This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Following national parks such as Arches, Zion and Grand Canyon on Twitter provides some interesting perspectives during the busy spring break season.

Lately, there are have been many notices concerning full parking lots, long lines at entrance stations and even closures due to too many people.

All this raises the question: On the centennial year of the National Park Service, are these treasures being loved to death?

The point of visiting the outdoors for many is to get away from the hassles of the city and experience the quiet of nature and beauty of the outdoors.

Seeing traffic jams and trails jammed with people while searching for a parking spot or waiting in a long line for a shuttle at Zion or the Grand Canyon can make visitors wonder about their choice of a vacation spot.

The problem is that there are no easy solutions for the overcrowding problems.

Visitors can try to see the parks in the off-season, but that window seems to be getting smaller every year. They can try to get up early or stay later to see popular attractions or hike famous trails. Tourists can try to find alternatives such as state parks, Bureau of Land Management destinations or U.S. Forest Service trails and campgrounds.

The question must be asked, though. Are national parks reaching their carrying capacities for people? Is the time coming when visitation will be limited and reservations will be needed to get into the parks during the most popular seasons?

To those who grew up in the days when it was possible to find some solitude at parks, seeing these special places resemble cities is a cause for not only concern but sadness.