As U.S. nationwide parks face staffing shortages amid layoffs and hiring freezes forward of the busy summer time season, there’s uncertainty surrounding what the customer expertise could also be like within the coming months. As Phil Francis, the chairman of the manager council on the Coalition to Shield America’s Nationwide Parks, told Travel + Leisure, the latest modifications “may have an effect on the timeliness of opening sure amenities within the parks, such because the customer middle and campgrounds.” It might additionally lead to soiled campsites and bogs and overflowing trash bins.

Among the many locations reportedly getting ready for the crowds following staffing cuts are Utah’s Mighty 5: Bryce Canyon, Zion, Arches, Capitol Reef, and Canyonlands. That mentioned, in case you’re embarking on a Utah nationwide park journey this summer time, chances are you’ll need to train persistence and plan forward as a lot as potential.

Based on Francis, who shared his suggestion for visiting the parks with SFGate, “I might advocate that the individuals who do need to go to a nationwide park name forward and discover out which amenities can be open whereas they’re there.” It could even be a good suggestion to hunt out the lesser-known, much less crowded locations—and RVshare has a few recommendations for the place vacationers ought to go. The RV rental platform not too long ago carried out a survey that discovered virtually 70 p.c of vacationers choose to “search hidden gems off the overwhelmed path somewhat than historic landmarks.”

Utah’s Capitol Reef Nationwide Park might actually be thought-about a kind of “hidden gems.” Whereas the park boasts colourful canyons, dramatic cliffs, and historical petroglyphs, just like Zion, RVshare notes that Capitol Reef sees round 1.3 million fewer guests than its southwestern neighbor every year. So in case you like having mountain climbing trails to your self and never struggling to search out parking, you’ll probably discover Capitol Reef to be a extra nice expertise, particularly throughout the summer time.

Positioned exterior the city of Torrey, Capitol Reef covers about 377 sq. miles—considerably bigger than the 229-square-mile Zion—and it’s crammed with otherworldly surroundings. Contained in the park, you’ll discover the Waterpocket Fold, a 100-plus-mile wrinkle within the earth that creates the well-known canyons, cliffs, and even arches. Vacationers can discover the park and its pure formations by way of its mountain climbing trails or alongside the eight-mile Capitol Reef Scenic Drive.

Like Zion, Capitol Reef is an International Dark Sky Park, a designation it obtained in 2015. For the very best views of the evening sky, the park service recommends heading to the Fruita Area, the South (Waterpocket) District, or the North (Cathedral) District of the park.