in the park’s first-place ranking for visitor reviews,” Peter Densmore, Bryce Canyon National Park spokesman, said. 

Bryce Canyon joins other Utah parks that didn’t make the Top 20 List of National Parks ranked by Travel Lemming, an online travel guide with over 10 million annual readers who analyzed data to rank all 63 national parks in the United States.

According to the news release, Capitol Reef was Utah’s only national park to make the list, ranking at No. 18, while Arches, Bryce Canyon, Zion and Canyonlands failed to make the top cut due to crowd and cost factors. 

For the ranking, Travel Lemming scores each park across six factors: 

  • Crowds – Number of visits per acre of parkland in 2022.
  • Reviews – Average visitor review score out of 5.
  • Weather – Number of months with a comfortable average temperature between 50 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Affordability – Average nightly cost of a nearby quality hotel room during the first weekend of the Park’s most popular month.
  • Accessibility – Average driving distance to the park from the closest FAA primary airport and the nearest hub airport.
  • Biodiversity – Number of species deemed “present or probably present.”

Overall rankings were determined by each park’s average order across all factors. Further details are available in the report’s methodology section.

While Zion and Bryce Canyon national parks received a lower ranking due to crowding, park spokesmen stated there are ways to avoid the throngs. 

Densmore told St. George News that in the last 100 years, Bryce Canyon has become well-known and beloved worldwide.

“From thousands of visitors in 1923 to the expectation of over 2 million in 2023, much has changed here in the last century,” Densmore said. “And yet what has remained constant is the overwhelmingly positive experiences that nearly everyone who visits the park describes.”

Despite Bryce Canyon National Park being busier than it was a century ago, Densmore said there are ways to avoid crowds.

Ranger giving a presentation about the Grand Staircase along the rim of the main amphitheater, Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah, date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Bryce Canyon National Park, St. George News

His top recommendation is to hop aboard the park shuttle from April through October to see Bryce Canyon’s most popular overlooks and trails without the stress of congested parking lots. The shuttle is free with park admission and brings visitors to stops throughout the iconic Bryce Amphitheater area. 

Travelers can experience the viewpoints together along the Rim Trail by riding the shuttle. Visitors may then disembark at Bryce Point and walk along the canyon rim to Inspiration, Sunset and Sunrise Points without ever having to move their car. Unlimited use of the shuttle is free with park admission

Densmore said motorists might encounter temporary closures of parking lots when they reach capacity. Still, these temporary closures don’t apply to park shuttles. 

“The shuttle truly is the best way to enjoy a predictable visit to Bryce Canyon, especially on busy days,” Densmore said. 

Zion National Park Spokesman Jonathan Shafer agreed riding a park shuttle is the way to go when dealing with crowds at national parks. 

Shafer stated in an email to St. George News that parking inside Zion can fill early in the day, especially on weekends and during the summer. He advises visitors to park in Springdale and take advantage of the free Springdale Line Shuttle bus to take to the Park. Once inside the Park, the shuttle is also free. Click here to learn more about the seasonal shuttle schedule.

“Before your visit, take advantage of the free tools the National Park Service offers to learn about roads, trails, and the factors that could affect access to them,” Shafer said. “Developing a plan for parking, a place to stay, and places to hike helps ensure everyone who travels to Zion can enjoy a happy, healthy visit.”

Cross-country skiing is a favorite activity near Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah | Photo courtesy of Jay Dash Photography, St. George News

Shafter also added travelers could learn more about the park’s landscapes, plants, animals, and history with the ranger programs. Check the Park’s event calendar for the programs. Check the park website or the NPS App for the most current schedule. 

Another alternative to vehicle transportation is to use the Bryce Canyon National Park Shared-Use Path. The trail runs 18 miles between Bryce Canyon and Red Canyon to the west. The 5 miles of the path within the park travel past the visitor center and Bryce Canyon Lodge on the way to scenic overlooks and hiking trails.

