National Parks Seeing Huge Spikes in Visitation This Summer

Visitors heading to the Grand Canyon lately know they are going to get two things when they arrive: breathtaking views and long waits, whether it is to get into the national park itself or to find a parking spot inside.
National Parks Seeing Huge Spikes in Visitation This Summer
In this Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2015 photo, visitors gather at an outlook on the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park in northern Arizona. AP Photo/Felicia Fonseca
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GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, Ariz. — Visitors heading to the Grand Canyon lately know they are going to get two things when they arrive: breathtaking views and long waits, whether it is to get into the national park itself or to find a parking spot inside. A few frustrated tourists have even turned around and left.

The crowds haven’t just been coming to the Grand Canyon, where a sign ahead of the entrance gates warns of limited parking.

In this Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2015 photo, visitors line the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park in northern Arizona. (AP Photo/Felicia Fonseca)
In this Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2015 photo, visitors line the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park in northern Arizona. AP Photo/Felicia Fonseca