National Parks Are So Crowded That Congress Is Getting Involved
Reservations, staffing, and car limits are pitched as solutions during testimony in a Senate subcommittee hearing
Yellowstone National Park, located mostly in Wyoming, is one of many national parks seeing record numbers of visitors this summer, leading to long lines and traffic jams.
Photographer: Natalie Behring/Getty Images North AmericaA post-pandemic boom in national park tourism has left lawmakers wondering how to preserve nature and the visitor experience amid increased traffic, crowds, and waiting times.
“Yosemite is one of the most spectacular places in the world, but I can guarantee the people in that traffic jam weren’t enjoying it,” said Maine’s Independent Senator, Angus King, while presenting a photo of a mountain road backup on Wednesday to the Senate Energy and Natural Resources subcommittee on National Parks.