“For those that enjoy walking a leashed pet, jogging, or cycling, the Shared-Use Path is a guaranteed way to avoid any crowds,” Densmore said. “Bicycles and e-bikes can also be rented near the park and will be available near the Bryce Canyon Lodge in May.”

Other suggestions for avoiding crowds are to plan your visit around certain times of the year and even times of the day. For example, Bryce Canyon’s National Park’s peak visitation generally occurs from March through October. Densmore said there’s typically a lull in August. But major holidays such as Memorial Day are popular times to visit. 

Another way to avoid crowds is to visit in the offseason. Densmore said winter is usually less crowded.

“Visiting from November through February cannot only offer a quieter side of the park but the unique beauty of the red rocks and evergreens laced with snow,” Densmore said. 

He cautioned that if planning to visit during more popular months, peak visitation tends to be between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. and especially recommends the free park shuttle during those hours. Also, he said the more well-known sites will be drawing the most attention.

Densmore said most visitors gather around viewpoints and parking lots and don’t venture far on hiking trails. So by going on the less popular trails, visitors can avoid the crowds. 

“By embarking on even a short walk along the Rim Trail or below the rim on a more challenging hike, one can find plenty of room and even solitude within the park,” Densmore said. “More strenuous trails and backcountry hikes will provide the greatest opportunities for solitude, though visitors should prepare for the more challenging and less developed nature of the Park’s backcountry areas.”

To learn more about hiking in the backcountry in Bryce National Park, visit this website and about backcountry use at this link.

Densmore suggests visiting the millions of acres of public lands and parks surrounding Bryce Canyon National Park to discover even more solitude. 

“From the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument to the Dixie National Forest and nearby state parks, there’s plenty of room to roam in the Bryce Canyon area,” Densmore said.

Travel Lemming’s report also provided the following insights:

  • Bryce Canyon National Park ranks 58th overall, despite a 1st-place ranking for reviews. The Park was weighed down by its 57th ranking for crowds, making it the most visitor-dense National Park in Utah.
  • Zion National Park ranks 26th overall, mainly due to its ranking as the 55th worst-crowded National Park in the USA.
  • Canyonlands National Park lands at 32nd overall. Its scores are average across most factors, but it was weighed down by affordability factors.
  • Arches National Park ranked only 50th overall due to the crowds and affordability factors. It did, however, rank 9th in the nation for visitor reviews, indicating visitors enjoy the Park despite the crowds.
  • Capitol Reef National Park ranks 18th best national Park in the USA, tops among Utah national parks. The park fared better due to being the 7th most affordable Park in the USA for nearby accommodation.
  • Visitors rate all five of Utah’s National Parks highly, with all “Mighty 5” among the top 20 designations in the reviews ranking.
  • Iconic national parks fared worse in the data, primarily due to crowds and affordability. Grand Canyon National Park was ranked 15th, Yellowstone National Park at 23 and Yosemite National Park at 34. 
  • Tennessee’s Great Smoky Mountains was ranked as the most biodiverse park, North Dakota’s Theodore Roosevelt the most affordable, Alaska’s Gates of the Arctic the least crowded and Missouri’s Gateway Arch the most accessible.

The top U.S. National Parks, according to the report, are: 

 1. Shenandoah National Park, Virginia.
 2. North Cascades National Park, Washington.
3. Biscayne National Park, Florida.
4. (Tie) Kings Canyon National Park and Sequoia National Park, both California.
6. Everglades National Park, Florida.
7. Big Bend National Park, Texas.
8. Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky.
9. Death Valley National Park, California and Nevada.
10. Channel Islands National Park, California.

Travel Lemming Senior Travel Writer McKenna Mobley said she has traveled the world, and the USA national parks are unparalleled.

“They are one of my all-time favorite travel destinations. Every U.S. national park offers its own special flair, so in some sense, ranking them is like ranking music genres — they’re all good!” Mobley said in a news release. “However, I hope this report highlights the fact that some of America’s less famous parks offer far more than what meets the eye. Sometimes the best experiences can be found at hidden park gems that are off the lemming path.”

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2023, all rights reserved.

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