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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Just returned from visiting "The Mighty Five."

Zion was a disappointment. It was so overcrowded and the buses were packed all the time with standing room only. The popular hikes (The Narrows) were like a non-stop assembly line of people and many of them were obviously not in physical condition to be doing it. Overheard of several instances where people had fallen or otherwise were hurt. We stayed in the lodge on Zion and even with that head-start it was still packed with people.

There were also large tour groups comprised of busloads of people who were only trying to get the perfect Instagram-type shot and were blocking viewpoints, blocking trails, etc.  to do so. Bringing changes of outfits, even! Completely oblivious to the beauty around them.

As far as we were concerned, Zion was a one-and-done and we don't have plans to go back.

[/quote]

Which month did you visit Zion, was it this month or September? My family is planning a trip there for late Sept of next year, as we thought (and read) that the crowds are gone by then.[/quote]

Early October. There may not have been the typical crowds of families with kids, but it was PACKED with large foreign tour groups. I guess they plan their trips when US kids are back in school and thus they can get blocks of rooms everywhere. [/quote]

Ugh that’s a bummer. Were there long waits at the restaurants? 
Did your hotel feel crowded and loud?
 Was parking in town or at the park a challenge?[/quote]

There was NO parking in the park - the only place you were allowed to park was the visitor center and it was full-up almost as soon as it opened. You cannot drive your own vehicle further into the park, so the only option is to park in town (pay $30-50) then take the town shuttle into the park, and then wait in another line to get on the (PACKED) park shuttle which goes through the park, stopping at scenic/hiking areas.

When I say packed, I am not exaggerating. It looked like the NYC subway at rush hour. The only restaurant in the park is at the lodge and it was crowded with mediocre food. Remember that getting to and from places is via the park shuttle so if you get off at the lodge, you will then wait in line again to re-board the shuttle and go elsewhere in the park.

We will never go to Zion again; it was just too crowded and they simply cannot keep up with the volumes of people that need facilities. Including places to go to the bathroom - every restroom/port-a-potty I used was absolutely filthy to the point it was a health hazard. As mentioned previously, the piles of feces/toilet paper in them was so high it was almost reaching the toilet. It is so shameful that our National Park Service has toilet facilities that are literally dirtier than any I've used elsewhere in the world. [/quote]

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