Crowding In National Parks May Not Always Be Bad, Says Study

Crowding in national parks may not always be a bad thing, according to a study published in February 2026 (attached). While “crowding” is generally considered a downside for visitors at national parks, encountering others in these shared natural spaces can also lead to “communitas,” which the researchers define as a “transformative experience that goes to the root of each person’s being and finds in that root something profoundly communal and shared.”

According to the study, “much of the research conducted at U.S. national parks assumes that a higher visitor density is always non-preferable, and each additional encounter unequivocally negatively impacts the experience.” Furthermore, the visitor use management frameworks currently being used often lack the ability to capture the potential positive value of crowding, especially for more diverse visitors.

Park policies, visitor use standards, and even research frameworks have helped cement expectations of solitude in national parks, say the researchers. This happened many years before the dramatic increase of visitor numbers, often without sufficient reflection on the cultural specificity or normative origins of solitude.

Of course, crowding can be problematic. The study acknowledges that increasing visitor numbers can degrade the ecological systems and local community, and at times, there is a need “to limit them for resource protection, visitor experience, and community well-being.” However, the default assumption should not be that crowding is always negative.

For example, a higher density of people may enhance visitors’ experience and enjoyment by providing a sense of security, social vibrancy, and “people-watching” opportunities. This is especially true for minority groups, who often hold distinct values related to crowding.

According to the study, community-based approaches to outdoor recreation are more culturally resonant to Latino visitors than solitary wilderness experiences. For African Americans, their relationships with outdoor recreation spaces emphasize a collective memory and community-based experiences and demonstrate a preference for group-oriented outdoor activities. In addition, family-centered and community-oriented approaches to outdoor recreation are central to many Asian Americans' cultural traditions.

The researchers underscore that “there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ criterion for all visitors, and we probably should not manage national parks as such. Furthermore, we may need to design national parks with certain features to encourage inter-group communication between diverse visitor demographics.”

“By integrating the concept of collective experience, the future of national parks lies not in preserving solitude as the default ideal, but in providing a spectrum of opportunities where every American can find their place, including witnessing wonder together, not apart,” concludes the study.