How to cope with park crowds

If you’re headed to a national park this summer, expect plenty of company, said Wes Siler in OutsideOnline.com. The numbers of visitors swarming public lands so exceed past records that five parks—Acadia, Muir Woods, Glacier, Rocky Mountain, and Yosemite—now require reservations. Still, the parks are worth the hassle if you adjust. Hire a guide, for example, because official operators “hold all of the permits necessary to make guests’ trip a success.” Many also provide transportation. For lodging, skip overbooked park camp sites and splurge on park-adjacent hotels, some which offer free airport shuttle buses and save you on rental-car costs. You could also camp on public land outside the park. (Offroad is an app that maps public lands.) Wherever you pitch your tent, wake up early. “Being at the trailhead at daybreak is the best way to avoid afternoon heat, storms, and crowds.”