US national parks are crowded – and so are many national forests, wildlife refuges, battlefields and seashores
- Written by Emily Wakild, Cecil D. Andrus Endowed Professor for the Environment and Public Lands, Boise State University
Visitors at Sliding Rock, a popular cascade in North Carolina's Pisgah National Forest. Cecilio Ricardo, USFS/FlickrOutdoor recreation is on track for another record-setting year. In 2022, U.S. national parks logged more than 300 million visits – and that means a lot more people on roads and trails.
While research shows that spending time...
